Blood Diamond (42 page)

Bobbing his head, Sven backed away without looking up from the floor.

I put the cell to my ear. “Richard?”

“You sound a little calmer now.”

“Evelyn’s changing.”

“Good. She’ll be fine. Broken bones heal fast, especially when we can change. Don’t worry. Unless it was really bad, she’ll be as good as new once she’s done transforming. Keep your head, Jackson. I’ll be there as soon as I can. No killing,” he ordered.

“If they touch her again, I kill them,” I snarled.

“If they do,
I’ll
kill them. Am I understood?”

My rage spiked and I snapped, “I’ll think about it.” I hung up before he could say anything else, handing the cell back to Gerald.

He shoved it into his pocket. “I hope that means you’re going to restrain yourself.”

“That depends on them.”

“Of course it does. Gentlemen, since I doubt my angry friend here will keep cool if he starts talking, I’ll ask the questions. Where’s Melanie? Once we talk to her, we’ll be out of your fur.”

“Why do you want to talk to Melanie?” Chris snapped, though he didn’t look up from the floor.

I bristled at his tone, but since he didn’t move, I remained where I was. Until he proved a threat, I would keep my promise to Evelyn. “I’m only going to tell you this once. Five years ago, my wife died with our unborn daughter in a car crash. Not even a week ago, I learn that she had faked her death, coming here. Someone killed my little girl. I want information on where Suzanne went from here with her. If you come between me and Jacqueline’s murderer, you’ll number among the dead. Understood? Considering you’re supporting a woman who hit her own daughter, I’d rather like to just kill you all right this instant.”

“What are you talking about?” Sven asked, jerking his head up. Our eyes met.

“What part didn’t you understand?” I snarled.

He lowered his gaze. “Suzanne told me that you ran out on her and left her with a newborn.”

A bone-deep chill swept through me. I wasn’t aware I had taken a step forward until Gerald wrapped his arms around me, holding me back. “You promised, Jackson.”

The whine of a wolf behind me warned me of Evelyn’s presence. I shifted out of her way, holding my hand out for her. Ducking her head under my fingers, she stepped forward until I touched her shoulders, which came up to my elbows.

Her ears turned back and she bared her fangs at the Fenerec.

“Better?” I asked, holding my breath as I waited for her answer.

She stretched her head out to seize my far hand in her mouth, wrapping her tongue around my fingers. I took it to mean yes.

The Fenerec gawked at Evelyn, and when I noticed their attention on her, I tensed. She lifted her head and stared down her nose at them, as though she were a queen and they were peasants under her rule.

One of the cells in my pocket vibrated before ringing. Frowning, I freed my hand from Evelyn’s jaws, grabbed the phone out of my pocket, and swiped my finger across the display and answered, “Jackson.”

“Are you okay?” my father demanded.

I blinked, removed the phone from my ear, and stared at the screen. Sure enough, my father’s name was prominently displayed. Drawing a deep breath, I reminded myself that I needed to keep civil.

I understood him a bit better. I was alive.

My Jacqueline wasn’t.

It took me a moment to control my voice. “I’m fine. What do you need?”

“Richard called me asking for your number. He said you were in trouble again.”

Evelyn sat down, her gaze fixed on the other Fenerec. I leaned against her, stroking my hand down the smooth curve of her back. “I’m not in trouble yet. I’m about to start it if I don’t get my way, however.”

“Well, then. Be careful, watch your wrist, and make sure you take your medicine. Call me if you need bail.”

I couldn’t help myself; I laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind. Richard called Gerald’s phone. I already spoke with him.”

“Good. You sure everything is okay?”

“I’ll talk to you about it later.”

Silence was followed by a sharp intake of breath. “You will?”

“I need to blacken your eye so you match your other son,” I informed him. “Evelyn’s watch is lovely. I’m also blackening both of your eyes because of how much she likes the ring.”

“How charming. When can we expect your visit?”

“I’ll call. Excuse me, but Evelyn and I have some business to attend to.” I hung up, stowing my cell away. “Sorry for the interruption.”

“Before anyone does anything, I’d like to propose a truce. Jackson, no killing. The same applies to the rest of you.”

Grumbling at Gerald earned me an arched brow. “Fine.”

“Fine,” Sven echoed.

Gerald nodded.

