Hot Blooded

“I’m sorry, what?” My head snapped to my brother and Danny, who had clearly heard the missive.

Both of their faces were stark. I’d been expecting another tirade from my father about our lack of communication. Not this.

He cleared his voice once. “James is missing.”

“What do you mean missing?” I jumped up, my breath hitching. “Was he taken? James would never leave willingly on his own.”

My father growled, “He left Pack of his own volition.”

“What? ” Going rogue was as serious as it could get. You did not leave your Pack. “That’s not possible. He’s dedicated to this Pack.”

“He vanished last night, no trace, no note, no whereabouts. He hasn’t shifted, so I haven’t talked to him. But we are in the middle of a war, Jessica. He gets no leeway from me—”

“Dad,” I reasoned, trying to slow this conversation down. “This is James you’re talking about. If he’s gone, there’s a damn good reason. Just hold off on any action until we know what’s going on. He could be coming up here to help us. Nick could be in trouble. It could be anything.”

“I’m about to take on an enemy, a Pack of rogue wolves whose agenda is to kill my only daughter.

I need all my wolves. My second-in-command does not get to defect whenever it’s convenient for him.” His voice was cold as stone. “Whatever his reasons are, they are not good enough.”

I glanced at Tyler and Danny. Tyler shook his head and stalked out of the cave. Danny gave a low whistle. There was nothing we could do. I felt helpless.

“Dad,” I said. “James is loyal. He’s always been loyal. Please don’t jump to conclusions. What if he was taken?”

“Taken?” my father huffed. “Not a possibility. But he will answer when he is found.” His voice broached no argument.

Shit. “When we get back, I’m on it. I will find him. We’re leaving to get Rourke within moments and after that James will be our first priority.”

“Jessica.” My father’s voice softened. “You have to be smart. Arm yourself and let the boys shift first. Go in strong. Don’t worry about defeating her. Incapacitate her and free Rourke. We can deal with her and any fallout as a Pack when you all get home.”

“I’ll give it my best shot.”

My father growled into the phone, “Tyler said a giant scorpion spider, one of Selene’s creatures,

stung you and forced you to change. But when you were in your true form, I couldn’t reach you, as usual.”

“I think the spell put me into a… coma of some kind. I’m not exactly sure.”

“Tyler said you weren’t breathing and your heart wasn’t beating, but you were still alive. He felt your connection. I did too. I knew you weren’t dead.”

“I’m glad you weren’t worried. Yes, it seems I was in rough shape, but I feel fine now. I don’t have any residual effects.”

“Jessica” My father’s voice became quiet in its intensity. “I believe your body went into Stasis.”

“Stasis?” I said. “Like the Coalition? I thought only gods could do that?”

“They can. Or a god can put you in one. Stasis acts like a protective cocoon of power, but it has to be incredibly strong, because it feeds you and protects you for the length of time you’re under. I

cannot put myself into Stasis.”

I gulped. “What exactly does that mean?”

“It means your body wields an incredible amount of power.” There was strain in his voice. “And you’re going to have to figure out how to manage and control it better from now on. Having any kind of ability like that is extremely dangerous. The power takes over and you lose control.” He was right.

Without Tyler I might not have awoken on my own.

“Do you think it’s a special gift?” I’d never heard of a supe having “Stasis” as a special gift, but I couldn’t rule it out. “Or something to do with the Prophecy?”

“I don’t know, Jessica.” He sighed. “There’s so much we don’t know.”

“Did you feel the break when Danny and Tyler took my blood?”

“Yes,” he said. “Danny left my control immediately, but Tyler’s connection shifted to something else.” He sounded satisfied, which was surprising. “I can still sense him, even though he’s no longer under my immediate control.”

“Is that what you thought would happen?”

“I had no idea what would happen,” he admitted. “But my son is bonded to me genetically, unlike

Daniel Walker. It was enough to sever the Selective’s vow and that’s what it was intended to do, so that pleases me.”

I couldn’t bring myself to discuss Naomi or the possibility my blood had something in it that would affect Danny adversely later. My head spun trying to process this information, but overall my mind kept slipping back to Rourke. I had to move.

I needed to find him.

My wolf growled to accentuate her feelings on the matter. I know. We’re going. I can feel it. We will see him shortly.

“We’ve run into trouble with the Southern Pack,” my father continued. “There’ve been a number of defectors that have gone missing this morning. Redman’s Pack is a mess. He’s rounding up what’s left of his loyal wolves right now and we will be tracking the rogues this evening. I expect there to be infighting. I don’t know when I’ll be back at this rate.” His voice held an odd note at the end. I picked up on it immediately.

“What’s wrong?”

“Something feels… off.”

“I feel it too,” I said. “The female vampire thinks a war between all Sects is beginning.”

“She might be right.” He pulled the phone away from his ear and answered a question someone asked him. “Jessica, I’m glad you’re safe. I need to go. Call me once you’re out.”

“I will.”

He was betting on me.

I was too.

The vamps arrived five minutes later. Naomi strode into the cave first. “Ma Reine, it is good to see you are awake and well. I did not know if it would be so.”

“I’m happy to be awake,” I replied. “But before we start moving we need to set one thing straight.

I’m not your Queen. There’s absolutely no need to address me as such. It makes me uncomfortable.

I’m not your ruler. We’re in this together. I have accepted your fealty, but I’m not your mob boss. You must come freely into this merger or not at all.”

“Ma Reine is a term used for affection only.” Naomi smiled. “I have never addressed Eudoxia as such. If you are uncomfortable with the title, I will come up with another.”

“You can just call me Jessica,” I stated. “That works fine for me.”

“In my world, a superior cannot be addressed by their given name. A name holds too much power to be used carelessly. I will not endanger your life in that way. Please do not ask it of me to do so. But I will come up with a suitable title if it pleases you.”

“Um, okay.” I couldn’t argue with her if that’s how she felt. I knew witches held formal names sacred. That’s why they all had nicknames. I didn’t even know Marcy’s full given name and she was my best friend. But wolves had no issues with names. Using your full title was a sign of respect.

Movement caught the corner of my eye. Eamon was lurking at the cave entrance. He looked put out, as usual. I was surprised he was here. “Is your brother coming with us?”

Naomi turned her head, her face showing signs of fatigue. Having a brother myself, I knew what that face meant. “Yes. He seems to believe his debt for my life has been paid to you in full. I

disagreed. As my blood-kin, my debts are his to fulfill and vice versa. It has always been that way. He has agreed, with some resistance, to accompany us to the entrance. Then it will be his choice after that to stay or