Kelly Meding - Wrong Side of Dead

“Retribution from Thackery?” I said. “Get in line.”

“I don’t think you understand, Stone. Thackery may be acting alone, but he also acts in the supposed best interest of preserving his race. The human race. Murdering Michael Jenner was more than just a personal act of war against Therians. It was a human act against Therians.”

My heart thudded. I glanced at Tybalt, who looked as miserable as I felt. “So you’re saying that Walter Thackery might have just declared war for all humans against Therians?”

“According to our ancient traditions, yes.” Astrid looked less happy about it than Tybalt. “And if the Equi Elder demands immediate recompense, we must follow the wishes of the Assembly.”

“What does that mean, exactly?” Tybalt asked.

“It means revenge,” Marcus said. He stood, letting the black sheet fall back over Jenner’s face. “It means Elder Dannu can make any request he likes, and if the Assembly casts a majority vote, his people are obligated to carry it out and we cannot interfere.”

A chill danced up my spine. “So if the Assembly votes to let the Equi execute ten humans in retaliation for Jenner’s death?” I asked.

“Then ten humans will die by Equi hands.”

“Fuck.”

“Have you examined the body thoroughly?”

“No.”

“Judging by the skin tone and lack of settling, I’m guessing he died of massive blood loss.”

The Halfies. Shit . “Did you see—?”

“There were no visible bite marks, but Dr. Vansis will have to examine him to be certain.”

“So Thackery’s pissed we killed a couple of his werewolves,” Tybalt said, “and he feeds the most valuable of his kidnapped Therians to his Halfies. That’s our working theory?”

There were so many things wrong with that scenario, I didn’t know where to start. It was as ludicrous as it was perfectly logical. We’d fucked with Thackery’s plan, and now he was fucking with us.

“That’s the theory,” Astrid said. “And it makes sense, given what we know of Walter Thackery. Such an act of aggression may, depending on what the Assembly decides, break the fragile alliance we have created between humans and Therians.”

“And with the vampires busy trying to fight this new illness,” Marcus said, “our Watch is effectively divided.”

“Not yet it isn’t,” I said with a sharp shake of my head. “How long does it usually take the Assembly to make a decision on something like this?”

“It depends on the situation and how the Elders are likely to view it. The Equi are greatly respected, and Elder Dannu’s words will hold great power among the others. Eight votes are a majority.”

“So are we talking days? Hours?”

“Given the fact that other Clan members disappeared at the same time as Jenner, hours is optimistic.”

Damn . “We aren’t sure yet how Jenner died. The Assembly still has to rule on the Equi’s request, and we don’t even know what that will be, right?”

“Correct.”

“We also know the Lupa live around here somewhere, and considering what just happened, they’re probably not coming back. But if we get some noses out here, maybe we can find the house and some sort of lead.”

Kyle, who’d been completely silent until that moment, spoke up. “I’ll volunteer for that. My true form is a dingo. On first glance, most humans assume I’m some mixed mutt.”

Dingoes were beautiful animals, and I’d seen Kyle’s true form once. Thick golden fur with a dusting of white on the paws and chest, and an intelligent face. He did look a bit like a mix between a golden retriever and an Akita.

“Good,” Astrid said. “Check in every fifteen minutes.”

“Will do.” Kyle didn’t waste a beat. He started to strip.

“Marcus and I can assist on foot. I don’t think a pair of big cats will go unnoticed on these streets.”

I grunted. “What about—?”

Before I could voice my question, a utility van pulled up behind Astrid’s car. Two Therians I knew by sight, if not by name, got out.

“They’ll take Jenner back to the Watchtower,” Astrid said.

“I need to get across town to meet with the gremlins soon,” I said.

“Take the car. And them.” She pointed individually at Paul and Tybalt.

“Fine.”

Kyle trotted into the middle of the group and shook himself, his golden coat gleaming in the morning sun, and then snorted. His way of saying he was ready to go. Astrid conferred with the newest pair of Therians. Afterward, she tossed me a set of car keys.

“Be careful,” she said.

“You, too,” I replied. “And I’m sorry about Jenner. He was a good man.”

She gave me a long, assessing look. “Yes, he was.”

Kyle whined softly. At first, I thought it was impatience—a theory laid to rest as soon as I looked at him, facing north, nose in the air. He sniffed with purpose, then turned his head and whined at Astrid, seeming to ask Do you smell that? I didn’t.

“Something’s burning,” Marcus said.

Oh hell .

11:10 A.M.

With my deadline looming to meet the gremlin, I got an update on the fire about fifteen minutes later via a phone call from Marcus. Tybalt was driving, and doing an impressive job in rush hour traffic with his prosthetic hand. I put the phone on speaker so I didn’t have to repeat the conversation.

“House was one block up, two over from that old lady you talked to earlier,” Marcus reported. The faint sounds of raised voices and sirens still hummed over the line. “The fire was going so hot and hard, it nearly took out a neighbor’s house. All the fire department can do is control its burn.”

“Do we have any information on who owns it?” I asked.

“Yes, and it wasn’t on your list. You’ll never guess, so I won’t even ask you to try.”

Thank God for small favors. I wasn’t in the mood for guessing games; I doubted anyone else was, either.

“Winston Zeigler,” he said.

The name seemed familiar, yet I couldn’t place it. Paul saved me from looking like an idiot by asking, “Who’s that?”

“Former head of the biology department at the university.”

Of course he was. “Don’t tell me,” I said. “He was there at the same time as Thackery.”

“Bingo.”

“How the hell did Reilly miss that connection?”

“He didn’t. Zeigler’s name wasn’t on the deed. It was his late wife’s family home and under her maiden name, so unless Reilly dug extra deep on all the homes, he wouldn’t have found it.”

Good. It saved me having to rip him a new one for the oversight. “How’d you find it?”

Marcus made a huffing sound that might have been laughter. “Reilly’s a PI, but he’s only been in the city a few months. My sources are still better.”

“So Winston Zeigler is our only lead?” Tybalt asked.

“At the moment, yes, but it isn’t a great one.”

“How’s that?”

“Astrid already called the university. Mr. Zeigler quit his position—”

“Three and a half years ago?” I said.

“Yes. He was diagnosed with a rare kind of cancer, and even with treatment he was given just a few years to live. He told colleagues he inherited a bit of money from a recently deceased relative”—

“I just bet.”

—“and wanted to travel the world before he died.”

“So Zeigler is living out his last days on a cruise ship somewhere, while an old pal uses his house to raise werewolves.”

“It seems so.”

“Which means Zeigler is a dead end?”

“Not entirely. Someone was likely put in charge of maintaining the home while Zeigler’s out of the country. Astrid and I are going to pay a visit to the family lawyer and see what they have to say.”