Annoyed that Gerald had stolen my thunder, I said, “This is how this is going to work. I’m going to ask questions and you’re going to answer them. We’ll drink coffee, and we won’t kill each other. If you cooperate, once I’m done talking to you, I’ll leave. If you don’t, I’m serving you to Richard on a platter—a silver one. You’ll still be alive. That’s under debate, should my lady decide otherwise. First question: where is Melanie?”

“In Thunder Bay, probably at her house, if she knows what’s good for her,” Sven replied.

“Why were you waiting for us?”

The Fenerec stared at each other before turning their gazes to the floor, remaining silent.

“I’ll make the coffee,” the sole blond of the group whispered, getting up and heading towards a pair of French doors. The others shifted nervously.

Evelyn growled at their refusal to answer my question.

“Nirliq told me he had unfavorable impressions of me. Is that why?”

It was Chris who sighed before saying, “She told us you were abusive—among other things. That you walked on her once you found out she was pregnant. She was our witch.”

The growls from Evelyn intensified. I gripped her fur to keep her from doing what I wanted to do, which involved ripping their faces off with my teeth. “First I’m a bum, now I’m abusive?”

It alarmed me how little it took for my loyalty to Suzanne to crumble to dust.

Holding his arm out to me, Gerald said, “Don’t be stupid.”

“Don’t worry. I’m just the executioner. Evelyn’s the judge and jury.” I drew a deep breath and forced myself to lean against the doorframe, adopting a relaxed stance. “It’s not their fault if she fed them a bunch of lies—it is their fault if they choose to continue believing them. The only thing I’m holding any of them accountable for right this moment is the fact that Evelyn was hurt.”

“Why don’t you let me handle this for a few minutes?” Gerald asked.

He looked me in the eyes, and after a moment of hesitation, I nodded and kept my mouth shut.

“I’m going to tell you some things about Jackson. You’re probably not going to like it, but I know you Fenerec can smell when someone’s lying. I’ve known Jackson for years—I was working with him long before he met Suzanne. The only abusive one in that relationship was her. I was there for Suzanne’s funeral—if you can call that, considering the hoax she staged. He’s a lot of things, but he’s a family man. He wanted his little girl more than you could imagine. Now he’s found out that he has to bury her again? Think about it.”

The Fenerec stared at each other, and most of them looked sickened. Sven’s tanned skin took on a green hue. “We didn’t meet Suzanne until Jackie was six months old—when she started using the daycare. Chris fancied her, and tried to court her, but she didn’t seem keen on being mates with one of us.”

“All I want to know is what happened to my daughter. Melanie may know something. Call her.”

Once again, the Fenerec exchanged looks. Sven sighed and nodded. “Phone’s on the wall near the kitchen.”

“Call her,” I ordered.

Sven backed towards the kitchen, eyes on the floor. When he reached the wall, he picked up the corded handset and dialed a number. He spoke too softly for me to hear, but after several moments, he hung up. “We’re lucky the phones still work. She’ll be here as soon as she can. Power is out in her area, so it might be a while.”

“Then we wait,” I replied, leaning against Evelyn. She pressed her head against my stomach, her ears turned back. With her as a wolf, I was able to concentrate on staying between the Fenerec pack and Gerald. If they tried to hurt her, she’d rip them to pieces.

I’d help her, if she let me.

“Why don’t you sit, Jackson?” Gerald whispered to me. “You’re shaking.”

“I don’t want to sit,” I growled. If I sat down, I wouldn’t be able protect my friend, and it was my fault he had become involved.

“Of course you don’t, because you’re a stubborn idiot. Have we gotten to the point we can discuss this without bloodshed?” Gerald pleaded. “Which one of you is in charge?”

The Fenerec pointed at Sven.

The native drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Okay. Come in.” Sven opened the doors leading into the kitchen before turning to his pack. “Go help him clean up in there.”

For a long moment, no one moved. Chris was the first to comply, easing his way to the kitchen. Two more of the pack slipped into the other room, leaving the others to watch me warily, their heads bowed although I felt them watching me.

“Jackson, please sit.”

I dug my fingers into the fur of Evelyn’s neck, and as the rest of the Fenerec filed into the kitchen, my legs refused to support my weight. I sank down next to my mate, leaning against her. “We’re going to miss our flight, aren’t we?”

“We missed it about an hour ago. Didn’t you notice?”

I hadn’t. My hands trembled as I secured my hold on Evelyn. “I was a little preoccupied,” I grumbled.

“I’d say. Are you going to remain civil now?”

