Apostate Read online

A protective surge almost made him shout, Don’t touch her!

  Monique jerked back. After a moment she chuckled and lay her fingers against his neck again. **Possessive, much?**

  **It’s not that. She’s vulnerable. You know that.**

  **I do. And so do you.**

  **That’s why I’ve been staying away so much.** Kellan didn’t elaborate. Monique probably didn’t need him to. Tasha had saved his life, and ever since he’d wanted a second taste of her. She was a distraction.

  **That might be best—for you. For her, not so much. Have you forgotten that she lost her parents at an early age? That you took her away from her sister and the life she’d built in Phoenix? She needs an anchor, and like it or not, that’s you.**

  Kellan grimaced. **Why not you? You’ve spent more time with her than I have.**

  Monique made a disgusted noise. **Don’t be obtuse. You’re the one who rescued her, who fed from her. She’s no ordinary human. That’s why you didn’t wipe her memory—you couldn’t—at least not without destroying her mind. You created a connection. Now you have to deal with it. With her.**

  Kellan remained silent. There was no rejoinder to that. Monique was right.

  **I’ve taught her all I can,** Monique continued, **and I’ve been apart from my partner for too long while I did it. It’s time for you to take responsibility for your ward.**

  Tasha awakened slowly to the hum of tires on asphalt. She’d been dreaming again about the last vacation her family had taken. They’d gone to Disneyland, and because her father couldn’t take off much time from work, they’d driven out late on Friday, spent a day at the park, a day at the beach, and then driven home Sunday night. Exhausted from two days of fun and sun, she and Ana had slept most of the way home, secure in the knowledge that they were safe in their parents’ care.

  It was the last time she’d ever felt that safe.

  Normally, when she awakened from that dream it was to an agonizing feeling that a vital part of her had been torn out of her chest. She waited for that feeling, but it didn’t come.

  For just a fraction of a second she wondered if she’d dreamt the last ten years her life—about growing up with just Ana. But no, she was an adult, and Ana was married to Gideon, a Celestial Guardian. Pride warmed her at the memory of their wedding. Ana had looked fabulous in the dress Tasha had designed for her.

  She opened her eyes and her gaze fell upon Monique playing with the hair on the back of Kellan’s neck.

  WTF? Monique looked old enough to be Kellan’s mother.

  Tasha reined in that line of thought. Monique might have gray hair, but her mahogany skin was flawless and she was flat out beautiful. Not to mention appearances were deceiving with U’dahmi. Kellan and Monique were essentially the same age—over forty-six hundred years old—and that was just how long they’d been living on Earth. Monique’s body might look older than Kellan’s but that was only temporary. The next time she changed bodies she might look younger than him.

  More to the point, how could they be involved? Kellan was hardly ever around and when he was, he never slept over. He’d said he’d protect her from the Golden Path, and then he’d palmed her off on the first U’dahmi that would take her off his hands. Tasha didn’t really care. Kellan could do whatever or whoever he wanted. Monique was teaching her what she needed to know to protect herself. When she was finished with her training she’d go back to her life and Kellan could go play with himself—or Monique.

  Maybe they were so old or they’d been together so long that being apart didn’t matter to them—

  Kellan’s eyes found hers in the rearview mirror. “You’re awake.”

  Monique pulled her hand away from Kellan’s neck. “We weren’t trying to exclude you from the conversation. We didn’t want to wake you.”

  ―Or maybe they were just having a quiet, mind-to-mind chat while she slept. Tasha felt her face heat. “Thanks. I was wiped.”

  “I’m not surprised. What you did was impressive,” Kellan said with his soft French accent.

  “She’s learned a lot in a short time,” Monique said.

  Tasha tried to ignore the warm feeling that Monique’s praise engendered. “Does that mean I can go back to my life, now?”

  The beat of silence told Tasha all she needed to know. “So that’s a no.”

  Kellan winced and changed lanes on the freeway. “Sorry. There’s something else we need to do first.”

  Monique cocked her head as if that was news to her, too.

  “And that would be?” Tasha demanded.

