"No, no-but-" Camille shook her head. "Just stop it, you two." She turned back to Darynal. "Okay, the truth, and let"s have it now. Where"s Trillian, and why did he drop off the face of the world?"

Darynal let out a long sigh. "You didn"t hear this from me. Understand?" When she nodded, he leaned his elbows on the table. "I don"t know everything involved. I can"t; it would be too dangerous for Trillian. But he"s been back and forth through Darkynwyrd for the past moon cycle. He was on the trail of your father, but something happened. Something very bad. Lethesanar got wind of what was going on, and she sent out a tracking party to follow him."

I paled. "Oh h.e.l.l, so it was true. A party of goblins found him?"

"Not quite. They almost caught him, but he managed to get away. However, it became clear that Trillian had to vanish. So he went underground in order to continue the hunt for your father. Apparently, whatever information your father ran across can make-or break-the war. Both Lethesanar and Tanaquar are searching for him. The key he carries can turn the winds of war."

We sat back, mulling over that one. A highly secret mission that involved not only Camille"s lover but our father. And if Trillian was in danger, Father was in far more danger.

"Why don"t they keep a watch on your house? Isn"t Trillian afraid that you"ll be kept under observation?" I asked.

Darynal laughed. "No . . . I am known to be a goblin sympathizer. I do business with them, I publicly support the goblin king. Trillian comes and goes by the dark of the night, and he"s a master of disguise. But you must not stay long. I cast an illusion spell on the gate when you entered to keep prying eyes out. But I can"t hold it for long, and Trillian must not find you here, either. He can"t have any distractions right now, Camille. He has to focus on his mission."

The look in his eyes said it all. Trillian couldn"t afford to divide his attentions right now, and if he knew we were looking for him, he"d have to double his efforts to hide.

"If we find him," I said slowly, "then we chance exposing him to the enemy, and we chance putting our father in worse danger."

"Precisely. Please, eat your lunch and go. Don"t look for him, don"t search for him. If something happens, I promise, I"ll let you know, but unless I show up on your doorstep, a.s.sume he"s alive and well. Leave him to what he does best." Darynal paused, then reached out and lifted Camille"s chin. He leaned forward, almost lip to lip, and gazed into her eyes. Smoky tensed.

"Trillian adores you. He worships you. He would never just run off and leave you worrying if the balance of war weren"t so perilous. Can you let him do his job and not interfere?"

Camille swallowed slowly, then nodded. She licked her lips, almost looking frightened. "I hate this. I hate this with every fiber of my being. But I"ll let him be. Just . . . I love him."

Smoky leaned forward and firmly but gently disengaged Darynal"s hand from Camille"s chin. "Enough. We understand. We"ll let him do his job, and Morio and I will keep Camille occupied until Trillian is able to return. We should leave now. Our very presence puts the operation in jeopardy."

Morio stood up. "Smoky"s right. Thank you, Darynal. At least you were able to put our minds at ease. We know more than we should, but rest a.s.sured-the information will not leave our lips. And we won"t tell Queen Asteria that we know, either."

I eased over to Camille"s side. She murmured a thank-you to Darynal, then gave him a quiet hug. He kissed her forehead, almost like a big brother might do, and then glanced over at me. "You"re still hungry. Here, drink this up before you go," he said, holding out my soup bowl.

I grinned at him. "You"re all right, I"ll say that for you." I quickly chugged down the rest of my soup and gratefully took the chunk of b.u.t.tered bread, and we left the house.

As we quietly slipped out the gate and hurried away as fast as possible, Camille remained silent. I knew she was mulling over this little twist in her mind, and she"d talk when she was ready. Meanwhile, I nodded at Iris, and we pulled ahead of Camille and the boys.

"This is a fine kettle. Camille bound herself to those two, and she didn"t need to," I said, fretting a little. The wedding had bothered me on some level I couldn"t quite catch, even though I adored both Smoky and Morio.

Iris let out a long sigh. "She would have done so eventually. You know so, if you look deep into your heart. What bothers you, my fine tabby, is that things are changing. You"ve had your sisters all to yourself for so long, and you don"t want to see anybody or anything interfere with that bond. You don"t seem to realize yet that families can expand. That"s the cat in you: territorial, wanting your people to stay your people. You have to get over the fear that Camille will abandon you. She"s going to stay right by your side, honey. You know that, if you"d only let yourself see it."

