Chapter Seven

CHAPTER SEVEN

Tamping down his resentment and using it to bolster his resolve, Colt refocused on the here and now. The past was past, and there was nothing he could do about it. What mattered was Faith and the coming trials. He would do what he had to do here in the Clan’s territory, then he would leave. No way was this impressive Alpha going to get under his skin or into his mind. No. Way.

“I hope you’ll forgive me for saying this…” Sam smiled in a charming way at Faith that made Colt want to wipe the smile off his face with his fist. He refrained, once again counseling his inner lion to peace. Slugging the Alpha would get them nowhere and might just get Colt killed. Then who would protect Faith? “But the Peabodys have a somewhat mixed reputation in magical circles,” the Alpha finished his thought, and Colt frowned.

“Kind of like the Rollins,” Colt couldn’t help but state, knowing his tone was belligerent and not really caring. The Alpha had just insulted Faith, and Colt couldn’t keep silent.

Sam turned his intense gaze on Colt, but Colt wouldn’t back down. Not when Faith was being interrogated in a way Colt’s inner lion didn’t quite like. He might not challenge the Alpha on his own account, but if Sam tried to harm Faith in any way, he’d have a fight on his hands.

“Actually, the families have similar histories, according to my research,” Sam said, leaning back in his chair and steepling his fingers together as his eyes flared with power and held Colt’s gaze.

Something in Colt wanted to counter with ‘Oh, yeah?’ like they were having some sort of playground confrontation, but he knew it would sound childish, so he held himself back. Instead, he just waited to see what the Alpha would say next.

“Both the Peabody and Rollins lines have had spectacularly evil mages among their number in the past. People who have done terrible things and killed a lot of innocents. People who had to be tracked and killed by those who serve the Light, sometimes costing our side numerous valiant warriors in the process.” Sam’s eyes narrowed as he looked from Colt to Faith and back again.

Colt felt a growl rumble up his throat at the challenge and might have lost control if Faith hadn’t put her hand on his arm, drawing his attention. Then, she laughed. He looked at her as if she’d lost her mind, but that little chuckle defused his temper just like that.

“Oh, I know all about that. In my family, there have been some spectacularly bad people who turned to the dark side in a really big way. It’s the nature of our power, you see. A weak will can be subsumed by the power we can wield over the dark forces so that it’s easier to join them than to fight them. And don’t forget, evil is always trying to pervert those on the side of Light. It’s a constant struggle for some people. But a lot of my line also become holy men and women. I’m a Priestess-in-training, for example. I suspect it’s the same with the Rollins, though I don’t know as much about their family as I do my own.”

Sam was silent for a long minute before he finally lowered his hands and sighed. “I’m inclined to agree with you, ma’am.”

Colt wasn’t sure, but it sounded like the Alpha was…accepting? Accepting that the Rollins line, and the Peabodys, weren’t all bad. Wait. What?

“I’m also inclined to officially give you both safe passage in my territory and the assistance of the Clan in your task, if you wish it. I’ve spoken to the High Priestess about you, ma’am,” he nodded to Faith, “and she speaks very highly of you.”

Faith smiled and nodded as if she’d expected nothing less. Then the Alpha turned his gaze back on Colt.

“Now, about you, Colt…” Sam paused just long enough to make Colt squirm if he’d been the squirmy type. “I’ve been briefed by the Admiral and, as I said before, have had reports from Lester and Liam about their recent interactions with you and your brothers. I trust their judgment and offer you the welcome of the Clan while you are here. Safe passage and assistance, just like the Priestess.” He nodded toward Faith. “I would offer more, but I don’t think you’re ready to hear it.”

Colt was stunned. Was the Alpha saying he’d offer Colt a place in the Clan? No. Fucking. Way.

“Yes, I thought so,” Sam went on, as if Colt had spoken aloud.

