“Ian,” said Cody, “we are committed to do the best we can and understand we might fail completely. But we have to try.”
“We’ll be waiting to help those you can save,” said Ian. “And now I think it’s time for lunch. With this growingpup in me, I have officially entered the eat-all-you-can stage.”
~/~/~/~/~
Calling his brother in Tajikistan, Steel glanced at his watch. Quickly doing the math, he realized Slate was sleeping.Well tough fucking shit!His brother woke him up plenty of times through the years. His mind sifted through what he learned this morning.Holy shit! Unfuckingbelievable!Of course, he’d studied the gifts of the gods the Fates could bestow on a shifter but Steel always viewed it as more academic than anything else. In his long life, he never met a shifter who had been giventhatgift.Shit! And I thought Jackson’s gift was rare.
“Hello?” answered a sleepy voice.
“Slate? What are you doing going to bed so early? Getting old?”
“Fuck you. Do you know what time it is here?”
“As a matter of fact, I do. I just never thought my younger brother would go to bed so early.”
“Asshole! What do you want?”
“Cody and Dylon will be arriving in a few days and they carry an executive order so whatever they need, make sure they get it.”
Slate sat up and turned on the bedside lamp. His night just turned shitty. “Cody? And who is Dylon? And why are they coming here?”
“Dylon is Cody’s Fated Mate. I can’t tell you more except Dad signed an Executive Order granting them unlimited help from Dire Enterprises. And since you’re there and I’m here, it falls to you.”
“I take it they’ll need to be protected so I better get more men. Shit, I’m sorry. This peace conference is a disaster and no matter what I try, it never works.”
“I don’t think you need more enforcers but they can explain when they get there,” Steel said, chuckling.
“Look you are making no sense. Colton goes to Mexico and I have to employ an army of enforcers to keep him safe. Now his brother comes to Tajikistan where shifters are being injured or killed almost daily and I don’t need any? What gives? And don’t tell me you can’t say anything.”
“Slate, I can’t and I won’t. When you meet them and talk to them you will understand why you must remain in the dark for now. Trust me, bro.”
Slate sighed. He knew his brother well enough to know Steel was telling him the truth. “How’s my nephew doing?”
“Daniel is growing like a weed. And he started shifting…well, different parts of him but I expect to see a full shift any day now. And, oh brother, does he ever have Jackson’s attitude…so sassy. I expect to hear his first word soon.”
“Fuck?”
“Fuck what?”
“Daniel’s first word…‘fuck’.”
“It better not be. Jackson will have my bollocks.”
“Bollocks? You mean balls? Why don’t you just say balls? Are you trying to teach Daniel to say bollocks instead of balls? I don’t think that’s such a good idea. If he says that at school, the other boys will tease him and knowing he’s got your genes, he’ll beat them up.”
“Why would you say that? And no, I’m not trying to teach him that word. Jackson proposed it as a substitute for fuck.”
“Ahh, I don’t think that will work.”
“No shit. Someday remind me to tell you what happened when Jackson proposed it to his brothers. Shit, I never laughed so hard.”
“Tell me now, I could use a good laugh.”
“No, I want to see your face when I tell this story. Maybe after the peace conference when you finally get here.”
Slate’s voice grew serious. “I don’t know if I’ll be successful. Something isn’t right but every time I think I’ve figured it out, the ground shifts and I’ve got to start over. Dad talked to Ian and I’ve gained some more insights so let’s see what happens tomorrow. I’ve never been this frustrated…you know, I’ve mediated some really bad conflicts, but I’m really fucked on this one. I’m close to calling it quits. I don’t see a way forward and if I can’t see that, then I’m just spinning my wheels.”
Steel rubbed his face. He’d never heard his brother so disheartened before. “Slate, talk to Cody when he arrives. I’m pretty sure he can help. I’m sorry I can’t say more right now but trust me. Okay?”