I stared at her, unable to answer since my mouth was full of bread. As I silently ate the rest of it, I wondered if she was right. I"d hated the fact that Trillian had returned. But was that so much because he was Trillian, or because my sister so willingly let him back into her life? And Smoky . . . and Morio . . . could it be that I really wanted things to stay the same?

As if reading my mind, Iris added, "You know, life can"t stand still. People and relationships must evolve. Look at you; you bear the Autumn Lord"s mark, and you"re only now beginning to understand what sweeping changes that will bring into your world. Don"t begrudge Nature and her relentless drive to move forward. It"s the way of all things. Even death is a transition, a progression. You can"t freeze time, Delilah. You can"t bring the past into the present. Everything moves and shifts and turns. It"s up to you whether you will face the changes or be left in the dust."

I hung my head, staring at the trail as we hurried along at a brisk pace. She was right, and yet I didn"t want to face all the changes that were happening. And the most immediate-the one closest to my heart-was Chase. What was I going to do? He wanted me to call him, but what could he say? Was he going to tell me how much he enjoyed f.u.c.king Erika? Or that she meant nothing to him? That he wanted a threesome? And I had a date with Zachary.

And in the larger scope, we had a spirit seal to find and keep from the demons. Screw relationships; saving the world was hard enough without emotions interfering.

Life had been so much simpler when I"d been ignoring men in favor of running around on all fours. I was sorely tempted to retreat to that state, to say f.u.c.k you f.u.c.k you to loving anybody except in a family manner. But as Iris"s words ran through my head, I knew I couldn"t go back to the way I"d been. So where did that leave me? to loving anybody except in a family manner. But as Iris"s words ran through my head, I knew I couldn"t go back to the way I"d been. So where did that leave me?

As we broke into the meadow, the sun was lower in the sky, and the birds were chirping loudly as a contingent of clouds headed toward us, an army in gray, set to loose a volley of rain overhead. I shook myself out of my ill-disposed reverie and headed toward the portal. We needed to get home and, as much as I loved Otherworld, right now, I wanted to get back to Maggie and Menolly. And with a little luck, I"d think of an answer to my problems with Chase.

CHAPTER 13.

We got home right around dinnertime. Vanzir and Rozurial were hanging out in the front yard, playing a game of gin rummy at the picnic table Iris had ordered so we could eat outside during the summer. They ran over to the car as we drove into the yard.

"We found it-we found the cave," Roz said, rushing over to my side. "We know where the spirit seal is, and there isn"t a moment to lose. Karvanak nabbed the prospector, and while Vanzir"s memory steal should hold, we can"t take any chances. We need to go out there tonight and claim the spirit seal."

s.h.i.t. I was tired. So was everyone else. But Roz was right. In a war, sleep came second. Winning battles came first.

"Yeah, you"re right. Camille? What do you think?"

"Same thing you do. Why couldn"t this happen after after we got some sleep? But hey, at least Menolly can go with us, and that"s always good. If they"d found the location tomorrow morning, we"d have had to go without her. As it is, we wait another couple hours, and she"ll be up and raring to go. Meanwhile, we can catch a few z"s." She yawned and looked at her hand, which was still wrapped in a bandage. "This wound hit me harder than I thought, but if I can just doze for a while, I"ll be fine." we got some sleep? But hey, at least Menolly can go with us, and that"s always good. If they"d found the location tomorrow morning, we"d have had to go without her. As it is, we wait another couple hours, and she"ll be up and raring to go. Meanwhile, we can catch a few z"s." She yawned and looked at her hand, which was still wrapped in a bandage. "This wound hit me harder than I thought, but if I can just doze for a while, I"ll be fine."

I nodded, a little concerned. Our half-Fae blood usually helped us heal up without a problem, but the wound had been a nasty one. Actually, when I thought about it, we"d all had a rough year.

"Sounds good to go. Iris, any chance you can have a quick meal waiting for us when we get up? Something light but protein-rich and sweet?"

