“They found more of the potion?”I said, sitting up some more.“The leader didn’t have any—”
“And neither do we, so it appears to be gone for good.There may be a few vials left somewhere, but no one is too hopeful.Potions have a shelf life, and the kind used to get people high doesn’t last long on the street.However, the Guardians are going to examine the differences in the blood taken from Relics against that of regular Weres, and see if it lends any clues.Dave already has theories—”
“Like what?”
“Like the rumor making the rounds, from info the vamps acquired, that Weres, vamps, and assorted other species were engineered by the gods to serve as their armies, back when they were constantly fighting each other.But those who proved powerful enough to worry even a deity had weaknesses deliberately added into the mix to make them less of a threat: wood and sunlight for vamps—”
“And Neuri for us?”
“That’s the theory.It might also explain why our captains died out.”
“What?”
He nodded.“Sophie told me what Bleddyn said, about the gods wanting to weaken us by denying us magic.If the captain gene was carried on our magical bloodlines, then it would have died out over time, too, as Neuri made it impossible for those who carried it to Change.”
“And caused us to attack and kill the very people making us strongest,” I said blankly.
“Never say the gods didn’t have a sense of humor,” he agreed.“In any case, Relics don’t suffer from Neuri, as they predate its introduction, so perhaps in time, we can figure out how to make sure that no one else does, either.”
“I can donate,” I began, but stopped at the look I was getting.
“You can’t spare any more blood.Not for quite a while.You managed to get stabbed in the gutsagain—”
I frowned, not remembering—oh, yeah.In the fight at the Pythia’s court.That damned redhead in the kitchen.
I hoped he felt as hungover as I did.
“—and then decided to make an epic run across the desert to take on the entire Black Circle by yourself!”
“Well.Not by myself.”
“Lia,” he said, but it wasn’t the ‘let’s fight’ voice I’d expected.It also wasn’t the casual, deliberately calm tones of a moment ago.It was raw and broken, and the arms that enveloped me were suddenly trembling, almost as much as mine were.I held him close, hugged him hard, and couldn’t believe it was over.
In fact, I didn’t believe it, because I still didn’t understand so much.But this wasn’t the time to worry about it.This was the time to raise the covers, so that Cyrus could crawl into bed with me.And could spoon me close against his body, as if he couldn’t get enough contact to reassure himself that I was really there.It felt almost desperate for a moment, and then it felt good, warm and familiar and right.
I thought about my counterpart, and her loss, about the man who would never come home to her.I wondered who she had been really, because my wolf was still me, if a more savage version.And I did not think the Relic I had been partnering with had been me, any more than the spirit Bleddyn had carried had been him.
I remembered Dave saying, “Many native beliefs incorporate the idea of certain spirits of the dead returning to the human world either as beneficial, protective forces or as the opposite.Some, it is believed, are reborn into new bodies as rewards for a life well lived, while others return to defend it from malignant spirits who wish to harm it.”
Yeah, I thought.That was probably as close as we were going to get.I just hoped she’d found her peace, now, too, whoever she was, and hugged Cyrus tighter.
I hoped that a lot.
???
“I hate this monkey suit,” Lee said, pulling at his neck.
“You undo that tie once more, and you can tie it back yourself,” Andy told him.
“I can’t breathe, man, and anyway, I can’t tie it back.”Lee held up his arm, which he had in a fashionable black silk sling.
“Oh, milk it some more,” Noah said, limping past.
“You’re just pissy you didn’t get to fight,” Lee said smugly.
“I got to fight!Who do you think was driving the garbage truck?”
“That’s driving, not fighting.”
