Magic Strikes Curran POV Part 1 (Dedicated to the Mods of Doom)

Nearly half a dozen of my best people had gone rogue, among them my Chief of Security, our Head of Medicine, a young wolf, and the Scion of Clan Bouda.  They had broken my first law.  They had chosen to participate in the Midnight Games and had refused direct orders to appear before me and explain their actions.

I had never before questioned Jim’s loyalty; he was Alpha of Clan Cat and for all intents and purposes my Second.  Doolittle despised pack politics and had saved my life more often than I liked to think about.  Derek had become a member of the Pack after his father had gone Loup and slaughtered his mother and sisters.  When this happens, and it happens more often than humans think, SOP is to kill male survivors, especially adolescents as they were believed to have a genetic predisposition to going Loup.  Jim had been in favor of putting Derek down.  I had overruled him, which I rarely do.  The kid had been through a lot and I decided he deserved a chance.  Had I made a mistake?  That Raphael was involved in this surprised me not at all.  If Bea’s little peacock thought I wouldn’t mess up his pretty face he was as dumb as those girls who followed him around like dogs in heat.

What could possibly cause a cat, a wolf, a hyena, and a middle-aged medmage honey badger to risk my wrath?  I couldn’t figure out the what or the why, but I had a damn good idea of the who.  Kate Daniels, professional fuck-up.  Kate worked for the Order, humans who despised my kind.  Yeah, she was employed by the Order and did jobs for the Guild, but I swear her mission in life was to make mine miserable.  She defied me publicly, challenged me privately, and God help me, she bounced around inside my head like a bull in a china shop.

As soon as I had gotten wind that something was amiss, I had called her.  In her usual charming and diplomatic way she had both denied any and all knowledge as well as politely declining to assist me in any way.   Of course she was in this up to that nice ass of hers.  Later as I started to put the pieces together, she had called to tell me that she and Jim were running off together and even offered me an erotic dinner if I could find them in three days.  Kate short-circuits my brain.  In my head we always have these clear coherent exchanges, but once we meet, what comes out it is, “Kate, do what I say or I’ll kill you.” Her default reply is, “Fuck you!” and we go downhill from there.

Once I shook the idea of naked Kate out of my head, the big picture made no sense.  Jim and Kate had worked together on odd jobs for the Guild but there had never been a hint of anything more than a friendship built on mutual respect. I knew for a fact that Jim liked that half-blind vegetarian tiger.  Who the hell ever heard of such a thing?  She gave the big cats a bad name and she kept trying to kill herself by driving too fast.

Jim had a high opinion of Kate’s abilities, which was a rare thing.  Kate was skilled with that sword of hers, almost as good as she thought she was.  I kept trying to puzzle it out: even if they had decided to run away together, how did the Games figure into it?  I knew Kate would fight for the fun of it, or the money.  Did they need the money for their new life together?  How had they gotten the others involved?  Derek worked for Jim, almost worshiped Kate.  If they had used him…. That I could not forgive.

I also knew that Raphael’s mate was Kate’s best friend.  He would do anything for her or just to piss me off.  Perhaps he thought his Mommy could intervene on his behalf if he got caught.  I had almost hoped B did interfere and got tangled up in it.   After all she has been a thorn in my paw as long as I can remember.  It would feel good to remove it.  Since Mahon was not mixed up in this nonsense, I could give him that honor.  I know he would enjoy it and faithfulness should not go unrewarded.  None of this of course explained Doolittle’s involvement.  Had they forced him to help?  Possibly, but he is a tough old bastard and you don’t cross a badger without a good reason.

I had to know, and so I tracked Kate to one of Jim’s safe houses.  She was alone but I could smell the others, they had been there recently.  Derek was hurt, I could sense it.  That had driven me over the edge and I had leaped at her without looking.  Right into a Loup cage.

When I had stopped roaring, Kate explained it all.  I now knew about the Wolf Diamond and the Rakshasas.  I understood why Kate felt compelled to do these things.  It made sense; she was trying to help her friends and the Pack.  What I could not condone or comprehend was how she did these things.  Some people go about things in a roundabout way.  Kate blows things up and then tries to glue the pieces together with spit.  If she had only come to me in the beginning, but now it might be too late.

As I sat at the bottom of the Loupe cage, waiting for the skin on my palms to heal enough to try the silver bars again, I slowed my breathing and went over my options.  None were great.  I could wait for them to let me out of this cage or for someone else to find me.  No, that was unacceptable.  I am the Beastlord, I will not be crated and let out like a puppy.  I could break out of this, but it would hurt, a lot, and in that rage I would slaughter not only Kate and cohorts but anyone who tried to stop me.  As angry as I was, I had to admit I did not want to do that either.

By now they would already be in the Arena.  Short of slaughtering the entire Red Guard, I could not get in there to stop them before the entire audience of sick fucks saw members of the Pack take part in the Games.  After that too many people would know and I could not let that pass.  If they survived I would have to kill them.  By myself in front of the rest of the Pack.

Kate had finished her spiel and left.  I forced myself to relax and try to find a way out of this mess.  I assumed I was alone with my thoughts when I heard something move down the hallway.  The smell was familiar but I could not place it, definitely not Kate but…

Julie.  Her kitten.  All I had to do was to convince her to let me out.

I closed my eyes and listened to her sneaking through the house.  Close by, almost close enough.  Here, kitty kitty.