She nodded, weary herself. "Not a problem. Since I"m not heading out to the hills with you, I can rest later, after you leave. Meanwhile, I"ll get the herb cuttings tended to until you have time to plant them."

I turned back to Roz and Vanzir. "So, tell us what we"re facing."

"The seal"s located in a cave up in the Snoqualmie foothills. Rumors say the cave is haunted. I wouldn"t dismiss them lightly. There"s some sort of spiritual activity going on up there, although I sense demons better than ghosts," Vanzir said.

He slipped the pack of playing cards into his pocket, then continued. "Karvanak won"t cut us any quarter. If he can break through the memory seal I performed, he"ll jump on the information. Either way, the poor guy is dead. Either the Rksasa will break his mind, or he"ll break his body."

Shuddering, I followed them into the house.

Iris immediately slipped downstairs to fetch Maggie, then returned to the living room and handed the gargoyle off to Smoky, who frowned but took her anyway.

"Since you"re going to be sitting here talking, I might as well put you to work. You can watch the baby while I make dinner." Iris brooked no rebuke, and Smoky, along with every other member of our extended family, obeyed her.

Maggie moophed moophed and promptly planted a s...o...b..ry kiss on the dragon"s cheek. Smoky grinned as a lock of his hair rose up to tickle her under the chin. Maggie loved to play with Smoky"s hair, and he would tease her with it like he might tease a cat with a string. and promptly planted a s...o...b..ry kiss on the dragon"s cheek. Smoky grinned as a lock of his hair rose up to tickle her under the chin. Maggie loved to play with Smoky"s hair, and he would tease her with it like he might tease a cat with a string.

With a chuckle, Iris scurried back to the kitchen, and the clanging of pots and pans promised that dinner would be ready when we woke up. I glanced at the clock. Another ninety minutes, and Menolly would be awake.

"To bed," I said, heading for the stairs. Camille trudged along behind me, followed by Morio, who looked as tired as we were. They peeled off at the second floor, giving me a small wave.

"See you at the table," Camille said as they disappeared into her bedroom.

I dashed up to the third floor, gauging the most effective way to fall asleep. So tired I didn"t even bother to undress, I shifted form, then jumped up on the bed and curled up at the bottom. I always slept better as a cat, and sure enough, within moments, I was drifting off into a deep, utterly wonderful, catnap.

"Delilah, Delilah? Time to wake up!" A woman was lifting me into her arms, and still half-asleep, I purred as she started a delightfully luxurious ear-scritch around my head. After a moment, I shook myself awake and looked up into Menolly"s eyes. I let out a loud purp purp, and she tossed me lightly on the bed, where I leisurely transformed back to two legs.

I stretched and yawned. "Oh, that felt good. How long did I sleep?"

"I made the others give you and Camille two hours instead ninety minutes. That extra time can play a big difference in reflexes and alertness. Feel good enough to go for it tonight?" Menolly was dressed for the woods: jeans, long-sleeved turtleneck, a denim vest, her lace-up-to-the-knee Doc Martens boots. She gave me a toothy grin, and I could smell blood on her breath.

"You ate already, I take it?" I grimaced and shook my head.

"s.h.i.t. Breath stinking again?" She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah. Here. Try this. I keep telling you to start carrying one around." I tossed her a pocket-sized Listerine breath spray. Mint. Strong Strong mint. I loved it, because it reminded me of catnip without making me do something stupid. My sisters knew my little secret: Catnip-be it tea or the herb-was as potent for me as tequila was for some FBHs, even when I was in two-legged form. I never told anybody else because I didn"t want any practical jokers trying to see how far they could push it. mint. I loved it, because it reminded me of catnip without making me do something stupid. My sisters knew my little secret: Catnip-be it tea or the herb-was as potent for me as tequila was for some FBHs, even when I was in two-legged form. I never told anybody else because I didn"t want any practical jokers trying to see how far they could push it.

Menolly couldn"t drink or eat anything but blood, but the breath spray didn"t bother her like food. She gave herself a few good squirts until I couldn"t smell the blood anymore. Holding up the spray, she asked, "Can I keep this?"

