Chapter Twenty-Two
Wednesday
AELRYN KNEW he should be out there in the camp with his men as they prepared for the mission, but his heart felt too heavy.
How can I be positive and upbeat with this weighing me down?
He still couldn’t believe it. He’d known Rudy Myers for decades. They’d fought together, rejoiced together, celebrated their victories, commiserated over their losses, and talked into the wee small hours, setting the world to rights, more times than Aelryn cared to remember.
I trusted him.
I loved him like a brother.
To discover his treachery was the most painful blow—and the bitterest pill to swallow.
What went wrong? Why did he lose faith?
The one thought that went around and around, tormenting him, making his heart sink even further?
How could he do this to us?
The tent flap opened, and Scott came inside. I heard you right across the camp. He walked over to Aelryn, stood behind him, and put his arms around Aelryn’s shoulders.
Aelryn forced a smile. I’m still getting used to this. The telepathic connection had been a recent development, and after months of being with his mate, he had to wonder why now. Not that he was complaining. It added an extra level to their relationship, especially during intimate moments.
I know him, heart, body, and soul. And loved him just as much.
Scott sighed. “Rudy’s here. He arrived about five minutes ago.”
That was all it took to banish such thoughts from Aelryn’s mind and chase away the momentary lightness Scott’s presence had brought.
“Show him in. Then leave us, please.”
Scott’s breath warmed his ear. If you need me….
Aelryn reached up to caress Scott’s cheek. I’ll call. But I’ll be safe. I know him.
He swallowed. At least, I thought I did.
Scott left him, and Aelryn stood, his back rigid as he pushed aside sentimentality and affection.
Time to be the leader he was born to be. A leader worthy of his bloodline.
Rudy Myers stepped inside the command tent, and Aelryn noted his hesitation, his sweeping gaze that took in his surroundings, the sharp bob of his Adam’s apple.
Rudy was nervous—unless Aelryn imagined it.
He pointed to one of the chairs that had been set up for his briefing with Johan. “Sit down.”
Rudy blinked. “No greeting? No explanation for why you sent a truck to collect me at too damn early o’clock? Why am I here, Aelryn? I’m not part of this mission. At least, I thought I wasn’t.” His lips twitched. “Did I miss the memo?”
“Why are you here? I’ll give you the short answer.” Aelryn fixed him with a steady gaze. “You gave details of this mission to the Gerans.”
His eyes widened. “What? Of course I didn’t. Why would—”
“Please, don’t try my patience,” Aelryn interjected, one hand raised. “We have proof. Undeniable, solid proof. But before I give the order to have you taken from here and… dealt with, I want to know one thing: Why?”
Rudy’s eyes were like saucers. “‘Dealt with’?” All the color slid from his face.
Aelryn stared at him. “This isn’t an action that requires a slap on the wrist, or even a formal reprimand. Surely you knew what would happen if you were found out.”
Silence.
Aelryn could almost hear the cogs clicking in Rudy’s head as he undoubtedly went through every conceivable response, every possible denial. Then Rudy crumpled, his broad shoulders sagging, his shaved head bowed. “I wasn’t thinking about the consequences of my actions,” he whispered.
“Then what were you thinking about? Apart from helping the enemy to thwart our plans, of course.”
Rudy raised his head, and tortured eyes met Aelryn’s gaze. “My only thought was… my mate. His survival.”
Oh, by the gods….
Aelryn froze. “You found your mate? When was this?”
“A month ago. But… it’s complicated.”
He sat in the chair facing Rudy and leaned back, arms folded. “Tell me. Everything.”
“Now isn’t the time to—”
“You are not leaving this tent until you’ve told me.” Aelryn scowled. “It’s no secret I have a mate. I need to know this isn’t some ploy to gain sympathy.” Except he didn’t believe that. He knew Rudy. “And you’d better make it convincing. Because if you’re treated the way all traitors are treated, what happens to your mate? Think about how much he’d suffer without you.”
“At least he’d be alive to do it!” Rudy snapped. Seconds ticked by, and at last he sighed. “This might be the only chance I get. Okay, then. Last month, I was in New York….”
RUDY HAD to admit the exhibition was fascinating. He’d thought Colchis was a figment of some screenwriter’s imagination, the place where Jason and his Argonauts went to find the golden fleece. He’d had no idea it was a real location, a place of ancient tombs and documents….
Call yourself a history teacher? For shame.
The Institute for the Study of the Ancient World at New York University hadn’t been his idea of a tourist spot—a friend had recommended it—but so far he’d spent a few hours gazing at the artifacts and reading the displayed information.
Then his senses went on alert.
Someone’s watching me.