“Sorry. I just want to know what happened to Jacqueline,” I whispered.

Gerald knelt on a knee next to me, reaching out to give my shoulder a squeeze. “You get a free pass this time. I can’t say I wouldn’t be doing the same thing if I were in your place.”

My mate flopped beside me, resting her paws on my shoulder before using my chest as a pillow.

Facing the Fenerec, Gerald said, "I apologize for his temper.”

Despite my position on the floor, Sven refused to meet my gaze, staring at the wall near me instead. “I apologize as well. We were misled. We have brought shame to the pack in our effort to protect our only bitch.”

“So Nirliq said,” I replied, relaxing as Evelyn’s warmth spread through me. “You’re warm, Evelyn.”

“Are you cold, Jackson?”

“Not anymore.”

Sven poked his head into the kitchen. “Coffee should be ready in a few minutes. Sorry, there’s a bunch of glass that needs to be cleaned up.”

“Glass?” I asked, my brow furrowing.

“From the earthquake, Mr. Anderson.” Sven shook his head. “Don’t tell me that you didn’t notice it.”

I hadn’t, and that stunned me. How could I have missed something like an earthquake? I stared at Gerald. “What?”

My friend pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “I’m going to take a guess that you don’t have a mate or a wife, Sven.”

“I don’t. Why?”

“His was hurt. They’re newly mated, and from my understanding, that’s important. I don’t know a whole lot about you Fenerec, but I know that much.”

Sven grimaced. “It’s important. Once again, I apologize, Mr. Anderson, Mrs. Anderson.”

I flushed, my grip tightening on Evelyn. I liked the idea of calling her Mrs. Anderson, for all it wasn’t the truth yet. Evelyn licked my chin before nuzzling my neck.

“It’s clean,” Chris said from the kitchen. “Fortunately, the coffee maker is still intact and enough of the mugs survived for everyone.”

I frowned, wondering how I could have missed something like an earthquake strong enough to make a mess of a kitchen. As I took in the lodge, I noticed that many of the pictures on the wall were out of place. Some of them had fallen to the floor, along with the television, its screen shattered.

Sven tilted his head to the side before lifting his gaze to meet mine. “There’s room enough for all of us in the kitchen. Please, come in. Let’s discuss this at the table.”

Evelyn shifted off of me, and Gerald helped me to my feet. I trembled. His grip on my arm kept me on my feet. I leaned against the door.

“I need to talk to your brother,” Gerald said, pulling out his cell and holding it out to me. Wondering why he wanted to talk to Elliot, I tapped in the number. It took me three tries to get it right. I connected the call and handed it back.

Gerald waited and said, “Elliot, it’s Gerald. I need to know something about witches.” After a pause, he continued, “I think there’s something wrong with your brother. He’s clammy and shaking.”

“I’m fine, Gerald,” I hissed.

“Shut up, Dante. I wasn’t asking you.”

I scowled but kept quiet, wondering what I had done to worry Gerald enough for him to call my twin. Then I sucked in a breath. Did Gerald think
I
had been the cause of the earthquake? My mind went blank. I had no recollection of sitting down, but I was staring up at my friend with my mouth hanging open. Evelyn was beneath me, keeping me mostly upright.

“And he’s on the floor,” Gerald informed my brother, shaking his head at me. “What should I do with him? Yes, we’re in Thunder Bay.” After listening for a few moments, my friend handed me the phone. “Your brother.”

“I guessed that much,” I grumbled, putting the cell to my ear. “What is it, Elliot?”

“Can’t you stay out of trouble for a single day? Just one? What happened?”

My cheek twitched at the memory of Sven striking Evelyn. “He hit her,” I snarled.

Sven flinched.

“Is he dead?” my brother asked, his tone devoid of emotion.

“No.”

“Why not?”

Evelyn rested her head on my lap, her tail thumping against the floor. Her jade eyes bore into me. I clacked my teeth. Then I sighed and replied, “She told me I couldn’t.”

“Next time, don’t listen to her. What are you doing in Thunder Bay? When did you start triggering earthquakes—a five point two, in case you’re curious.”

I frowned. “There’s no proof I had anything to do with it.”

“Call it a educated guess, Dante. Do you happen to know of any other earth witches in the area? How else is an earthquake going to have an epicenter in a location without any fault lines, fracking operations, or active mines? Why can’t you be normal? Earth shaping, Dante. That’s useful
and
safe. Are you trying to drive me insane?”