Wild Country (The World of the Others #2)- Anne Bishop Page 0,204

Sanguinati had been killed in the fight because humans might be able to figure out how it had been done and try to do it to the rest of them. If anyone asked, Stazia had left Bennett.

Nicolai, on the other hand … Jesse Walker was the only human still alive who had seen Nicolai, was the only one who knew how badly humans could damage one of the Sanguinati. Nicolai had fought hard, had killed so many, but at least one of the enemy had delivered a crippling blow. One side of his face looked crushed, but he couldn’t shift it out of its human form. He also couldn’t shift one arm and most of his torso. And the parts that were smoke sometimes almost shifted to human or, usually, shifted to the Sanguinati’s true form.

With the help of a Sanguinati bodywalker, Nicolai would find his way back to a single form or he wouldn’t. If he couldn’t, he, too, would have to leave Bennett.

“If we stay, there must be changes,” Yuri said.

“If we stay, the humans who are here now will be under our protection,” Tolya said. “Strangers who come to Bennett will be prey. Humans like Parlan Blackstone and his clan will not be allowed to survive long enough to become a threat.”

“If the Elders now consider ‘outlaws’ as a dangerous form of human who act in a particular way, there won’t be many of them who live long enough to reach Bennett,” Yuri said.

“There will still be prey.” Tolya said, knowing that even among the humans who would have their protection, very few of them would not be considered prey. Not anymore. He made a small hand gesture to indicate Yuri. “You’ll take over the train station?”

Yuri shook his head. “I’ll stay at the saloon. Saul Panthergard said he’d handle the station until Nicolai is well. And Joshua will stay at the bookstore and help John.”

A three-legged Wolf had no chance of surviving in the wild country, but a man who had lost an arm could still do work and provide himself with food and shelter.

Tolya looked at the Sanguinati. Anya, Isobel, and Yuri met his eyes and nodded.

“We stay,” he said.

As they turned to leave, Anya said, “Parlan Blackstone survived. Where is he?”

Tolya’s lips curved in a grim smile. “He’s with Scythe.”

* * *

* * *

Parlan had a bad feeling that the rope around his chest was the only reason he was still able to sit in the chair. His arms and hands weren’t bound. Neither were his legs. It didn’t matter. They’d stopped working. His heart labored to keep pumping. His lungs labored to draw in each breath.

“Where’s my son?” he gasped, barely recognizing the weak, quavery voice as his own. “My brother?”

“Dead,” the thing replied. “All dead.”

“I issued a challenge, all right and proper.”

“Nothing about your challenge was right or proper,” she said. “You knew what would happen if any of the outlaws killed one of the terra indigene. And yet you thought you could stack the deck, that you could cheat in your dealings with us and somehow win.”

“Not true,” he gasped, fighting to breathe. Of course it was true. It should have worked, but it all went wrong. “If I’ve done wrong, then I should stand trial.”

“There is no need for such human things here. Besides, Virgil and Tolya already decided what to do with you.” She brushed close to him and suddenly leaned down, her face right in front of him, giving him no time to look away. “They gave you to me.”

He didn’t look at her for more than a wavering heartbeat.

As she walked away, her black hair coiling, he felt the strangest sensation.

He felt it start to rain inside his skull.

CHAPTER 38

Thaisday, Frais 6

“Easy, now.” Tobias opened the truck door and held out his hand. “Let me help you.”

Jana didn’t argue about receiving help. After two days in the hospital and two days at home, she was glad to be back to work, even if it was desk duty.

She was glad to be alive.

Standing on the wooden sidewalk, she studied the new sign in the window of the sheriff’s office. “Did you do that?”

Tobias shook his head. “Virgil did. He called you his pack sister, when he thought you were … Well, you know.”

She blinked back the sharp sting of tears. Pack sister? Really? Ah, geez.

Ignoring her quiet sniffle, Tobias said,“He’s missed you. He hasn’t forgiven you for thinking you were big enough to stop a bullet, but he’s