He turned and scanned the room. There were only three other people present. Two of them were peering into a glass cabinet.
The third, a tall, imposing man, was staring at Rudy, lips parted, eyes wide.
What the hell?
Then Rudy froze as the most delicious scent tickled his nostrils. He couldn’t tear his gaze away from the man with the buzz-cut dark hair, a firm jawline, and the bluest eyes Rudy had ever seen.
Eyes that were locked on his.
A rhythmic thud filled Rudy’s head, the sound of a beating heart. Except it wasn’t his—it was the stranger’s.
What the fuck is going on?
Rudy walked slowly, as if in a daze, not stopping until he was barely an inch away. His nostrils filled with that same aroma and something else. A spicy, warm scent that Rudy associated with sex.
He’s attracted to me.
Rudy was experiencing that same thing. Heat barreled through him, blood surged south, and his fingers itched to touch, explore, penetrate….
The guy’s breathing hitched. “I thought it was all lies.”
“What was?”
“The concept of mates. And yet here you are, so real.” The man touched Rudy’s face with tentative fingers, and holy fuck , electricity shuddered its way through Rudy, his synapses firing, his body burning with need.
Then his words sank in. “Mates?”
A voice in his head shouted Yes, yes, yes .
“My name is Valmer Cooper.”
“Rudy Myers.” Gods, the urge to kiss him was all-encompassing.
Valmer’s nostrils flared. “If you tell me you’re straight, I’m in real trouble. Because the things I want to do to you right this minute….”
Shit . Rudy’s dick reacted. “Maybe we should share lists. Except I’m not in a hurry to get arrested for indecent exposure—or worse.”
Valmer groaned. “My hotel is half an hour from here.”
“Mine’s closer.”
“Then what are we waiting for?”
RUDY LAY with his head on Valmer’s shoulder, tracing invisible lines over Valmer’s chest with his fingertips, loving the shivers that rippled through him when Rudy brushed over his nipples.
Rudy had never had sex like that in his life, not even with partners he’d shared years with. The intimacy he and Valmer had achieved in just a few hours left every relationship Rudy had ever had in the dust.
“This is crazy,” he murmured.
Valmer chuckled. “Beyond crazy.”
Rudy dipped his finger into Valmer’s navel before heading south, reaching the tight curls of his pubic hair, his dick lying limp to one side, yet reacting to the slightest touch. “You’re real.”
Another chuckle shook Valmer. “I think we’ve proved that three times already, but I’m game for a fourth attempt.” He peered at his crotch. “Or I will be. Gimme a few minutes.” He laughed. “I haven’t gone more than three rounds in one night since I was in my early twenties.”
Rudy craned his neck to stare at him. “And I’ve never fucked a guy’s brains out when all I knew about him was his name.” He snorted. “Except that one time, and it was a sex party, so that was okay, right?” He pressed his lips to Valmer’s chest. “You could be an ax murderer for all I know.”
Valmer cleared his throat. “Not an ax murderer. That much I can confirm.”
“But what are you?”
He smiled. “I’m a cheetah.”
Rudy grinned. “Whoa. A sleek, fast kitty. I like it.”
“What about you?”
“Nothing so impressive. I’m a golden retriever.”
His eyes lit up. “Now I know why I prefer dogs.” Valmer pulled Rudy closer, until Rudy could feel every beat of his heart.
Then Rudy’s senses went on the alert again and unease trickled through him. “What’s wrong?”
Valmer blinked. “How did you—stupid question. So let me ask you another. Why were you at the exhibition?”
“I’m a history buff, but recently I’ve become interested in ancient history.”
He nodded. “Me too. I studied it.” He paused. “How much do you know about our history?”
Rudy managed a one-shoulder shrug. “Not much, but then again, I don’t think anyone knows much. Beyond the tale of the two brothers, of course.”
Valmer shivered. “I know more than I ever wanted to know. More than it’s safe for me to know, I’m certain of that.”
Cold crawled over Rudy’s skin.
Valmer rolled onto his side to face him. “There’s one important detail neither of us has shared, and I’m beginning to think that was deliberate.”
Rudy suddenly knew where Valmer was headed, and cold reached his extremities.
“So?” Valmer propped his head up with one hand. “Fridan? Geran? Or do you follow neither?”
Icy fear swirled in Rudy’s belly, making him afraid to answer, but he had to.
This is my mate.
He took a deep breath. “Fridan.”
Valmer nodded, and for a few brief seconds Rudy felt relief. Then Valmer spoke, obliterating his hope. “Geran.”
Rudy couldn’t breathe. No. No. This can’t be right.
Valmer sighed. “Maybe we both knew instinctively, and we were afraid to say it out loud.”
