Black Dog(113)

“You have courage, but that is not rare. You have good control when you fight; you are able to think and cooperate with others. That is less common, and highly desirable. But when you are frightened, you focus too tightly. You must learn to watch everything that happens around you, even when you are frightened.”

This was exactly the sort of reprimand Papá might have delivered when disappointed in his son. That tone, utterly unexpected, intensified Alejandro’s sense of shame. He lowered his head.

Grayson said, “Williams was pleased to see you defend your brother. He thinks now he might like you better than he expected. He thought I would punish you harshly – he still thinks I may do that. He will judge his safety here, and his son’s, by what I do with you. Then he will either be easier in his mind or more fearful. You have put me in a position where I cannot punish you as you deserve without frightening Williams, which I do not wish to do.”

Though he did not look up, Alejandro nodded to show he understood.

“Now, Keziah. Whether or not she approves of your defying me for your brother’s sake, she will think I am weak if I do not punish you. She, like you, is of an age where she wishes to press the limits of my authority, and she is naturally very dominant. You have put me in a position where, if I do not punish you as you deserve, Keziah will think that I will also tolerate her defiance. Which I do not wish to do.”

This was all immediately obvious, once the Master pointed it out. Alejandro nodded again.

“I suspect Keziah has never been accorded respect by any male black dog. I will give her the opportunity to earn mine. That may suffice. If it does not, I may eventually be required to kill her. I am not pleased that you have contributed to this difficult situation.” Grayson paused.

“I understand,” Alejandro whispered.

“You’re a fool – and unnecessarily. Do you think I would punish a human boy as though he were a defiant black pup?”

Alejandro swallowed. He shook his head.

“You had better learn to trust my restraint,” said Grayson. It was a warning, and an order. “Do you understand?”

“I understand, Master.”

Reaching down, Grayson closed a powerful hand around the back of Alejandro’s neck – a threat, but a gentle one. He shook him, still gently. “You could be an asset to Dimilioc. Learn to think of that.” Releasing him, he ordered curtly, “Go.”

Alejandro crept backward on his hands and knees, got cautiously to his feet, and, not looking up, made his escape into the deserted hallway. He was shaking – he was very grateful to have a chance to collect himself without an audience.

“You had better learn to trust my restraint… You could be an asset to Dimilioc.” It had never occurred to Alejandro that he might actually trust any black dog except Papá. Nor had he ever really thought of making himself into an asset for Dimilioc. From the first, they had all thought only of Dimilioc being an asset for them. Only… Grayson had been right. Right both times. “Pendejo,” he muttered out loud, meaning himself. He was an idiot.

Nothing about that difficult interview just past had gone the way he’d expected. Alejandro did not know what he felt, now. Except anger. But he was almost sure he was not angry with Grayson Lanning. No. He was angry with himself, because Papá had told him plainly, “If you ever meet them, Dimilioc wolves may think you are a callejero. You must remember who you are and show them otherwise.” He knew he had probably not yet shown Grayson otherwise, yet.



Alejandro hated it when he was angry with Miguel, and hated it worse on those rare occasions when Miguel was angry with him. He didn’t care about the disagreement. He just hated the way any argument made him want to hit his brother, force him to submit.

He didn’t do it. He never did. He wouldn’t. But he hated that he wanted to. He was proud that Miguel didn’t know he wanted to. At least, he was almost sure his brother didn’t know.

Miguel certainly showed no fear of Alejandro. At the moment, he did not even show any caution. He was angry, not with irrational black dog fury, but with the colder anger of a frustrated human. He was still arguing. An angry black dog could not argue like that: thought and language became too difficult when black dog temper rose.

“He doesn’t understand,” Miguel said furiously, pacing fast across the length of Natividad’s room and back again. His quick movements made Alejandro’s shadow want to lunge after him. Instead, Alejandro stayed exactly where he was, leaning his hip against the windowsill, his arms crossed over his chest, and Miguel kept pacing. The boy turned fast, glaring at Natividad but ending with an especially dark glower for his brother. “He doesn’t understand that Vonhausel isn’t an ordinary black dog. You don’t understand. None of you black dogs understands Vonhausel, and it’s going to get us all killed!”