Smoke Bitten (Mercy Thompson 12)

Zee nodded. “More like something you’d find on a cursed artifact. A series of steps followed by results that allow you to take the next steps. I know of a few of the fae who have magic that is like this—it allows weaker fae to work complex magic. But their magic uses none of these steps.”

He shook his head again. “I will go tonight and speak with Uncle Mike.” He gave me a speculative look. “You might contact Beauclaire. He will talk to you before he does me.”

Aiden had suggested that, too—I raised my hands. “I am not in the personal communication circle for Lugh’s son. The Gray Lords are, one and all, above my pay grade.”

Zee eyed me suspiciously for a moment before shrugging. “All right, Liebchen. Perhaps Uncle Mike can talk to Beauclaire.”

My phone chimed again, this time from Darryl—also addressed to Adam and me.

Ogden called. Worried that there is something amiss at his house. Auriele and I are joining him and the three of us will go back to his house. Will update you as necessary.

Adam responded almost immediately.

Do you need help?

To which Darryl said: No. Might be an attempt to move resources. Auriele has sent out a general warning to pack.

Adam responded: Okay. Keep me updated.

Watching my face, Tad asked, “What’s up?”

“Auriele was right,” I said. “The invading wolves have begun their game.”

Tad grabbed my phone and read the texts. “Who is Ogden?”

“One of our wolves,” I said. “He is quiet. Keeps to himself and doesn’t cause trouble. He’s a contracts lawyer.”

Ogden was one of the less dominant wolves. He showed up for the moon hunts and enough of the pack breakfasts that Darryl or Warren didn’t appear at his door and haul him over. I had maybe spoken four words to him since I’d joined the pack. But he was well-liked and respected by the pack mates who knew him.

“Do you need an escort home?” asked Zee.

I thought about it. “Maybe a good idea—but let’s get those two cars done first. That way I might have enough money to pay you for today.”

“I am not worried,” said Zee serenely. “People always pay me one way or the other.”

He was joking—a little. But not really.

ADAM STOPPED BY TO ESCORT ME HOME JUST AS WE were finishing the last of the cars for the day.

We all looked at him when he walked into the office, but it was Tad who asked, “Did you hear from Darryl? Is everyone okay?”

Adam snorted. “What do you do here all day besides gossip?” He grinned at Tad. “They’re fine. No bodies on either side.”

He seemed in a better mood than I’d seen him in for a long time. I thought of why that might be—and managed, finally, not to blush.

“So what happened?” I asked.

“Darryl and Auriele found two of Harolford’s pack hiding in Ogden’s backyard, both in wolf form. There was a fight, but it was brief because the others had obviously been told not to engage. We aren’t sure if they ran because they didn’t expect to face Darryl and Auriele, too, or if they had never intended to do anything more than scare Ogden.”

Adam grinned suddenly. “Ogden called me to tell me the whole story and he could not have sounded more exhilarated if they had killed all six of the invading army. To celebrate their victory, the three of them are on their way to our house with pizza.” He glanced at Tad and Zee. “There will be enough to feed you, if you’d like to join us.”

“No,” said Tad. “I’ve been enlisted to take Jesse and her friends to the roller-skating arena. I can’t figure out if she asked me to go because she knows you won’t let her go without a bodyguard until the strange-wolf thing clears up. Or if she’s trying to play matchmaker with the girl who keeps trying to talk to me but can’t make herself say a word. Or trying to prove to that girl that I’m the last person in the world she should have a crush on.” He gave Adam a droll look. “I have decided to be amused by the whole thing.”

ADAM FOLLOWED MY BATTERED BUT RECOVERING Jetta in his new SUV. The old SUV had been hit by a semi driven by vampires—this one looked black and shiny, just like the old one except that it was newer. He had resisted my attempt to get him to buy something more daring—like dark gray.

I had the thought that this journey homeward was symbolic of our lives right now. He in his fortress of solitude, me in my battered vehicle that was doing pretty good just getting down the road. Together, but apart. Adam protecting me as best he could from any outside force that might try to hurt me, but not letting me in.

DARRYL, AURIELE, AND OGDEN STORMED INTO THE house bearing pizza and the remnants of battle. Mostly, by that point, those remnants were dirt and torn clothing that was stained with the blood of wounds that had already closed—and the battle-born adrenaline high of a successful fight. They brought a wave of laughter and chatter as they revisited moments from the fight, their beasts in their eyes.

“I called,” announced Ogden to the whole household. “I drove to my house on the way home from work and there was something not right.” He gave Adam a shy look. “Minding what you said, sir, I did not stop. I drove to the Uptown Mall and called Darryl.”

“And we,” purred Auriele, as happy as I had seen her in months, “found a couple of strays in Ogden’s backyard. Wolf form—so we don’t know which ones. Sent them home with their tails between their legs.”

There was another incident that night. Four wolves tried to blindside Warren as he drove to his house. Kyle came out with a loaded rifle and shot one in the hip. The rest retreated.

“I expect,” said Warren on the phone, “that Kyle and I will get another letter from the HOA. We’ve been looking at moving somewhere with fewer neighbors, but Kyle doesn’t want to leave Dick and Jane behind.”

Dick and Jane were two life-sized naked statues in Kyle’s foyer. They’d been in the house when Kyle bought it. He took great joy in finding outrageous outfits to dress them in. Last time I’d seen them, Jane was wearing a grass skirt and nothing else, and Dick was sporting a squirrel puppet on his manly bits.

“Statues can be moved,” I commented.

Adam was the one on the phone, but we were all listening in.

“Kyle’s stubborn,” Warren said. “And when Mr. Francis, our old contentious neighbor, died, it deflated the HOA’s sails. They are a little afraid of Kyle because he’s a lawyer.”

“And because they’ve met Kyle,” said Ogden; the aftereffects of successfully defending his home had left him chattier than usual. It was said in a low tone, though, so I don’t think Warren was supposed to hear it—but he did.

“And because they’ve met Kyle,” Warren agreed cheerfully. “I don’t know whether they are more afraid of his shark reputation in his chosen field or that if they push him he’ll find some horrible thing to do—like fly a giant penis kite over the house—that is not against the HOA agreement.”

“Could you tell which four wolves?” I asked.

“The two Palsics were in human form,” said Warren. “The other two were wolves and I don’t know which ones. Kyle shot the bigger of the two. He’ll recover—it wasn’t silver ammunition—but it will take him a while. That rifle isn’t as big as Mercy’s .444 Marlin but it was a .30-06 and that has a lot of stopping power. They had to carry him off.”