“But that doesn’t change a thing,” Rudy blurted. “You’re my mate.”
Whose views had nothing in common with his own.
“And now you’re trying to figure out how we can make this work, given that we’re on opposing sides.”
Rudy swallowed hard. “I have to admit, it doesn’t make a lot of sense.”
Valmer stared at him before flipping onto his back and hauling Rudy on top of him. He cradled Rudy’s nape, gazing into his eyes. “I know something that could change everything. Not our mate bond—I don’t think anything could do that. I’ve known you for all of, like, five minutes, and it already feels like a lifetime. No, something else. Something huge.” He cupped Rudy’s cheek. “Ansfrid and Ansger. Whatever stands between us started with them.”
“Their split, you mean?”
Valmer went quiet for a moment. “Suppose I were to tell you…,” he began slowly, then clammed up.
“Don’t stop there. Please.” Rudy’s heart pounded.
Valmer studied his face, and every second that passed only served to compound Rudy’s intensifying, overwhelming fear. “Suppose I were to tell you that everything you believe—everything we all believe—was built on lies?”
Rudy’s fear swelled from a stream to a raging torrent. “You’re frightening me.”
Valmer kissed him on the lips, and the sweet embrace took away a little of his anxiety. “I was a student of ancient studies, the history of language, the arts, literature, even the first written records of civilization. You might have heard of one of my classmates. Sarah Delaney?”
Rudy blinked. “The archaeologist?”
He nodded. “We became friends. What’s more, we’ve stayed friends. I’ve even visited her on some of her digs. Well, she contacted me a week ago to tell me she’d unearthed something extraordinary. A tomb—an ancient shifter’s tomb, to be exact.”
“Whose?”
“His name was Berengar, and the tomb was found in Germany. Sarah was so excited. Actually, they’d need to invent a new adjective to adequately convey her emotions. She called me a few hours later to tell me all about it. And the next day? She opened the tomb.”
Rudy’s stomach clenched. “What did she find?”
“She only gave me hints. But she also said she’d called the shifter archive in Rome.”
He did the math. “These hints… did they have anything to do with what you said to me? About everything we believe being built on lies?”
Valmer nodded. “The day after she called, the dig was closed down.”
“And you think that was because of what Sarah found in the tomb?”
“I know it was.”
Rudy stared at him. “Then tell me what else you know!”
The horror in Valmer’s expression froze the marrow in Rudy’s bones. “I can’t. Because if I did that, you’d be in danger.”
Rudy gaped at him. “You can’t know that.”
“Oh, can’t I? Let me tell you what I do know. After that last phone conversation with Sarah, I tried to call her back. Only I couldn’t reach her. She’d disappeared.” Valmer’s face tightened. “It’s as if she never even existed. And the tomb? It was covered up again.”
“With everything still inside it?”
“Hell no. Sarah told me arrangements had been made to remove its contents. That was the last message I had from her.”
Rudy sat upright and grabbed his shirt.
“What are you doing?”
“I know someone who might be able to help.” Aelryn would know what to do.
“No!” Valmer grabbed Rudy and held him close. “Please, you mustn’t.”
“Give me one good reason why.”
“Ever since Sarah disappeared, I haven’t been able to shake the feeling that… I’m being watched.”
Rudy stared at him, letting his senses do the talking.
He didn’t like what they told him.
“You’re serious.”
Valmer nodded, then kissed Rudy’s forehead. “Yes. And if I’m right, they can’t know about you. I can’t lose you.”
Rudy couldn’t bear the idea of losing him either.
His stomach chose that moment to growl, and he managed a chuckle. “I think you’re about to lose me to hunger. I’m starving.”
“I’ll order food for us. Just promise me you won’t put yourself in danger. Please, Rudy.”
There was no way he could ignore the entreaty in Valmer’s voice. “Okay, I promise.” For the time being at least. When he got Valmer to a place of safety, however?
All bets were off.
They lay in bed, cuddling, talking about anything but the elephant in the room. When the knock at the door came, Valmer pulled on a robe and went to let in the server. Rudy caught the aroma of rich sauce and roast chicken, and his belly grumbled in anticipation.
“Hey, don’t I know you?” Valmer’s voice rose. “Wait—you—”
The popping sound that followed reminded Rudy of a champagne cork. From around the corner came the server, a white napkin draped over his arm—
Where a gun pointed at him.
“Don’t.”
It was the only word he got out before pain speared into him and he knew no more.
RUDY OPENED his eyes.
I’m not dead. He felt weak, however, robbed of all energy. Darkness surrounded him, and there were no clues as to his whereabouts. His ears told him he was not alone. In fact, he was certain someone was behind him.
