The door opened again. John Peyton seemed less surprised by the scene on the back lawn. “Get it out of your system, Holt?”
He straightened before answering. “Yes, sir.”
“Good.” His steely blue gaze roved over the assembled group. “We move tomorrow.”
Jackson shot Alec a sober look. His partner nodded and straightened as well, wincing as he pressed one hand to his side. “We should go over the plan one more time. Make sure everyone knows their parts.”
Jackson gingerly prodded his throbbing cheek. “Yeah. May?”
“Come on inside. We’ll get you fixed up and triple-check the talismans.” She turned, raising an eyebrow at Nick. “Our boys just cost us a hundred bucks.”
“Damn straight they did,” Nick agreed.
Jackson huffed at Alec. “We shouldn’t feel bad about that, right?”
“With that walking mountain swinging his fists around?” Alec grinned and slapped Aaron on the shoulder. “What do you do, anyway? Carry Michelle around under your arm?”
Aaron was almost completely unscathed except for a slight red mark on his jaw where Jackson had caught him with a stray fist. “Can’t. She bites.”
Alec laughed. “And you say I don’t talk much.”
“You don’t,” Jackson said absently, rubbing his knuckles as he walked back toward the porch. “He just talks less.” His mind was already back on getting Mackenzie out of Talbot’s clutches and back home.
Over the course of three days they’d turned the dining room table into a staging area for strategy and developed a carefully organized plan of attack. Steven and John took their places at the head of the table, leaving everyone else to perch on bar stools or chairs. Steven waited until he had everyone’s attention before speaking. “Going over this again may seem like overkill, but humor me.”
He outlined the plan. Steven, Michelle and Mahalia were to neutralize Charles, with Nick and Aaron there to take care of physical attacks. Either or both of them would have been useful helping Jackson and Alec track down Mackenzie, but Aaron wouldn’t leave Michelle’s side, and Nick couldn’t.
Michelle had admitted it to him the night before. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that I’m one of the only Seers who’s still sane. You can’t imagine what it’s like, having that much power roaring through you…” Her voice trailed off, but Jackson had been able to see the confusing mix of revulsion and pure yearning in her expression. “The more powerful the magic, the more I-I feel that. Like I want to use it again, keep using it. But when Nick’s around, she grounds me. I can draw more power without losing control.”
Which meant that Nick would have to stay with her, no matter what. He and Alec could find Mackenzie on their own, but it would take more time. Time was something they only had if Charles could be contained in the first place.
Nick stared at the blueprints of the house, the ones Jackson had already memorized. “There’s one thing we haven’t discussed.”
“What’s that?” Mahalia asked.
She raised an almost frightened gaze to Steven. “What if we can’t stop Talbot? What if all we can do is hold him off for a few minutes?”
“Then you all get the hell out of that house, as fast as you can.” Steven’s tone was quiet but firm. “I’ll stay behind. He’s not going to kill me.”
Mahalia started in shock. “Steven, that’s—”
Steven shook his head. “Not now, May. We’ll talk about it later.”
Her jaw clenched, and Jackson laid a hand on her arm. “What exactly is that supposed to accomplish, you staying behind? I think we all have a right to know that.”
“If you can’t get Mackenzie out, it’ll mean she’s not alone there. I swore I’d take care of her twenty-five years ago, and I’m not leaving without her.”
Jackson eyed him, incredulous. “I wasn’t aware that was an option.”
Alec spoke. “No one likes it, Jackson. But if we can’t contain Talbot, we may have to retreat. We’re not gonna do Mackenzie any good if we’re all dead.”
“If we manage to piss Talbot off badly enough, will any of that matter?” Jackson cast a quick glance at Michelle, who stood silently between her father and Aaron. “I’ve heard what happens to Seers when they get drunk off the power. They get a little high and then they get a little nuts.” He glared at Steven. “How can you guarantee Mackenzie’s safety in that situation? Or your own for that matter? God knows what he’ll do if he well and truly loses his shit.”
Steven looked uncomfortable, and Alec said, “We’re going to try. You and I will do what we can to get her out, but you don’t get to make that decision for everyone. You can’t tell them they have to stay and die for nothing.”
“I’m not trying to boss anyone.” Jackson crossed his arms over his chest. “But I’m not leaving without Mackenzie.”
Nick shook her head. “I’m not leaving without Jackson.”
“Nicole.” Her father’s voice cracked through the room like a whip. “You’ll take care of your sister, and if Aaron tells you to leave, you’ll leave. Otherwise, none of you will go.”
She opened her mouth, snapped it shut and lowered her gaze. “Fine.”
Further argument on his part would only serve to plant the notion that perhaps the risk involved with the siege was too great. “I’ve fought his spell caster before. He’s pretty powerful, but cocky.” He nodded to Aaron. “The shifter is a decent fighter but smaller than you, and not too bright.”
Aaron returned his nod, his face just as impassive as Michelle’s, but the tense energy between the two of them was so strong Jackson could almost see it. For all of Michelle’s protestations, it was hard to believe anyone could miss the fact the two were in love.
Then again, with tensions so high around the table, everyone’s emotions seemed closer to the surface. Steven had rested one hand on the back of Mahalia’s chair and was leaning so close that his arm brushed her hair. But the line of her shoulders was stiff, and she wouldn’t look at him. “Testing the talismans could mean trouble,” she said, her tone a study in careful nonchalance. “We’ll have to take our chances.”
John surveyed the group. “It’ll be quick, straightforward. Get onto the grounds and get to the house. If lethal force is necessary, the Conclave condones it. Charles Talbot has become too large a threat to ignore. Stalking, assault, kidnapping, murder… He’s escalated past the point of leniency.” He brushed a speck of lint from his sleeve. “The Conclave has only one request in return for its cooperation. If any wolves are taken alive, they’re to be turned over to us. Casters, psychics and other shifters don’t concern us. But we’ll handle our own.”
“Fine. We leave first thing in the morning.” Steven’s gaze landed on Jackson. “No more fighting.”
Jackson couldn’t tell whether he was talking about the brawling or the arguing, and he honestly didn’t care. “I’m done. Let’s get some rest.”
Chapter 19
At first Mackenzie harbored hope that Marcus would get over his anger and talk to her again. She even sought him out the morning after their fight, desperate to find a way to repair the damage she’d done. Marcus had been the closest thing to an ally she’d had, someone who at least wanted to treat her well.
Now he avoided her when he could, and was formally and coolly polite to her when she cornered him. After two days of it, she gave up and retreated to her room, growing more and more desperate about her situation.
In the middle of that second night she even considered giving in, making the best of a bad situation and trying to find what peace she could. Marcus had proven himself to be an entertaining and thoughtful companion when he wanted to be, and Charles obviously had enough money to support them both in anything they wanted to do. She’d live a comfortable life, for as long as she was willing.
And that was the catch. If Charles ever developed the slightest suspicion she might not be, it would be over. He’d pay someone to wipe away her free will, and that would be it. Oh, she’d go on living in theory. Something that resembled her would walk and talk and have as many babies as they wanted. But it wouldn’t be her.