Maybe his expression had given him away. If so, he’d have to work on his poker face a bit more, but it was just as well that the Alpha knew Colt wasn’t some pushover, willing to take scraps from the big man’s table. He wouldn’t join the Clan that had been so horrible to his parents. No way. No how.

Sam stood, and Colt did too, out of common courtesy. He would be polite to the Alpha—as he would to any superior officer in the military, regardless of his last name—because while Colt was in the Alpha’s territory, Sam was the superior officer, so to speak. He ruled here, and Colt had to play by his rules if he wanted to stay and protect Faith.

“We’ll talk again before you leave and, possibly, during whatever is coming our way,” Sam said as he packed his paperwork into a briefcase, leaving the desk clear of any sign of his presence. “I expect you to let Gavin know if you learn of an imminent threat,” he said, looking more at Faith than Colt as he snapped the case shut. “We have family and friends scattered all over this area. I wouldn’t want to see any of them—or any innocent bystanders—come to harm if I can help prevent it.”

Colt nodded when the Alpha met his gaze again, but it was Faith who spoke for them both. “I promise,” she said. “If I know of something, I’ll get the word out. I just can’t be sure how much advance notice we’ll have of anything coming through from one of the demonic dimensions.”

Sam seemed to pause with his hand on top of the case. “As I’ve said, I’d really like to know more about that so we can better prepare.”

“I’m not really sure there is any way to really prepare,” Faith said, tilting her head in thought. “But I’ll talk to my mentor tonight about sharing details from my books and let you know what she says. I can tell you that mages who have committed to evil are the ones who like to summon demons. I’ve been taught that the demons who answer their call are the worst of the lot, because by coming here and killing, they gain power that they can then take back to their own realms and move up the ranks among their own kind.”

“That puts a different spin on things,” Sam commented. “I guess I just always thought demons were bad guys. End of story. But it makes a warped sort of sense that the ones who answer a summoning are the ones who want to get ahead in their own realm by stealing power from this one. Sounds like a few power-hungry CEOs I could name.”

Sam grinned, and Faith smiled back at him. Even Colt felt the urge to join in but held himself back. He had to keep thinking of the Alpha as… Well, not quite an enemy, but certainly an adversary, in some respects. Things would go smoother if Colt could keep his head on straight about that.

The Alpha hefted his briefcase and came around to the front of the desk. He held out a hand to Faith, and she took it. She jumped a bit as their skin made contact. The Alpha’s magic must have surprised her. Then, he turned to Colt and just looked at him for a moment. Colt held the Alpha’s gaze, sure of his own strength, though he was equally sure the Alpha had a personal power Colt could not match. Although, physically, Colt thought maybe he could take the Alpha in a fair fight. They were evenly matched in that way, just not in the hierarchical way that made Clan life possible.

Then again, Colt had never been part of a Clan. He was outside the hierarchy, and that gave him a bit of an edge the other Kinkaid lions probably didn’t have. Sam stuck out his hand, and Colt took it. They shook as equals, and Sam didn’t try to beat Colt’s lion down with the force of his uber-Alpha personality. Colt respected that, even as his inner lion was a bit in awe of the white lion that lived in Sam’s soul.

Goddess touched. That’s the feeling Colt was left with, even after the handshake ended. He began to understand a little bit about why Sam was the Alpha of one of the most powerful Clans in the world. It wasn’t his reputed business acumen or his physical force. It was the innate blessing on his soul which seemed to reach out to others whether he was trying to do so or not.

Sam left, and Colt felt a little stunned. Gavin walked the Alpha to the door of the office and then turned back to Colt and Faith. Gavin smiled in a knowing way that Colt wanted to deny but couldn’t.

“He has that effect on most of us the first time we meet him,” Gavin said. “Now, this office is yours if you need it to do office stuff. There’s a complete suite of machinery next door. Copiers, fax, scanners, videoconferencing, computers, you name it. If there’s something you need that’s not there, just let me know, and I’ll get it for you.” He turned back to the open doorway. “And if you’ll follow me, I’ll show you the apartment and fill you in on the layout of the building. In fact, let’s go next door, and I’ll give you the building schematics,” Gavin said, pivoting a bit toward the right as he exited the doorway.

