Page 54 of Wolf Bane
Tyler growled at that.Mal just sank lower in his chair.“I’d love to think this isn’t related,” I admitted, “but this all looks, smells, and quacks just like a duck.”
“So, this is what we have.A non-council backed group is going around posing as healthcare outreach, aiming at communities with high were and shifter populations.”Tyler sighed.
“Mostly rural,” I added.
“Mostly rural.Right.The people who seem to be getting and staying sick, or just not recovering, were either injected with something that was allegedly a booster, or some sort of vitamin shot, or were given painkillers.”
Justin made a distressed sound, scrubbing his hands over his face.He’d been doing better, having something to focus on, which made me wonder how much of his lingering malaise had to do with depression and dysmorphia and how much was whatever he’d been exposed to.One eating the other, I thought, like one of those damn ouroboros.
“And we have Robards.”I tapped the page Tyler was charting on, Robards’ name separate from the others.“He wasn’t a were when he came in my office.”
Ethan heaved a heavy sigh and, as if the words weighed a ton each, said, “I’ll start shaking that tree, finding out where he’s being kept right now.If he’s still with us.”
I nodded, stomach sloshing uneasily.If he was dead, what next?His family weren’t were.What would they be told?Howwould they be told?Would it be up to me or would the council handle it?
Gina Perrin spoke up before I could.“No, let me.I’m a known quantity for them,” she said, leaning back in the kitchen chair and giving Ethan a hard look when he tried to protest.“You’ve barely been there three months, am I right?”
He reluctantly nodded.“Officially anyway.”
“So.Let me.I’m working here now.First day on the job and this happens?”She whistled through her teeth, shaking her head.“I’d be less of an op, you know?”
Tyler smiled.“I like her.She’s smart.”
“And pretty,” Gina Perrin reminded him.“Don’t forget pretty.”
“And pretty,” he repeated dutifully.Justin barely managed to hide his smirk, ducking his face when Tyler winked at him, bringing him in on the banter.The speed with which Justin went from his usual shade to bright pink was, medically speaking, a little alarming.
But also kind of cute.
“Ethan and Tyler,” I said, taking pity on Justin’s blood pressure and drawing Tyler’s attention for the moment, “You two know every were in the area and beyond.Don’t give me that look, it’s true.I need help making a database.”I hesitated.“Okay.This is a big ask.I need all of the weres and shifters in the surrounding area, but a special note made of which ones have human ancestry.”
Ethan just stared at me.Tyler laughed.“Oh my God, you’re not kidding,” he groaned when I just stared back at him.“That’s a huge ask.Doable, but huge.Most of the clans keep records of the families involved.And I’m sure at least the larger shifter groups do.It’s not gonna be easy to get ‘em to let me see though.”
“Then you’d better get on it,” Ethan said, saluting him with his mug.Tyler saluted back with a single digit.
Mal raised his hand, chest high.“Um, what do I need to do?”
“Take care of Mariska,” I said.He nodded, but I couldn’t help seeing the hurt that flashed in his eyes.“Listen, it’s not because I don’t need your help.I do.”
“Then let mehelp,”he shot back.“I can talk to the parents in the little shifter group she runs with.They don’t cotton much to the weres—no offense, y’all.I get a pass because, well,” he held out his hands in anI’m harmlessgesture.
“Okay.”I sighed.“Okay.You have a point.But there’s something else, too… I need your blood.All of y’all.I need blood.Justin…”
Justin’s eyes widened.“What?”
“I have a theory.Everyone who is getting sick, they’re weres and a few shifters, right?What if they’re notentirely…”
“Like you?”Tyler asked, arching a brow.“Why aren’t you sick too, then?”
“Because, as we’ve already determined, I’m a freak of nature.So is Mal.No offense.”
Mal shrugged.“You’re not wrong.”
“Jesus.”Ethan sighed, scrubbing his face with his hands.“We know there’s more than a few partial weres and shifters out there, but as soon as we start poking that bear—so to speak—all hell’s breaking loose.”
“Most of the clans like to pretend the intermarriages between humans and weres either don’t happen or are exceptional.”
“I can’t think of a single mixed family that’s stayed in the clans,” Ethan mused, frowning.“Alwaysmoved out of townor something, remember?”
