Thinking of Elise’s childhood home and her little annex, Cal pulled his magic inward before releasing it in one big burst. Immediately, fog began to coalesce in the air, pulled from every bit of moisture he could get his incorporeal hands on. He couldn’t put out the flames entirely, but he could help dampen them until the fire squad arrived.
As people poured out into the street and the battered woman was escorted away by two neighbors, Cal pressed himself as close to the flames as he dared. He was impervious to most damage in his dematerialized form, but heat could burn him as surely as it could if he were flesh and bone. It was the one weakness Thaddeus had been able to exploit, and it had taken him decades to get past the terror flames inspired in him. Only his need to save lives had pushed him past the pain of his memories. Of course, the process was helped along by a heaping helping of spite for the dead madman, too.
A thick layer of fog rolled over the neighborhood to blanket what was left of the Healing House. By the time the fire squad arrived, the flames were hissing and popping under the onslaught of moisture; smothered to death beneath a blanket of unnatural fog.
Cal worked in tandem with the foam-throwing squad, though they didn’t know it. It took fifteen minutes for them to get the blaze under control. By then, Cal felt it was safe to let the professionals handle what was left of the smoldering building.
Curious, he lingered over the street and watched as first the alpha of the local coyote shifter pack arrived with his second, and then, in perhaps the most bizarre turn of events he could imagine, the sovereign himself stepped out of a sleek black car.
He’d never met Theodore Solbourne and didn’t care about the man one way or another, but even Cal felt a ripple of disquiet at the sight of his furious expression and flexing claws. Kaz, of course, was close behind him.
The orc didn’t follow his brother over to the small knot of people sitting on the curb in front of the ruined house, but stayed a discreet distance away, half hidden in the shadow cast by a tree. One glance upward told Cal he knew he wasn’t alone.
“Long time no see, Cal.”
Not wanting to draw attention to himself, Cal half-materialized in the deepest shadows under the stooping tree. “What’s going on?”
Kaz shifted his stance. He was ever-so-slightly bowlegged — something that only made the massive orc look bigger than he was. Leather-clad arms crossed over his wide chest, he dryly answered, “Family shit.”
Cal glanced across the street, where it looked like a stand-off was happening between the alpha and the sovereign. Why? Because of the little red-headed woman? He couldn’t imagine what the Solbourne family had to do with the healer, or even the coyote shifter, for that matter. “What’s so special about that woman?”
“She’s family.” It was a short, implacable answer. Nothing in Kaz’s tone or expression hinted that he was open to more discussion on the topic. Not that Cal really cared or needed to know. A life had been saved and a neighborhood left relatively unscathed. His job was finished.
Shrugging, he eyed his only friend curiously. “I’ve been meaning to track you down.”
Kaz shot him a quick, amused look. “You know where you can find me, fog man.”
True, but Cal didn’t care to waste any of his time with Elise checking Kaz’s usual haunts. He shrugged. “I’ve been busy.”
“With what?” It was more of a grunt than a question, but Cal didn’t take offense. Kaz’s direct, dry nature was one of the main reasons they were able to get along. When the newest regime took power, they were right to send their half-orc sibling to make contact with Cal. They were both emotionally stunted and brusque, making miscommunication almost non-existent.
“I met a woman.”
The orc jolted. Tearing his eyes away from his brother, his head swiveled to pin Cal with a look of outright disbelief. “A woman? Really?”
“Yes,” he answered, a bit defensive. “I have a mate now.” He lifted his chin. “She is incredible. No one has a mate as good as mine.”
Kaz’s eyes widened. His brows, two inky black slashes, rose high on his forehead. “A mate.”
Cal scowled. Was it so hard to believe that he’d found a mate? Given his history, perhaps the skepticism could be forgiven, but he still didn’t like the shock on his friend’s face. “That’s what I said.”
“When did this happen?”
“Almost three weeks ago.” Cal shifted, the mist that was his lower body swirling with impatience. Truly, he didn’t want to be standing there talking to Kaz. He wanted to be back with Elise, who would kiss him and fuss and needle him about every little fact he could recall about the events he witnessed.
Gods, he loved it when she spent hours and hours getting information out of him. He soaked up her attention like a damn sponge.
Still, he needed to talk to Kaz. He needed to know how to make their mating permanent, and the orc was the only person he trusted to give him good information on the subject.
“Damn. You’ve been mated three weeks and you wait until now to tell me?” He made a small sucking sound with his teeth, muttering, “Gotta get you a damn mating gift too, I guess.”
“Yes, and I need to get back to her,” Cal announced, waving a dismissive hand at whatever was going on across the street. “I only came to help with the fire. But I’ve been meaning to talk to you. I need information on mating.”
Impossibly, Kaz’s eyebrows crawled higher. “If you already have a mate, why—”
Impatient, Cal interrupted him to say, “Because she thinks it is only temporary, but it isn’t. I need to know how to keep a mate and make sure she never leaves me.”
“Only… temporary?” Kaz’s eyes darted between the tense scene by the smoldering Healing House and Cal. Confusion was written in every line of his pretty orcish face. “That’s not how mating works. Just what in Glory’s name have you gotten yourself into, Cal?”