Colt and Faith followed, going out into the main area of the suite then following Gavin to the right, where another door led to an interior room that looked more like a command post. There was a large central conference table, but along all the walls was a phalanx of office equipment, ready for use. On the table was an engineering drawing of the floor they were on.

Gavin went through the layout. “Elevator shafts here and here.” He pointed to the areas on the drawing. “One for passengers. One for freight.” He indicated both in turn. “Staircases here, here, and here. Roof access through this door. We’re on the top floor. You’ll have the penthouse suite. I’ll be across the hall in the second penthouse. It’s not as nice as yours, but I’ll make do.” He grinned up at them, pausing for a moment. “There’s nobody else living here just yet. Most of the finishes have stopped stinking up the place, and we’ve had air purifiers running twenty-four-seven. It’s ready for occupancy, but we haven’t made it available yet. Eventually, this will be a mixed building with homes for our human allies as well as some of the Clan. Mostly families and those who work in the city offices. It’ll also have spare rooms for guests of the Clan on the lower floors because that can come in handy from time to time. You’re lucky because you get to try it out before anybody else, and you’re getting the crème-de-la-crème of the accommodations. It’s got superior views of the cityscape, and all the glass is high-security and bulletproof. And before I forget…”

Gavin walked over to a drawer along the wall and opened it, taking what looked like one of those parking garage transponders from it. He came back to the table and handed the little black box to Faith.

“This is for your car, so you can activate the garage gate independently, if you need to do so.”

“Thanks,” Faith said, smiling at Gavin. Colt wanted to growl again. She shouldn’t be smiling at the other lion. She should only smile at Colt.

And wasn’t that a surprising thought?

Gavin reached into his pocket and brought out two plastic cards. He handed one to each of them. “These are access cards for your apartment, and I’ll code you into the elevators, so you won’t need the master key. There’s a hidden fingerprint reader that will take you right to this floor.”

“Nice,” Faith commented, echoing Colt’s thoughts.

This building was really very state-of-the-art. He’d like to get a look at the rest of the mechanical drawings, but Gavin had only given him this floor. Colt understood. He had just enough information for what he needed to do.

“Now, you’ve both had a long day. I expect you’d like to get settled in,” Gavin said. “If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you the penthouse and your rooms. I also took the liberty of ordering a dinner delivery for you. It’ll be up in about an hour. Is that all right?”

“Perfect,” Faith replied. “Thank you for thinking of it.”

“That’s me, your personal concierge,” Gavin quipped as they walked out of the office and then the suite.

He guided them back into the hallway where they stopped first at the elevator so they could each put their fingerprints into the memory of the little reader he showed them, hidden under another blank button. Then, he escorted them to another door farther down the hall and gestured for Faith to unlock it with the card he’d given her. She did so, and he opened the door and ushered them inside.

The place was impressive. Wide open spaces with those promised spectacular views of the city and multiple rooms leading off from the main living area.

“Bedrooms are back there,” Gavin went on. “You guys can choose which ones you want. Everything else is pretty obvious. By the way, the office we just left down the hall isn’t locked since we’re the only people in the building. If you don’t find me at my place, which is just across the hall, you can probably find me in there. Or just call me.” He pointed to the kitchen area. “Like I said, I’ll deliver dinner to you in about an hour, but the kitchen is stocked with staples, and if there’s anything in particular you want me to get, just let me know.”

“You’ve covered all the bases,” Faith said, smiling at Gavin as Colt tried not to growl. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Gavin said, heading for the door. “I’ll see you in about an hour. I’ll ring twice in quick succession,” he put in, nodding at Colt.

“See you then,” Faith called out as Gavin left, closing the door behind himself.

Finally, they were alone.