Page 1 of An Unending Claim
CHAPTERONE
NATHAN
Asher and I helped Fenn onto a bed in the medical center at the Council’s headquarters, then removed his arms from around our shoulders and let the nurse take over. Shifters avoided human medical care whenever possible, which meant we had to have our own facilities. Building one in the HQ had made the most sense, and while we could have taken Fenn to one closer to the shithole apartment we’d found him in, it was better to have him on my turf in case the Dark Fae King, Aubrey, decided to express his rage in person. He was already more than a little pissed at me for not finding Fenn earlier, and once he knew about the extent of Fenn’s injuries…That will be a fun call.
The nurse bustled around the bed, treating Fenn’s wounds, although he really needed to be taken back to Faery to heal. I’d called a local Fae who was a member of the Dark Fae’s royal family. They’d get the message to the right people who would come to collect Fenn.
I’d hoped we would have a chance to ask him some questions before they arrived, but when he groaned and opened his eyes, the amber orbs were glassy with pain and vacant, as if his mind was no longer there. His body was emaciated from starvation, and he’d been beaten, stabbed, burned, and more. Considering it took a lot to torture or kill a Fae, whoever had been holding him had known what they were doing. Fenn had been shackled with chains forged in hellfire; no creatures could break their way out of those—well, except certain types of demons.
In order to snatch him and get him into the cuffs, as well as keep him imprisoned, they would have to subdue his magic so he couldn’t fight back. Fenn had been wearing a rope around his neck with St. John’s Wort and Yarrow on it. Witches’ spells had protected the room where he was being held. However, the things that concerned me most were the wards made by Fae. Which meant there were supernaturals working against their own species.
That revelation only strengthened my belief that a war was brewing. Fenn’s capture and torture, especially given the wards protecting him, was proof to me that there was a conspiracy in the works. Obviously, a group of supernats consisting of different species were pulling the strings.
My cell phone rang, and I frowned as I dug it out of my pocket. Aubrey couldn’t possibly have received the news this fast. My assumption was correct; the number flashing on the screen was one I’d been anticipating. I stabbed the answer button, sending it directly to the earpiece I was wearing. “Report.”
“Package retrieved. In and out clean.”
“Deliver it to the ME’s office, tagged for Dana. She’ll get the paperwork put together for international transport.” Our shifter contact in the office of New York City’s Chief Medical Examiner would create fictional paperwork to get the body through customs with no issues.
“Yes, sir.”
He hung up, and I waved to Asher as I dialed another number, which started ringing immediately. When I had his attention, I held up my cell and pointed to the door. He raised his chin in acknowledgment and I headed out of the room.
I stepped into the hallway and walked to a private corner for my call. This was one part of being in a powerful leadership position that I hated. As the Alpha of the Silver Lake Pack and the head of the SCA (Shifter Council over the Americas), and the ISC (Interspecies Council), it was my job to reach out to the families, royals, or heads of packs, covens, etc., to deliver bad news, such as a death among their people.
Living for two millennia, I’d learned how to compartmentalize. I had nearly endless patience, and tackled issues with methodical thinking, relying on logic to keep me from becoming emotional. It had served me well. Until I’d met Peyton Dyer. The sexy panther shifter, who happened to be my reluctant mate and pregnant with our daughter, was the first person in, I didn’t know how long, to test my patience and make me feel like the world was spinning out of my control.
“Wena,” a voice said on the other end of the phone, taking my thoughts away from Peyton.
“Agustin,” I greeted the head of one of the largest tiger streaks in Chile. Tigers were solitary creatures, but not all shifters were ruled by the traits of their animal. Those who preferred to live on their own still joined streaks for the protection afforded by a pack link and answered to an Alpha only to avoid complete chaos. “I have news,” I said in Spanish. I’d learned dozens of languages in my lifetime, and they were extremely helpful for me as an emissary to the world for the North and South American supernaturals.
Agustin sighed. “Beau?”
Beau Rojas had been a member of the ISC and the SCA, and he’d also been one of Agustin’s tigers. Beau had been a friend and a level head on both boards. I could always count on him to decide on his votes through research and logic, as well as his conscience. He’d gone missing a few months before, and we’d only recently learned his location. However, the mission had been a body retrieval.
“Yes. We were given a tip on Beau’s location, but it came too late. I sent a team to recover his body. They are taking him to the Medical Examiner, and she’ll prepare him for the trip home.”
Agustin was quiet for a few minutes, and I let him have the time, knowing he was trying to manage his grief while remaining clear-headed and a figure of authority. Beau had been his cousin, but they’d grown up like brothers.
“Thank you. I know you risked lives to retrieve the body for me. I know you didn’t do it to curry favor, but still, if there is ever anything you need…” He trailed off, and I filled in the blanks.
He was right; I would have done the same for Fenn’s body even though Aubrey and I didn’t have the most amicable relationship. But, if a war between species broke out, it was good to know where Agustin and his streak would stand.
“Do you have any idea of the date he’ll be coming home?” he inquired.
“It usually takes Dana about three days to prepare the body and put together the proper papers. Then he’ll ride home on a Council jet. I’ll give you an exact date and time when I have it.”
He cleared his throat and thanked me again. Then after a few seconds, he asked, “Will his wife and daughters be able to see him?”
What he was really asking was if Beau had been tortured to a point where it would be too horrific for his family to see his body.
“I haven’t seen him yet. I called you as soon as I knew the mission was successful. I’ll text you the number for Dana, and she’ll be more than happy to answer any questions.”
“Do you know what happened yet? How or why he was taken?”
“Not yet. My people are scrubbing the scene and will have reports to me in the next couple of days. I’ll let you know as soon as I have something.”
“Thank you.” Agustin spoke softly, but I could hear the despair in his voice, and I cursed whoever was doing this to hell.