Nodding, I glanced down at my outfit. Grungy, yeah, but where we were going, it wouldn"t matter. "Think I"m dressed okay? It worked over in OW this morning. I might as well wear it tonight. I"m just going to get filthy again. I know it. I"m about as much of a klutz as Smoky is a clean freak. Have you noticed that he never seems to get dirty?"

"Oh, yeah, and I dare you to ask him how."

"Already did." I snorted. "He just gave me that smart-a.s.sed grin of his. Maybe Camille can get it out of him. He"s sure a close one with information, that"s for sure. You think he"s told her his real name yet?"

"Ha! I doubt it. After all, he is is a dragon." Menolly grinned. "Come on, Kitten. Iris is holding dinner. Camille and Morio should be at the table by now." a dragon." Menolly grinned. "Come on, Kitten. Iris is holding dinner. Camille and Morio should be at the table by now."

As I clattered down the stairs, my sister silently gliding behind me, I could smell the aromas of hamburgers and fresh fruit. My mouth watered, and I bounced into the kitchen, suddenly feeling jazzed. So what if we were on the tail of one of the spirit seals? We"d come through. We always did. Well, not always, but we had the jump on the fourth seal, and this time, we wouldn"t let Karvanak win.

Iris handed me a burger and a thick slice of melon as I slid into a chair. Camille and Morio were already eating. Smoky was leaning over a map with Roz, and Vanzir was sitting in the corner. Menolly reached into the playpen and hoisted the Magster onto her hip. Maggie gurgled something and planted a fat kiss on Menolly"s cheek.

"So here"s the plan. We"ve got a forty-minute drive to the Skattercreek Road turnoff." Roz traced the route along the map as I leaned across the table to watch. "Once we get there, the grade takes a steep incline, so we"ll want to take vehicles that can weather the conditions. Your Jeep should do fine. Camille, leave the Lexus at home. Same with the Jag, Menolly."

As his gaze flickered over to Menolly, a little bell went off in the back of my mind. Something was going on between them. Or was going to, even if neither one realized it yet. Of course, Roz had been trying to get in Menolly"s pants for some time, but had my sister decided to open the gates to her garden? They would be one h.e.l.l of a match, for sure. The incubus and the vampire.

I decided to keep my mouth shut. So did Camille, though she caught my gaze and arched her eyebrows.

"So if we take my Jeep, there are . . . how many of us?" I counted. Smoky, Roz, Vanzir, Camille, Menolly, and me. "Six. I can fit that many, but it will be a tight squeeze."

"We better just take my SUV," Morio said as the phone rang.

Menolly moved to answer it while I shrugged and nodded. "Fine by me. I don"t feel like driving anyway."

I had just taken a bite of my burger when Menolly handed the phone to me. I stared at it, hoping it wasn"t Chase. Menolly shook the receiver at me, and I finally wiped my hands on my jeans and took the d.a.m.ned thing.

"Yeah?" Not too friendly, but it might be Chase, and I wasn"t ready to play nice-nice. But I shouldn"t have worried; it was Zach.

"I"m in town, and thought I"d see if you were up for a movie." His pleasantly growly voice was thick and rich as usual, and my body responded to the deep baritone.

I sucked in a deep breath. "No can do. Not tonight. Say, how would you like to take a trip with us? We can use all the help we can get."

A pause, then a low sigh. "Spirit seal or demon or both?"

"Spirit seal. Demons aren"t quite onto this one yet, and we"d like to keep it that way. You feel like taking a road trip out toward Snoqualmie?"

He laughed. "Delilah, by now you should know that if you"re you"re involved, I"m up for anything. I"m about twenty minutes from your house. I"ll be there as soon as I can. Don"t start without me." involved, I"m up for anything. I"m about twenty minutes from your house. I"ll be there as soon as I can. Don"t start without me."

As I handed the receiver back to Menolly, I felt a smug sense of satisfaction. Zachary wasn"t scared to help us. Zach wouldn"t let us down. I told the others we"d have another pair of hands on board.

"Good," Camille said, licking the ketchup off her fingers and reaching for a napkin. "Iris, if we have any cookies, now would be the time to spring them. I always crave sugar when we"re on a job."

