My Brother's Keeper(37)

The Gamma Unit arranged themselves toward the back of the room while Alpha stood in front of the three council member chairs. Elder Vi'Ailean was already seated when Elder McKenzie sat next to him.

"We're just waiting on Rowan; he had to talk Daggart out of the rafters when Adalwin, uh, petrified." Elder McKenzie explained.

"Elder McKenzie, I ..." Kendrick stepped forward.

The elder held up a hand. "Please, Kendrick. While we're in this room, let's not be so formal. I've had enough of formality to last me into the next century," Byron said sourly, referring to the recent meeting with the Committee.

"Of course sir. I..." The door to their right opened, and Elder Airgead hurried forward. Kendrick watched as he made his way to his chair. His normally dark hair looked lighter at the temples and there were more lines on his face than when they had met earlier.

Kendrick recalled how haggard Adalwin had looked as Aiden's voice rang through his mind.

We've already broken a few. One by accident and the others because they were hurting Amelia.

Kendrick felt his heart stutter as he stared at the witch elder. The second trace had been to him! Rowan must have been the creator of at least one of the necklaces he had broken earlier, that's why he looked older.

Rowan caught him staring, and his eyes widened.

Kendrick growled. "It was you!" He raised his hand, but he wasn't quick enough.

Rowan raised his hand, "Debilito!"

Kendrick felt his awareness freeze within his own mind. He couldn't see or hear anything. He struggled to bring his magic to the surface but couldn't. Every time he thought it was within reach, his mind clouded and it slipped away.

What was Rowan doing? Was Alpha safe? Kendrick screamed internally, until even the feeling of helplessness began to fade away.

Kendrick.

Who is this?

Réne Evreux, I got suspicious when Rowan called a meeting and I wasn't invited.

He's one of the ones responsible for making the necklaces!

I know; I was the one who sent you the necklaces to get the evidence we needed. Listen, I can only free one person, and it will have to be you. You're the only one strong enough to beat him. The committee members won't believe me if I tell them what's happening.

Call the Alpha estate, ask for Anne; she's my mate. Tell her what's going on. She'll get Meryn to mobilize the other units.

I will. Good luck.

He felt as if Réne used a fresh breeze to wipe his mind clear. He looked around. Rowan was approaching Aiden with a dagger. Centuries of frustration, the acidic burn of betrayal, and the fear of losing another loved one fueled his anger. He leveled his hand and whispered, "Praemorior."

Rowan turned at the last moment, and the spell hit him full in the chest. He flew backward against the wall and slumped into a heap on the floor. He looked up at Kendrick, a thin trickle of blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. "Why? Why did you have to come to Lycaonia? I was so close, so close." He let his head fall backward against the stone wall.

"So close to what?" Kendrick eyed the other men in the room, all still frozen and unaware by Rowan's spell.

"It was all for nothing!" Rowan gasped for breath.

Kendrick watched dispassionately as Rowan's feet began to disintegrate and disappear.

"Rowan, you're about to face our Goddess. You will carry with you the weight of the unborn children you murdered, but you can do one final act of goodness. Tell me who is behind all this?"

Kendrick knelt beside the witch who had served their people selflessly for centuries. "Tell me," he begged.

Rowan's smile was kind. "My master has no name, at least not one that he shared with me. He is beautiful, he tempts you with the very thing your heart desires. You can't say no."

Kendrick looked down at him in pity. "Whatever he promised you, he lied."

Rowan shook his head back and forth slowly as his legs began to fade. "That's just it. He doesn't have to lie. The way he operates, he doesn't have to, therein lies the treachery."

"What was the deal?" Kendrick prompted.

"I would help him in Lycaonia. I let him use my mind, my memories, and my long-standing relationships with the people of this city to dream-walk into the minds of the matriarchs and plant the seed of panic regarding their sons' mates being killed. He wanted all of the warriors mated." Rowan drew in a ragged breath.

"Why?" Kendrick took Rowan's hand in his. "Focus. Why did he want the unit warriors mated?"

"Mated paranormals are needed to make his army. Vampires... blood. Witches... fuel. He can steal their children." Rowan coughed and blood spewed down his chin. His lungs were disintegrating.

Rowan laughed and gasped for breath. "He never counted on the females. Gods how they managed to unravel things so quickly."

