Huntress

Chapter 81

There was no time for questions. I darted over to the printer that Ajax had, making dozens of copies of the photo. I left a scribbled note, stating that if we did not return, Noah was to call whoever he could and tell them that the people in the photo were the same people who orchestrated hundreds of werewolf murders. Then I tucked to original back in the book, collected my copies and followed Ryder out the front door.

We clambered back into Ajax's vehicle and were off.

"Why does Armond have ears like that? And why the fuck does Dawn have horns?" I demanded.

Ryder's grip was so tight on the steering wheel it was a miracle that he didn't break it. "Fairies. They're the leaders of the fairies. The High Rulers is what they call themselves. Fucking bastards. They didn't even show up to the meeting."

"How could I've never have seen them like that? I saw them once a week for years. I should know what they look like." And I did. I could pick Dawn's posture out of a crowd, I could pinpoint Armond just by hearing his voice. But whatever these creatures were, it wasn't the people I had come to know. the ones I had trusted.

"Fairies are masters at manipulation. They can use glamour on humans and sometimes beings like us. Without even touching you or uttering a spell, they can control how you see them. For beings as powerful as they are, it would take almost no effort to convince your human mind that the ears are normal, that the horns were never there."

"That's crazy. That's insane."

"Come on, Georgia. After everything that you've seen today, this cannot be the peak of it."

And I suppose it wasn't. I just never thought that the kind woman who swept in and comforted me when my parents could be anything other than human. We fought together. We raised our weapons together and went after werewolves as one. Well, not together. Never really together, because Dawn and Armond would never get their hands dirty. Always giving orders, but always on the sidelines.

Jesus Christ.

I knew that I had begun connecting the dots. There were small lines to follow like the cinnamon buns. I consumed it, I was driven right into wolf-drain. My parents ate them. They died. I hadn't wanted to believe it. I wouldn't let myself. Because those were the people who had become my family when I had nothing.

"I'm going to fucking kill them," I whispered.

"No, no, absolutely not," Ryder stated.

"Are you out of your mind? They took everything from me! And they destroyed your community!" I shrieked. Blood was only fair. In fact, it didn't seem like enough. I wanted to kill their children and make them watch. I wanted to do awful, horrible things that no sane person should have been able to conjure up.

"Do you think that I don't know that?" Ryder shot back. The vehicle revved under his heavy foot, but he sucked in a deep breath and the speed eased. "Georgia, I don't know what's going to come of this, I'm just asking you to keep a level head. You're going to want to fucking strangle them and I get that, but if a werewolf and his once-mate just slaughter the leaders of another species, wars will be started. Especially when our leaders are already being held for other crimes. Fuck, wars have been started for less."

"Well, what do you suggest we do then?" I demanded. "Let them walk free?"

"Oh, we're going to get them. And we'll drag them before a council by their throats if we have to. You can do whatever you need to, just don't kill them. They can admit to what they've done. But I will not let you stoop to their level. And right now, we just need to find out where they are."

It was getting dark outside by the time we pulled up to Milo's house. The little makeup I had on this morning was long gone now and Ryder's suit was rumpled and stained. I'm sure that I would have been exhausted if I had the chance to be. Instead, I stomped up to Milo's front door and pounded my fist against the metal. I went again and again, slamming harder into it, slapping my palms down, kicking with the toe of my shoe. Finally, it creaked open.

"Georgia?"

Ryder had said I couldn't kill Dawn and Armond, but for a moment, I was alright with that. My hand went right to Milo's pale throat, shoving him back into his own home while I thundered, "Where the fuck are they?"

Milo had been trained just as well as I had, if not better. Surprise might have been on my side, but rationality was on his. I was fed by rage. He was fed by survival. One swift punch to the gut had me doubling over.

"Oh fuck," Ryder said from behind me before wrapping his arms around me. I wasn't entirely sure if it was to protect me as I wheezed in a breath or if it was to keep me from lunging at Milo again.

"What the hell is going on with you?" Milo demanded, then his eyes narrowed at Ryder. He moved towards a two swords that had been mounted on the way. So decorative to the unassuming. "What have you done to her?"

"Tell me where Dawn and Armond are!" I yelled, clawing at Ryder's arms. I was going to end this. I was going to get to those fuckers if it killed me. Or someone else.

"Georgia, please," Ryder begged. "He's not going to help us if you're acting like this."

It was a fair point and I knew in my core that Milo was not the one I wanted. And even though my parents were dead, even though I wanted someone to pay, Milo did not deserve it. my teeth remained gritted tightly, my body coiled to strike, but I hissed out, "Dawn and Armond are not human. And I think that they created wolf-drain as a reason for humans to go after werewolves, to do their dirty work."

"Georgia, you're talking crazy," Milo said, wariness creeping into his voice.

"Show him the picture," I ordered.

Ryder was nervous to let me go, but did as I said. he unfolded a paper copy of the damning photo, handing it off to Milo. "I've never met them in person, but I would know them anywhere," he said. "These two are fairies. High powered fairies that could easily cover up any features that would make them stand out to human eyes. But here, you see them in their true form."

Milo said nothing. He just stared at the photo hard. His gaze came up to meet mine once, then back down at the photograph. "There is no way. This photo must be doctored."

"It's not," Ryder said flatly.

"You didn't trust them," I pointed out, feeling like my mind was clearing. "You left. You knew something was wrong, even if you couldn't pin point what?"

"They wouldn't...wolf-drain can't be a lie. Wolf-drain can't be something made up. We've seen it time and time again, we know it's not fake. But fairies are. They're from children's books and myths. They aren't real. Horns coming out of people's heads like that aren't real. This is a sad excuse for photoshop."

"Milo, come on. Ryder can turn into a wolf in the blink of an eye. Horns are nothing compared to that. Nothing. And I was fine being around Ryder all the time before I met with Dawn. She fed me food. My parents died. I got wolf-drain. I didn't want to see it then, but I see it now. I cannot tell you how or why, but I know that they are behind this. Tell me, did they ever once go in the field in all the time you spent with the hunters?"

Milo glanced away, swallowed hard. "No, but that doesn't immediately mean that they created wolf-drain."

"Everyone has treaties with everyone in the supernatural world. Fairies cannot cross werewolves without risking slaughter of their own people. But, if they put humans in the middle, they kept their own hands clean."

"And how are you going to prove this? And who the hell would listen?"

"The council would," Ryder interjected.

I narrowed my eyes on Milo. "And Armond and Dawn are going to be the ones to confess what they've done right to the council. So, you're either going to tell us where they are or we are going to go to Valemount and tear that whole goddamn town up until we find some answers. What's it going to be, Milo?"

~~~Question of the Day~~~

Are you currently saving for anything?