Job . . . I blinked. "You know, I never thought of it before, but you"re right. That"s what all this has become, hasn"t it? More so than the bookstore, than my supposed PI business . . . more than the Wayfarer Bar & Grill. Your mission, D"Artigo sisters, should you choose to accept it: Hunt down and procure the magical spirit seals before the demons get to them. If you should fail or be caught, Earth and Otherworld will suffer a horrible fate . . . Your mission, D"Artigo sisters, should you choose to accept it: Hunt down and procure the magical spirit seals before the demons get to them. If you should fail or be caught, Earth and Otherworld will suffer a horrible fate . . . " "

Menolly snorted. "Not quite as poetic as Jim Phelps, but hey, it works in a pinch. Look at it this way, Kitten. At least we"re not stuck behind a desk. Now, that that would be h.e.l.l." would be h.e.l.l."

Good to his word, Zach arrived fifteen minutes later as we finished tracing out the route. I opened the door to find him standing there, looking all tidy and polished. Zach was tall. Even taller than Smoky, by an inch. At six five, he towered over my six foot one. His blond hair was cut into a collar-skimming s.h.a.g, and he sported a perpetual five o"clock shadow.

Lean and muscled, Zachary was one of the golden boys: good-looking, rugged, all-American. Except for the fact that he was a werepuma on the Council of Elders for the Rainier Puma Pride.

I leaned toward him, inhaling his mingled scents of leather and dusty sunlight. We"d slept together once, and though I had sworn it wouldn"t happen again, now I found myself considering him from a whole new angle.

He seemed to sense something was up, because he leaned down and softly kissed me on the forehead. My knees quivered. His lips found their way to my lips. My pulse revved like an engine on steroids. He brought his hand up to my hair and gently pushed it away from my face.

"What"s going on?" he said. "Is it over between you and Chase?"

We were ready to go. We had work to do. Not the right time for a long, insightful talk.

"I don"t know," I said. "Right now, help us retrieve the fourth seal. Then, if you don"t mind a late-night dinner, we can talk." I knew I was inviting Zachary to play more than tea party, and I knew that he he knew it. It was my choice. Chase had chastised me for doing the exact same thing he"d succ.u.mbed to. Double standards weren"t on my menu, and if he now felt free to play without permission, I"d take my cue from him. knew it. It was my choice. Chase had chastised me for doing the exact same thing he"d succ.u.mbed to. Double standards weren"t on my menu, and if he now felt free to play without permission, I"d take my cue from him.

He stroked my cheek. "Whatever you desire."

As he pulled back, Camille slipped by, smiling brightly when she saw him. "Good to see you, Zach. Glad to hear you"re joining us. We can use all the help we can get."

We clattered down the steps and converged on Morio"s SUV. Menolly shoved Zach toward the back door. "Get in, puma boy. Fight now. Talk later. You, too, Kitten."

With a last look at the house, where Iris stood holding Maggie in her arms, I scooted into the backseat next to Zachary, shivering as the warm, musky bulk of his thigh pressed against mine. Oh yeah, it was going to be one h.e.l.l of a night.

CHAPTER 14.

We"d made the drive out toward Snoqualmie before, to a battle involving some b.u.t.t-ugly werespiders and an ancient shaman who put the E E in evil. This time I prayed we wouldn"t be facing anything quite so gruesome. After all, spirits and ghosts couldn"t be as frightening as werespiders, could they? in evil. This time I prayed we wouldn"t be facing anything quite so gruesome. After all, spirits and ghosts couldn"t be as frightening as werespiders, could they?

Then I remembered the revenant and what it was capable of. I shrank back in the seat, wondering if there was any chance in h.e.l.l we"d catch a break and get through this without a fight.

At least the night wasn"t as cold as it had been in December. And we knew knew we were on the tail of a spirit seal. That alone cheered me up. If we could find the rest of the seals before the demons did, maybe we could put a stop to Shadow Wing"s plans. Relieved to see my optimism wasn"t dead after all, I leaned back and closed my eyes, enjoying the feel of the car as it purred along the miles. we were on the tail of a spirit seal. That alone cheered me up. If we could find the rest of the seals before the demons did, maybe we could put a stop to Shadow Wing"s plans. Relieved to see my optimism wasn"t dead after all, I leaned back and closed my eyes, enjoying the feel of the car as it purred along the miles.