“Where am I?” Rudy yelled, his heartbeat racing.
“That doesn’t matter.” The voice came from in front of him, deep and smooth—and filled with menace. “What does is who you are, and how valuable you are.”
Rudy went with a bluff. “I think you’ve got the wrong person. I’m a history teacher. Nothing valuable about me.”
A rich chuckle made him go cold. “I’m sure Mr. Cooper would disagree with that statement. Don’t bother lying, Mr. Myers. You think we don’t have files on every Fridan leader? And don’t think about trying to shift, either. You can’t. We’ve made sure of that.”
Then everything he’d heard was true.
Ice filled his veins. “Where is Valmer? What have you done to him?”
“He’s safe. And he’ll stay that way—as long as you do exactly what we tell you.”
“Not good enough,” Rudy ground out. “I can’t operate unless I have proof he’s still alive.”
There was a pause. “Will live video be sufficient? Once a day?”
It would have to do.
“What do you want from me?” As if he couldn’t hazard a guess.
“You’re going to keep us informed of any Fridan missions, discoveries…. Because if we find out you didn’t share, he dies. If you tell anyone what’s happened, he dies. And so far we don’t know what effect losing a mate can have on someone. It’s tempting to kill him just to find out.” The gleeful note in his voice sent shivers down Rudy’s spine. “But like I said, you’re too valuable. As long as you give us the information we require, he’ll stay alive.”
“I’d ask for your word on that.” Rudy’s voice quavered. “Except I wouldn’t believe you.”
Harsh laughter filled his ears. “Ha. Neither would I. So now it’s time for you to leave us.”
“I don’t suppose I get to walk out of wherever this is under my own steam?”
Another chilling chuckle. “You suppose correctly.”
Something sharp scratched his neck, and he was out like a light.
“I WOKE to find myself in my hotel room. The manager said I’d been brought there by ambulance, and that I was suffering from shock.” Rudy’s face grew glum. “You know the rest.”
“And did they give that to you? The live video?”
He nodded, his face contorted. “The first one, he’d been beaten. Badly. His eyes were swollen shut, and his lips were chapped and bloodied. But as soon as he heard my voice, you know what he did? He screamed not to help them. Don’t tell them a goddamn thing .”
“But you agreed.”
“Yes. Every time I saw him, the damage was worse than the time before. They told me that as long as I helped them, they wouldn’t kill him. At least not outright. But if I refused, they would beat him to death while I watched.”
“And yet he was one of their own.” Aelryn couldn’t hide his disbelief—or disgust.
Rudy nodded. “And if they find out I’ve told you….”
“Especially if they discover you’ve passed on false information.”
Rudy stared at him. “What?”
“The information you leaked to them? It isn’t true.”
“But… there’s a mission. You’re here. It’s happening.”
It was Aelryn’s turn to nod. “Yes, it is—only not when we told you it was. We had to know who was passing them information.” The implications weren’t lost on him.
They had to be all too clear for Rudy.
His face was the color of milk. “And when they find out I lied to them? They’ll kill Valmer.”
“Not if you convince them we changed our plans at the last minute. A spur of the moment decision. Because you’re going to keep doing exactly what you’ve been doing. Only now, you’ll pass on vetted information.”
“Aelryn, I….” Rudy swallowed.
“What is it?”
“I got the impression I wasn’t the first Fridan they’d had spying for them.”
That wasn’t too much of a shock. Vic Ryder had said much the same thing in a recent message.
“And… I didn’t just tell them about the mission.”
Aelryn froze. “What else?” When Rudy didn’t answer, Aelryn lost it. “What else ? You tell me now !”
“I told them about Vic Ryder, how he was visiting all the team leaders.”
Oh gods.
“Are they keeping tabs on him?”
Rudy nodded. “I think so. But… what reason would they have to harm him?”
Aelryn could think of one reason. Vic’s mission was to convince leaders of the very real threat the Gerans posed.
And they won’t like that.
Rudy might have put Vic in harm’s way.
Horvan will need to know. And Vic’s mates.
“What will happen to me? You… you’re not going to….” Rudy’s voice shook.
“No.” Aelryn sighed. “I was , but now I know the truth? I’ve been asking myself what I’d do if I were in your position, and if I’m honest…. Where my mate is concerned, my emotions get the better of me.” He fixed Rudy with an intense gaze. “I’m not sure Vic’s mates would be so understanding.”
Rudy winced. “They’ll tear me apart.”
“They might be inclined toward leniency—but only if Vic comes out of this alive. Besides, you’ve provided us with vital information. Once this mission is completed, our next task will be to discover what was in that tomb—and exactly what the Gerans don’t want anyone to see.”