Kendrick gasped. "Meryn, Elizabeth, Rheia, and Amelia."

Rowan nodded. "He thought that by mating the warriors they would gain a weakness, or what he perceived to be a weakness. I could have told him that a man fights harder when he has something to protect and a woman even more so. Women are more fierce, more ruthless."

"It's over now. Aiden destroyed the factory..." Kendrick stopped when Rowan shook his head.

"You have no ... idea ... how far up this goes, how wide. I never knew who to trust. Like the beads on the necklace, we were kept separate from one another, our only connection was to him." Rowan gripped his hand tightly.

Kendrick held on to Rowan's hand. It wouldn't be long now.

"What did you wish for? What did he show you?" Kendrick asked softly.

"His necklace. I wanted... his necklace. The first one made, the one I had to save, no matter the cost." Rowan's face relaxed as his arms and chest slowly became transparent.

"He... fooled me. He said I would see my king again. I thought if I freed my king, Kiran would defeat him."

Kendrick's mind began to race. "Rowan! Rowan! Your king is dead, how could you free him?" Kendrick yelled.

"How... he... came to be. King Kiran, Queen Celeste, and their baby were the first bead created." Rowan closed his eyes.

"No!" Kendrick shouted.

"Promise me! Promise me, you'll free him," Rowan begged.

Kendrick felt his heart breaking into pieces as he nodded. "I swear to you on my father's soul, I will not rest until my parents' murder is avenged and this evil is banished from this world."

Rowan's eyes opened wide at his words, he looked at Kendrick as ghostly tears began to flow. "He was right; I got to see my king, after all." Rowan struggled to lift his other hand, but didn't stop until it rested on his vanishing chest. "Long... live... King Julian. Gods all bless you!" It was as if that declaration took the last of his strength. Rowan closed his eyes and was gone.

Behind him the men unfroze and began to shout orders. Kendrick knelt on the stone floor and began to shake.

"Kendrick?" Aiden came up behind him.

"Clear the building!" Kendrick screamed. He looked down at his empty hands. His magic was raging out of control with his emotions. Black electricity crackled all around him. He wouldn't be able to contain it, everyone was in danger.

Aiden didn't ask, he began barking orders, and the sounds of the unit warriors grew fainter and fainter.

Under his knees, the earth began to move, upset that it had been awakened so forcefully.

"Mother! Father! Kendrick!" He beat his hands on the floor.

All these thousands of years, they had been trapped, forced into use by the very evil that took their lives.

Above him the ceiling began to collapse, large heavy stones fell dangerously close, yet he didn't care.

Kendrick.

He ignored the soft voice of his mate. He refused to let her see him like this.

Athair.

No! Not his godsdaughter, too.

Is this thing working, Ryuu?

Kendrick smiled through his tears. Even Meryn was trying to reach him.

Kendrick my love, it's time to come home. You've done what you can for the day, now it's time to rest. Come home to me. You promised.

"Anne, my sweet Anne. Steadfast and true. Patient and loving. Gods, my parents would have loved you."

Athair, we're all worried about you. Whatever you're facing, you don't have to face it alone. We're a family remember?

"I let my family die, Amelia. I don't deserve another one."

Kendrick, brother, I won't let you die like this. You're a member of Alpha now; that means you fight. Aiden, Gavriel, Darian, and Colton are in the hallway waiting for you. They believe in your strength, as do I.

Kendrick gasped and looked around. "Keelan?" He saw a stone falling and dodged it just in time. He staggered to his feet. He had never let Keelan down before; he wasn't going to start now.

Get your ass moving! I don't want Aiden getting squashed like a pancake!

Kendrick laughed at Meryn's chiding and ran for the door. He caught the doorframe with one hand and flung himself into the hallway. There, waiting for him, was his unit.

"About fucking time! It's getting dicey out here!" Colton yelled.

"My apologies," Kendrick flipped him off and ran past him.

"Hey!" Colton yelled.

The men laughed and ran between the falling ceiling pieces.

Kendrick felt the earth shift again and knew the building was about to go.

"Run for the door, don't stop! It's coming down!" he yelled.

They ran zigzag down the narrow passages until they reached the large receiving room by the door. They heard cracking and the sounds of explosions behind them. They dove for the exit and rolled down the Council Manor steps. Behind them, the five thousand-year-old building came tumbling down.