Branded by Fire

She could, of course, have infected the bookseller’s mind with a mental virus and simply taken it, but she’d wanted to do this without attracting any attention whatsoever. So she’d created a false identity, that of an eccentric human collector. Because the bookseller would never ever have knowingly let this volume fall into Psy hands.

She’d patiently ensured his security checks came back to the same rich human identity. And then she’d paid the exorbitant price for this stained, browned book. The pages were moth-eaten at the edges, but the words . . . the words were visible. That was why it had been so expensive. Nothing was missing, nothing had been torn out.

Nikita knew she should destroy it and reclaim the cost from the Council coffers. None of her fellow Councilors would blink an eyelash—this was a legitimate expense. But she hadn’t bought it to destroy it, though if anyone did ever track the sale back to her, that was what she’d tell them.

She picked up the book, redid the packaging, and put it in a simple brown waterproof envelope. Then she wrote the name of the recipient on the top: Sascha Duncan.

Again, she asked herself why she was doing this. “Power,” she told herself. That was why she did anything.

CHAPTER 36

Mercy had just walked into her cabin after working late when the comm panel flashed an incoming call. She answered audio-only. “Hi, Gran.”

“Don’t ‘hi, Gran’ me,” Isabella snapped back. “What’s this I hear about you and a wolf?”

“I’m going to kill Eduardo and Joaquin.” They had to have caught an airjet to get home so fast.

“Those two didn’t say a word except to tell me anyone else I send up had better be prepared to come back sans body parts.”

“Then how do you know anything about my life?”

“I have ears. I use them.” An impatient sound. “Put me on the viewscreen so I can see your face.”

Blowing out a breath, Mercy did as ordered. An instant later, her maternal grandmother’s face appeared on- screen, beautiful, determined, and dangerously intelligent. Isabella was on oddity in her part of the world, with pale cream skin and hair that had been a rich dark gold before it turned a stunning white, traits she’d bequeathed her daughter, Lia—Mercy’s mom. Family legend said some bandido way back when had stolen away with the daughter of a French admiral, and now, every so often, the genetics kicked up an unexpected blonde. Mercy didn’t know if that was true, but Isabella was certainly regal. She’d undoubtedly look as haughty at a hundred and thirty.

“A wolf?” Isabella repeated.

“No.”

Isabella narrowed her dark brown eyes. “Lying to your grandmother is a mortal sin.”

“It’s not a lie. He’s an ass.”

“I could’ve told you that.” A sniff. “I know wolves can be attractive, but seriou—”

“Back up.” Mercy held up a hand. “How do you know?”

“None of your business.”

Mercy grinned. “Played with a wolf, did you?”

“If I did, I came to my senses in time.” But her lips were twitching. “Be careful, Mercy girl. They’re different from us.”

“Gran.”

“No, you have to know—they are different. They tend to be more brutal in their pack structure, for one.”

Mercy thought of Hawke’s rule, compared it with Lucas’s. Yeah, there were differences, but both men would kill for those under their care. “We’re the same as far as the things that matter.”

“If you mate with him—”

Mercy all but screamed. “Who said anything about mating? I just had my own bit of fun. End of story.”

Isabella raised an eyebrow. “Never seen a man rile you up like this before.”

“I’ll get over it.” She had to. Because what he’d done . . . “He fucking hurt me, Gran.”

Sascha lay curled up in bed beside Lucas, playing her fingers over his chest. “Do you think Sienna’s alright?” They’d decided to stick with the girl’s real name. With her eyes covered up and her hair dyed a temporary brunette, she looked nothing like her old self.

“Kit knows who she is—he’ll make sure she’s not overwhelmed.”

“At least it’s an outdoor dance, easier for her to acclimate—she can walk off if things get too much.” The older juveniles and young adults had thrown together the dance/dinner/excuse for flirting after Sienna had “come to visit from Talin’s hometown.”

The fact that she was actually sleeping at Lucas and Sascha’s fazed no one—packmates were used to accommodating others and Tally’s house was full. So the logistics had been neatly skirted, but still . . . “She’s been so sheltered, first in the Net, then in the SnowDancer den.”

“She’ll be fine. I made sure everyone knows she’s under my protection.” He squeezed her. “Not that it’s necessary—Kit won’t leave her side.”

“I’m worried it’s too soon.”

“The whole point of this week is to give her some time out.” He spread his fingers over her lower back. “If she can get things under better control—”

“She’s already more stable,” Sascha said, having felt the girl settle as soon as they left the den.

“Good. That’ll give her more time.”

But Sascha knew what he wasn’t saying—sooner or later, Sienna was going to need more training than anyone in either pack could provide. No one knew, however, just who might be able to train a cardinal with her destructive abilities. “She’s safe around the pack,” Sascha said. “Judd and Walker have an eye on her through the LaurenNet, and she knows to contact me for telepathic assistance the instant something happens.”

“Can you calm her down?”

“Yes, for a while. We decided that if she gets really bad, Judd will hit her with a telepathic blow that’ll cause unconsciousness. Not what I would’ve chosen, but it gives her the confidence to move about without worry.”

“Which means we have the aerie to ourselves.” He grinned. “Kit said she could crash at his and Rina’s tonight since it’s closer, but I want you to check she’s comfortable doing that, with it being her first night.”

“Hold on.” Her telepathy was enough for a quick conversation with Sienna, given the girl’s much longer reach. Sienna could “hear” the barest whisper.

First, a polite mental knock. When Sienna responded, she asked, Are you still fine with staying over at Rina and Kit’s?

Yes. Kit said I can have his room and he’ll take the couch.

Be careful. His room’s probably a pit.

No, Rina told me he’s soldier-neat. A pause. I’m okay, Sascha. I’ll ’path you if anything happens?

Catching the rising intonation, Sascha said, Of course. Now go enjoy yourself.

Dropping from the link, she pressed a kiss to Lucas’s shoulder. “She’s coping. But I can already feel her itching to return to the den.”

“I don’t think that’s anything either of us can change.” Worry laced his tone. “Hawke called to check that she was settling in—I talked him into letting her stay with us indefinitely, with regular visits up to see Toby and the others.”

It was more than Sascha had ever expected. “How?”

“I told him the truth—she’s better down here.” He blew out a breath. “Keep an eye on her, kitten. That kid’s got a hard road ahead of her.”

Sascha nodded. “Do you think . . . maybe?”

“Even the panther doesn’t know the answer to that.” Turning, he looked down at her, bright green eyes gone