Burning Both Ends (Guardian Witch #3)

“Uh, I’m not so sure I agree with that assessment. Vita makes some sense,” Warren said. “Maybe we’ve been too hasty in approving this thing. We have to think about Steffan.” He looked at Robert.

“Isn’t this terrific?” Jena’s voice vibrated with anger. “Are we back to two weeks ago? Three against one.”

Ari listened in silence. This was the first she’d heard that the coalition was in danger of failing as recently as two weeks ago. So the kidnapping had been planned since then. Interesting. Was it also useful? It proved the kidnapper had learned the details of earlier negotiations and that one of the four leaders was involved in the leak, but she’d already known that.

“Now, Jena.” Robert tried to calm fraying tempers. “Nobody said they’re changing their vote. We’re only asking questions. Weighing the pros and cons.”

“You too?” she snapped.

“No. This whole affair has cleared up one of my major concerns. I’ve been impressed that the government has allowed our Otherworld authorities to handle this instead of pushing their weight around. I was afraid they’d ignore the mandates of the treaties when it suited them. Their actions speak well for future cooperation.” He glanced at Ari. “I suspect you deserve the credit for that, but the point is it happened. So I’m standing pat and voting in favor of the coalition.”

“Warren?” Jena asked.

“I’m not sure. I see both sides.” His mouth twisted in a grimace. “It seems to me you’re all being too careless with Steffan’s safety. You’ll get my final answer at 4:59.” He turned his back on them and walked away.

Jena’s shoulders slumped, as she looked at Ari. “We’re split. Steffan’s the deciding vote and without him there won’t be a decision.” She plopped into one of the chairs and drew her feet up on the seat. Her body language raised an immediate No Trespassing sign.

As much as Ari wanted to step in, this wasn’t her decision to make. The coalition seemed like a good idea, especially if Steffan was for it, but she wasn’t a wolf. She couldn’t possibly relate to all the issues.

The door to the hallway opened and one of the weretigers stuck his head in.

“Ms. Calin, there’s a human male asking for you at the front door. Says he’s with the Riverdale police.”

With the coalition falling apart around her, Ari wanted to scream in protest. Now what? It had to be Ryan, but what was he doing here? And how did he know she was here?

Aware of the sudden suspicious silence, she hid her own irritation. “It’s OK,” she said to the tiger. “I’ll take care of it.”

Even the Council president looked at her with disapproval.

Robert glowered. “See you do. We can’t have some local cop mucking around in this.” His nasty mood wasn’t getting any better.

Ryan stood inside the doors of the Magic Hall, two guards nearby. His back was to Ari, as he seemed to be examining the ornate gargoyle over the front door. The bunched shoulder muscles straining his jacket and his stiff stance betrayed his discomfort with being watched so closely by two large weretigers. She dismissed the guards with a wave of her hand and eyed her friend.

“What’s up, Ryan? Why are you here?” she asked as soon as the tigers were gone. He turned, giving her a cold look. His tension was obviously caused by a lot more than the weretigers.

“You know, I asked myself that same question all the way over here. Your boyfriend called and woke me early this morning. Said you might need help.” Ryan’s blue eyes seemed to darken like storm clouds. “And what does he tell me? Steffan has been missing for days. Imagine my surprise that my partner hadn’t called to tell me. Maybe you'd like to fill me in now. Huh, Ari? What the hell is going on?”

She hadn’t seen him this upset in a long time. Annoyed, irritated, angry even, but this went beyond angry. He was hurt. She needed to tread carefully.

“It’s Otherworld business, Ryan. No humans are directly involved. I’m so sorry Andreas called you when there’s really nothing you can do. Don’t you think I would have asked for help if I needed it?”

“I don’t know what to think. I guess your boyfriend doesn’t feel I’m as useless as you do.”

“Dammit, that’s not fair. I don’t think you’re useless. Far from it. But this is werewolf business and they don’t want any police involvement. It’s a sticky diplomatic thing.”

This drew a sarcastic laugh. “And they called you? You’re going to need a better story than that.” He poked his chest so hard, Ari grimaced. “Even as oblivious as I am of what’s going on under my nose, I’m not going to believe that. No one would call you because they needed a diplomat.”

