“I assure you that word has been used and argued over,” Rufus conceded. “However, I cannot believe any of our elders would do this, but some of our elders have non-vampires attached to their houses. These are beings who are under primal protection. We have a variety of Fae creatures like the gnomes and trolls along with witches, companions, and some werecreatures, including a few orphaned children. I will, of course, give you a list of all our elders and let them know you will need a bit of their time. We’ve already met concerning Alvis’s murder and this investigation, and there were no dissenters this time. We all voted to place the investigation into the hands of the Nex Apparatus.”
So at least someone was happy the sheriff was back. I hoped they didn’t mind my methods, which would include some high-tech fun if Eddie was successful in the errand I’d sent him on.
Less than a full day back on the plane and I was already dragging people I love into murder investigations. It was kind of a thing with me.
“I have asked everyone to stay in their assigned rooms until you sign off on cleaning up in here,” Rufus continued. “We have rituals to perform, but we understand how important it is that you have time with the scene of the crime and that we mustn’t interfere.”
It was actually quite refreshing. Too often people who want my professional services also want power over how I investigate. I usually find these people are the ones who often actually did the crime. Or worse, they think they’ve watched enough Law & Order to really help me out.
Those Law & Order cops didn’t have to deal with magic and victims who went boom and would decay real fucking fast. I needed our version of CSI. CSI: Supernatural. I would be the one ripping off my sunglasses and making sarcastic quips.
“I promise I’ll get everything I need as quickly as I can when it comes to the forensics.” I needed to process the mess of a scene, and there was only one person I knew who could get the job done properly. Unfortunately, she lived a couple of states over, and I wasn’t sure her husband would be happy with my request. Though I was certain he would show up.
“Kelsey Jean,” a deep voice said.
I closed my eyes and let that sound wash over me. It had been mere days for me, but if there was one thing I’d learned in the hours since I’d returned home, it was that I would feel those years whether I lived them or not. Those twelve years would be between us. I turned and my brothers were standing there.
Jamie and Nate.
“Well, at least she still remembers how to make an entrance,” Nate said with a shake of his head.
I moved toward them and held out my arms, taking these men who I’d shared a childhood with into them and holding them close. “Hey, guys. I’m sorry I’m late.”
I felt a shudder go through Nate, and Jamie held me so tight.
“We thought we lost you,” Jamie admitted quietly.
“Thank god you’re back. I was almost going to name my daughter after you,” Nate admitted. “Now she can have a good name.”
“Asshole,” I whispered.
“It’s good to have you back,” Nate returned.
“It’s good to be back. I’m sorry I was away so long.” I wasn’t sure why I kept apologizing, but it seemed like the thing to do. After hearing everything Casey had told me, sensing all the things Fenrir wasn’t telling me, I knew my absence had been felt deeply. It didn’t matter that it wasn’t my fault. I still wished I’d been here to fight with them, to fight for them.
Jamie stepped back, and I could see the sprinkling of gray in his dark hair. He looked me over, a smile on his face. “Damn, you look exactly the same. I mean I understand it’s only been a couple of days for you, but in my mind I guess I always saw you aging with us. Mom…you have to come and see her when it’s safe or let us come to whatever crazy base Donovan and Quinn will set up.”
“Tell Dan that I’m not staying out of this war forever,” Nate agreed. “Gray convinced us to stay out of it until the Council was ready to move, but we’re going to be there. I married a shifter. She’s pregnant. This is my war, too.”
Nate had been friends with Donovan since he was a kid. They’d been in a game group for years together, and I’d played with them. When we were kids, Nate had been the brother who played with me, and Jamie had watched out for us both. Our dad—their biological father—had been an abusive prick, and sometimes I only thought I survived my childhood because of my brothers.
And Olivia.
I wasn’t about to get into a fight with my brothers over staying out of a war I would have to fight. But that didn’t mean I wouldn’t do everything in my power to make sure they were safe. “Let’s worry about that another day. I’ll talk to Donovan. As for the war, well, there’s a lot to do. I have to figure out this whole mystical weapon that can kill Myrddin thing. Which recently got harder since our subject matter expert is…well, he’s all over the place. Where’s Nicole? I thought Eddie was bringing her back?”
“That’s what I’m here for,” Nate said. “I assure you I’ve learned all of Nicole’s ways. She’s on maternity leave.”
“She had David three weeks ago, Kels,” Jamie explained. “She wanted to be here but she’s not allowed to do anything more than feed the baby. It was a rough birth. C-section. She needs her rest, and Nate is nowhere near as good as my wife, but he’s getting there.”
Nate’s eyes rolled. “I’m excellent, and you wouldn’t know what to do without me.”
I never imagined my brothers, who had been raised by an actual hunter, would end up being law enforcement’s liaisons to the supernatural world. “We’re sure I’m not breaking the contract by bringing you in? I don’t want to bring Myrddin down on your head. Trent said this would be an exception.”
“We’re allowed to investigate crimes,” Jamie assured me. “We’ve even worked two jobs at different coven houses. One in Massachusetts and one in Idaho. It’s in our contract that we can investigate. We can protect ourselves if attacked. We can’t interfere beyond that. We’re good. The primals will put in the paperwork, though they’ll leave you out of it, of course.”
At least they were safe. “Well, then we should get to work.”
I stood back and let my brothers do their jobs.