  Kellan didn’t answer as he took the exit south onto the Five and merged with traffic. Then he said, “I don’t want to discuss this while I’m driving. I’d rather wait until we get to Monique’s.”

  Whatever he had to say wasn’t good. Otherwise, he’d just tell her. Tasha pressed her lips tightly together. She’d have to wait for whatever bombshell he had to drop.

  Chapter Two

  “I need some time off,” Dave told Cam. They’d successfully wrapped up the search for a missing six-year-old and were between cases.

  Cam’s eyebrow twitched. “More time, you mean?” The red fox who was Cam’s constant companion remained silent but he lifted his muzzle to look more directly at Dave.

  Dave knew he was asking a lot. He’d only been back on the job for a few months after completing rehab, and before that Cam had put up with a load of shit from him. “Yeah. More time. I need to visit my sister,” Dave said.

  “The one you haven’t spoken to directly for eight years?”

  “Yeah.” Dave kept his expression bland even though he wanted to wince. “That one. The one and only. It’s time.”

  The fox, Bhodan, yipped. He was a Gaian, a kind of Celestial. Cam, being Fey and of Gaian descent, could understand him.

  Cam glanced at Bhodan. “I know family is important. You don’t have to tell me.” He turned to Dave. “You want company?”

  Dave looked away briefly as gratitude brought unexpected moisture to his eyes. Cam had his back. He always had—even when Dave had been a dick. Dave cleared his throat. “No. I need to do this alone. But—thanks.”

  Kellan drove over the long curving bridge to Coronado then took Orange Avenue past the Hotel Del to the towers of the Shores. He used Monique’s code to enter the underground parking for the high-rise and then they all rode the wood-paneled elevator up to the eleventh floor in silence. Monique had assumed the body and the life of a very wealthy widow at her last transition. As Monique Simmons’ spirit had fled, Telesine had assumed her flesh and healed it. “Monique” had, to all appearances, made a sudden and dramatic recovery on her death-bed several years ago, much to the dismay of her heirs. Now Telesine, or Monique as she preferred to be called now, enjoyed spending their inheritance on various charities while living in a high-priced condo with a view of the Pacific. The generous gifts she gave to the heirs each Christmas helped to soften the blow.

  Monique veered off into the kitchen as they entered her unit and pulled three bottles of water out of the fridge.

  Tasha accepted the water but didn’t pause to rehydrate. “Okay, spill it.” She looked like she was expecting bad news.

  Kellan braced himself to deliver it. “The U’dahmi Council wants to interview you.”

  “Why?” Monique demanded.

  Kellan winced inwardly. It was time to come clean. “To decide if I should be disciplined for revealing the existence of U’dahmi to three Fey, a Progeny, and two Celestials.”

  “But that’s old news. Why talk to her now?” Monique’s forehead furrowed but then her brows rose as she understood. “You didn’t tell them. They only just found out about Tasha. You’ve had me teaching her without their approval.”

  “That about sums it up—only you left out the part where the Council wants to decide whether or not Tasha should be mind-wiped.”

  “What? Who do those guys think they are?” Tasha cracked the seal on her water bottle with more force than necessary. “They don
’t have any right to decide what happens to me! Besides, you said I couldn’t be mind-wiped without being hurt by it.”

  “You’ve put me in a difficult position,” Monique said, her normally calm voice tight.

  Kellan answered Monique first. “You’ll be fine. You didn’t know what you were doing wasn’t sanctioned by the Council, and you didn’t tell her anything about us that she hadn’t already picked up when she fed me.”

  Monique rolled her eyes. “They won’t believe that! I don’t believe it, and I’m the one you kept in the dark! How did you do that, anyway?”

  “I’m sorry. I abused your trust—but I didn’t lie to you. I just didn’t correct your mistaken belief that the Council had approved Tasha’s training. And if you think back, we didn’t talk mind-to-mind that often, and when we did it was about Tasha’s progress and nothing else.”

  Monique glared. “I don’t think the Council’s rep will appreciate the finer points of your hair-splitting when he questions me.”