She propped one hand on her hip but tried not to be too offended. “I’m not that bad. Besides, it’s negotiations, werewolf style. The kind you wouldn’t understand. Which sometimes calls for leverage, Otherworld leverage. The kind you don’t have.” Ari was unloading now; her angry words came spilling out. “I’m trying to save Steffan’s life, dammit. And people keep distracting me. Gabriel. Claris. And now you. I don’t have time to stand here while you yell at me like some jealous lover. Steffan’s going to die if I don’t figure out how to save him in the next few hours.” Her tone was nasty, and maybe she’d want to take it all back later, but she didn’t have the will or the energy right now. Ryan was complicating an already complicated situation.

He flushed, indecision and anger flitting across his face. He gave her his cop stare, and Ari suspected he was on the verge of stomping out the door and ending their partnership. A part of her was stressed enough to hope he’d go. The rest of her screamed for her to repair the damage.

“Ryan, I—”

“Stop right there.” He held up both hands like a concrete wall. His teeth clenched and unclenched. Finally, he expelled a loud breath. “Let’s start over. If I quit yelling, will you? And explain to me whatever you can?”

Heart beating fast, Ari nodded and swallowed.

“OK. Let’s sit down.” He pointed to the stone bench. “Forget I’m a cop. And a human.” He attempted a wry smile. “After we’ve talked, if you’re still convinced I can’t help, I’ll go away, and I won’t repeat anything you say to me.”

Ari met his somber look. She could use a friend about now, and she could count on Ryan to keep his word. She looked at the hard, stone bench with reservations, but finally sat down on one end. She began from the beginning. From the first wolf attack, to Sebastian’s death and now her search for Steffan.

When she’d been through it all, including Gabriel’s last call and Claris’s distress over the missing cat, Ryan was silent for a moment. “Let me guess. You want me to go find the cat.”

Her eyes cut to his face to make sure he was kidding and caught his cynical grin. “Think you’re up to it? But no, I’ll handle Claris’s problem when everything else is settled. It’s just another piece of my complicated life right now.” She sighed. “Don’t get upset again, but why did Andreas call you?”

“Guilt, I think. He feels he should be here. Just like you want to be in Toronto. What he said was to make sure you were all right, to watch your back.” He hesitated. “Frankly, I don’t want to worry you any more than you are, but I got the impression things weren’t quite right up there. He mentioned the O-Seven were stirring things up. Should I know that name?”

“Yes, the vampire authorities in Europe.”

“That’s it. Knew it seemed familiar. Anyway, he’s worried his troubles could spill over onto you. He wanted me to warn you.”

Ari looked surprised. “Me? Why would they come after me? I’d think they were busy enough harassing Andreas and Daron.” Her face fell. “Now I wish I’d questioned Gabriel when he called.” As guilt swept over her—not for the first time since she’d left Canada—she continued doggedly. “I hung up on him. I’ll leave for Toronto as soon as Steffan is safe, but I can’t run out on him now. It’s not just that Steffan’s a friend, but this is Council business, my sworn duty.”

“You don’t have to convince me. I’d still like to help if I can.”

Ari would have kissed him if he hadn’t been so attractive and so eligible. And so vulnerable. The old Ryan, her partner, was sticking with her. “I don’t know. Wait, yes, I do. Someone in this leadership group is in direct contact with the kidnapper. There’s no other explanation. The only possible way is through their cell phones, which means the phones have to go. I was going to demand they turn them over, but that’s going to make everyone stop trusting me.”

“So you need me to be play the heavy.” Ryan grinned. “Sure, I can do that. But it would be nice to have a plausible excuse for such an action. Never mind legal.”

The banging of a door drew their attention, as Lilith came running down the hall. Her flushed face sent Ari’s fears spiking.

“Russell’s on the phone,” the lioness said, catching her breath. “Andreas and Gabriel left the compound together last night and haven’t returned.”

Ari paled, as icy chills ran across the back of her neck. “Give it to me.” She snatched the cell phone from Lilith’s hand.

“Where are they?” she demanded.

“Honestly, Ari, I don’t know anything more than I told Lilith.” Russell’s voice was strung tight, which alarmed her even more.

“Repeat it to me. Everything.”

“They left without telling anyone. As near as I can figure, it was about 9:00 last night. I didn’t know they were gone until this morning when the night guard mentioned they hadn’t returned. He saw them leave and they seemed in a hurry, but that’s all he could tell me. I don’t think Andreas planned to be away all day or he would have told someone.”