“You, boyo, don’t have any fucking rights,” Gethin said calmly, although Sorley could see the effort it was taking his man to speak neutrally. His hands had shook as he’d unwrapped the Eqwan from its packaging. Sorley didn’t think it was from lack of blood or his earlier injuries, but from pure unadulterated rage.
With Cormack subdued, Sorley gave in to the urge to sit down. His nuts still felt tender, but he resisted the temptation to draw any attention to his injury and instead fixed his gaze on Cormack. He was mystified.
“Why didn’t you just ask me out or something? Why did you follow me around and hurt guys I’d been with, instead of talking to me? I don’t get it.” He really didn’t. It had been bugging him ever since they’d worked out who was behind the attacks.
“You should have come to me.” Sulky, and dulled from the effects of the enchanted blanket, Cormack still emanated hatred and imperiousness from every pore.
Sorley blinked. “I didn’t know you existed. Okay, Idid,after Garstang, but I didn’t know you wanted to get to know me.”
“You didn’t stay still! Always moving, never staying more than one night anywhere, searching for love in all the wrong places. So misguided, so stupid—”
“Don’t call him stupid!” Gethin was a formidable sight as anger fuelled his wolf fangs and claws to appear. He loomed over Cormack. The vampire shrank back with a shriek.
“What in hell’s name are you?”
“Your worst fucking nightmare.” The clichéd snarl should have been amusing, but nobody laughed. Gethin’s body language and emotions would be clear to read from the moon. He was a hair away from going completely feral.
Edwin spoke coldly to Cormack. “Gethin is a wolf and a vampire. Probably best to cooperate in case we have to mention to the Council that he lost control. He’s a very new vamp; no one would blame him.”
Cormack visibly gulped. Then he recovered enough to sneer at Gethin. “You’ll always be a freak. Immortality won’t remove the taint of fur from your skin.” He glanced at Sorley. “That’s why I had to teach that other disgusting dog a lesson. The one who touched you in Manchester. How dare he defile you? And you, encouraging him? You’re in need of some decorum lessons, Saul.”
Sorley held Gethin back this time. “Just…don’t,” he said quietly. “Really not worth it.” To Cormack he said, “I don’t understand why you were following me so randomly. I don’t move about nearly as much as you think.”
Cormack looked away, then, apparently realising there was no point in lying, stared straight ahead as if embarrassed. “My tracking magic is,” his mouth twisted, “not as advanced as my potion ability. There I am a true genius, as I am with disguise.” He huffed, a disgusted sound. “All the men your…playmateswere tempted by?They were allme. My visual enchantments are astounding.”
Sorley couldn’t disagree. He had been completely taken in. “What about the scent, your scent, that Alec was following? How did you do that?”
It took Alec repeating it with force for Cormack to answer. “Child’s play,” he scoffed. “I enthralled a human, then sprayed his vehicle, a moped, I believe it’s called, and sent him off around the streets to lead you astray.” He cackled. “And it worked so well. I cannot believe you fell for it. So stupid.”
“Not that stupid,” Gethin snapped. “Remember where you are right now, and who’s in control.” He leaned down and got into Cormack’s face, staying just far enough from his fangs to be safe. “Tell me, you were behind the amazing smell in the shopping centre, weren’t you?” He could feel thrall running through him, like it had when he commanded the young Asian guy. It was a heady and slightly unnerving feeling, especially when Cormack immediately nodded.
“Of course I was. That potion almost negated my need to use thrall. One spray and anyone I wanted to summon would come running to me.” He turned sullen eyes on Sorley. “I’m still very disappointed I had to use it on you.”
Sorley rolled his eyes. “Did you spray that stuff randomly in the city centre?” It would explain how three strangers had ended up acting so bizarrely.
“Of course!” Cormack’s unhinged professor look was back. He chuckled. “I used it on you, along with thrall, to get you to follow me that night, and all the others who dared touch you. So simple. I wanted to know how it affected the general population.” His sneer reappeared. “It was so much fun, but you’ve ruined my plans.”
Sorley thought it was a minor miracle the scent didn’t appear to work on everyone. A sudden new thought tickled the back of his mind. It was just…out…of…reach…Ahh, there it was.
“Cormack isn’t a mage name. But you’ve already admitted you were, are one, before you were turned. Explain.”
Cormack rolled his own eyes. “Hell’s teeth, you really are a dullard. It was my sire’s name. I changed it when he made me.” He sighed. “Which then became a habit, even after I eliminated him. Of course,” his expression was sly, “it has been useful as a way to keep those in the know unaware of my dual talents.”
“Sneaky, but kind of impressive,” Edwin intoned in a way that left no doubt as to how repulsed he was by the vampire.
“What I do not comprehend,” Alec broke in, “is the religious—”
But then Alec’s mobile vibrated. “It’s Baxter,” he said, accepting the video call.
It didn’t take long before faces popped up on the screen; Dalziel, Justin, Trace, Marlowe — looking nervous, and a pretty Fae who introduced herself as Saffi, Volik’s representative who’d been standing by.
Justin tersely introduced them all to Cormack, before running through the list of charges. It was a long list. Sorley felt sickened at the trail of hurt and death that Cormack had presided over. Justin insisted the phone be moved closer to Cormack.
“Connor Cormack, do you understand the charges?”
Cormack narrowed his eyes and glared mutely at the screen. Sorley said apologetically to Justin, “I get the impression he thinks shifters are beneath speaking to.”
“He will speak to me.” Dalziel’s tone was unnaturally calm, although for some reason his screen wasn’t very clear. “Cormack, you will answer me. Do you understand the charges against you?”