  “It’ll be all right. He’ll know I kept the truth from you.”

  Monique glared at him. “I cannot tell you how pissed off I am right now.” She took a breath. “But as mad as I am, I’m even more scared for you. Lying to your friend—who was helping you—won’t earn you any points with the Council. What were you thinking?”

  “I was thinking…” Kellan tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling. He hadn’t been thinking. He’d been out of touch with his partner for eight months and he’d liked the way connecting with Tasha had felt. She’d accepted who and what he was with surprising grace—especially considering what she’d just been through. He didn’t want her injured by having her memories of him erased. It was one thing to cloud a human’s mind, quite another to do the same to a Fey or a Progeny. The Fey descendants of Gaians and the Progeny offspring of the other Celestial factions were resistant to such mental tampering, especially when their preternatural blood was strong. The force necessary to change what Tasha remembered could damage her mind. He refused to accept that as an option. She’d saved his life.

  Kellan lowered his head to answer Monique, but it was Tasha’s gaze he met. “I was thinking that her sister and the Celestials who put their lives on the line to rescue Tasha expect me to protect her, not put her in harm’s way. I thought that if I could show the Council that she was strong and capable and could be trusted, that they’d leave her alone. I didn’t have the necessary knowledge to train her. I needed your help with that. I didn’t lie to the Council. I made my report via Skype and told them I’d completed my assignment. I had. Seketh was dead. I just didn’t tell them about Tasha.”

  Monique stared at him for a few seconds then the corner of her mouth curled up in a slight smile, as if she understood more than Kellan had said. “Well, they know now, and I suspect they might not be happy about your omission.”

  Kellan took a long swig from his water. “You’re right. They’re sending an emissary.”

  “Here?” Monique’s dark brows rose up to her gray hair. In this day of modern communication, it was exceedingly rare for three U’dahmi who weren’t partnered with the others to gather in one place.

  He nodded and checked the time on his phone. “Ezra is coming. He’ll be here in about an hour.”

  Tasha’s heart hammered with alarm. From the way Monique was reacting this Ezra guy was bad news. “I can be ready to go in ten minutes.”

  “We’re not going to run,” Kellan said.

  “You can’t hide from the Council,” Monique agreed.

  “But U’dahmi can hide even from other U’dahmi,” Tasha objected. “It’s part of your protection.”

  “If we run, knowing that the Council wants to evaluate you, they’ll send an Enforcer like me—someone with the skill and knowledge to find the hidden,” Kellan said. “And having run, we’ll be guilty of defying the Council. They would err on the side of caution and assume you were a threat to U’dahmi secrecy. And they could declare me rogue.”

  Tasha stared in horror. Rogue U’dahmi were executed. “But you’re not!”

  “And that’s why we’re not going to run. We’re going to show Ezra that you can be trusted with our secrets and that I had good reason to break protocol.”

  “But what if he doesn’t agree? What if he wants to mind-rape me?”

  “I vowed to protect you. You know what that means.”

  She did. He couldn’t not protect her. Or at least, he couldn’t not try to protect her. He could fail. But he would die before giving up.

  She was pissed at him, but she didn’t want him to die. Tasha stepped closer to him and took his hands. **Don’t let these assholes hurt you. I don’t want to lose my mind, but I don’t want you to sacrifice yourself for me, either.**

  **My vow wasn’t made to you. You cannot release me from it. Nor do I want to be. You are worth saving.**

  Kellan’s declaration eased her irritation with him—a little. Then the doorbell rang, making Tasha jump.

  “He’s early,” Monique said as she walked to the door. “He wants us off-balance.”

  “Why am I not surprised?” Kellan’s tone was wry. He released one hand so he could put an arm around her shoulder. **Ezra isn’t an ogre. Just be honest—but try not to call him an asshole.**

  Tasha leaned into Kellan’s embrace. **I’ll save that label for you, for ignoring me for the last six months.**

  **I didn’t want to draw the Council’s attention to you. I guess I failed.**

  That was only partially true, but now wasn’t the time to call him on it.

  “It’s showtime, boys and girls,” Monique murmured.

  Kellan squeezed Tasha’s hand, then stepped away, putting some space between him and Tasha as Monique opened the door.

  A fit, short, balding man looked up at Monique, who had about four inches on the newcomer. “It’s a pleasure to see you again, my dear. May I come in?”

  Monique ushered him in with a flourish of her well-manicured hand. “Please do.”

  The visitor greeted her protector with a nod. “Kellan.”

  Kellan dipped his head in return. “Ezra.”

  “And this must be Ms. Kaminski. How do you do?” He offered his hand and met her gaze directly. He stood slightly taller than Tasha and his gray eyes crinkled at the edges with his smile.

  Tasha hesitated half a beat. The gesture was probably a test, but so what? Monique had schooled her in strengthening her mental barriers. Now was as good a time as any to find out if she’d learned enough. She clasped his hand. It was warm and his grasp was firm, but not overbearing.

  Tendrils of thought tried to insinuate themselves into her mind. She let him poke around for a moment, then said, **I don’t sleep with a guy on the first date, and certainly not until he’s bought me dinner. You’re not getting intimate with my head on just a handshake.**

  Ezra laughed and released her hand. “Very good, Ms. Kaminski. But before I leave here, we will become intimately acquainted.” He turned to Kellan and held out his arm. “Let’s get this over with, shall we?”

  Kellan started to reach for Ezra but Tasha stepped between them, facing off with the emissary from the Council. “Hold on there. I have an interest in this guy’s welfare. Right now he’s the only one standing between me and the Golden Path.”

  “Humans constantly dabble in the occult. It’s of little interest to us.”

  She’d thought that mentioning those dicks would pull Ezra up short. How could he not care what damage they did?

  Ezra held out his hand again. “Kellan?”

  That brought her back to the immediate issue. “What are you getting ready to do?”

  “Certain things are on a need to know basis. This part of my visit is barely tangential to you.”

  Tasha waited for him to say something else, but he seemed satisfied with his answer. “That’s it? You think I don’t need to know, so you’re going to keep me in the dark? That’s not acceptable. I want to know what’s going on. At the very least, I
want your word that you’re not going to mind-rape him or something. Whoever was in there last put a bomb in his head.”

  Kellan’s eyes widened.

  “Gideon told me before we left,” she said, answering his unspoken question. “He wanted me to be warned in case one of your so-called friends tried to do the same to me.”

  “Gideon? You took a Celestial Guardian into your confidence?” Ezra demanded. “The Council thought you left something out of your report. Apparently, they were right.”

  “Why don’t we all have a seat,” Monique suggested. “Would anyone like tea?”

  Tasha turned to stare at the taller woman. Was she really trying to turn the showdown at the OK Corral into a cotillion? But when she met Monique’s gaze she saw only steely resolve there. Maybe deescalating this confrontation was the smarter move. They could always shoot each other later.

  “Yes, thank you. That sounds great. And we have some cookies, too,” Tasha said.

  Ezra lifted a brow and the corner of his mouth lifted. “Sure. Why not? There’s no rush.”

  A few minutes later, Monique brought out a tray with a hand-painted tea set, while Tasha carried a plate of artfully arranged lemon cookies. Kellan and Ezra had taken seats at a right angle to each other, Kellan on a chair, Ezra on the sofa facing away from the million-dollar view of the ocean. As their guest helped himself to a napkin and a cookie, Tasha took a chair across the glass-topped coffee table from him. She loaded her tea with sugar and took two cookies, feeling the need to restore some of the energy she’d used earlier. She thought she might need it.

  For a brief moment, they all sipped their tea and nibbled their sweets in silence.

  “Excellent tea,” Ezra said to Monique. “And did you make these delicious cookies yourself?”

  “Thank you, I did.”

  Tasha wanted to scream, Are you kidding me? at the superficial exchange, but she managed to remain silent by taking another bite. Monique’s interjection of civility couldn’t put off the inevitable forever.