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"What--" Tom began as I disconnected the call and brought up Fred's number.

"Fred, how fast can you be back in Denver?"

"Dent? I'm not done here, The [Family name, something linked to the Aztek?] are pretty sure they have some records of people marked like the book showed, back from pre-colonial times, but no one here's ordered their history in centuries."

"That can wait, I need something done and I can only trust you with it."

"The jet's still at the airport. Me and Fred can be back by morning, it'll depend on how long it takes to get approved for take-off I guess."

"Okay, come right back." I disconnected.

"Brislow, what are--"

I opened the interrogation room's door. Damian looked in my direction.

"I'll make you a deal," I said before he could speak. "You said you can get out of here if you want to, and I believe you, but I'm going to guess you'd rather not have to fight your way out. You have to know I have a good number of ex-special forces on my payroll, did you know I'm up to over sixty people from various families? You can't be certain what kind of power I have access to. You'd drain yourself in the attempt, and it's possible we'd managed to stop you and then you'd be too weak to do anything."

The tiger studied me. "I think you're overestimating your capability, but I'm curious as to what your offer is."

"I let you go. I don't even put to the test just how powerful you are, but you leave me some of your blood."

Damian opened his muzzle, closed it. His ears canted. "That's... Unexpected." He smiled. "You let me go, but you keep a precious part of me here. I step out of line and you can do anything you want to me, get through any kind of defenses I put up."

"I was thinking more keep tabs on you, but yes, you become too much of a problem, and I have an off switch for you."

He nodded. "I'm actually impresses you are willing to go there. Alright, if it will demonstrate my goodwill to your satisfaction, I'll leave you my blood."

"Tom, get Doc Merlin, have him bring what he needs to draw blood." I watched the tiger's eyes for any sign he was still playing me but they were steady. It annoyed me that he looked pleased.

I heard the click of the Doctor's cane, then Tom grumbling. The hyena entered the room. "Mister Brislow, my services are required?"

"I need you to draw this man's blood."

Tom was in the doorway, glaring at me.

Damian took off his jacket and rolled up his shirt's sleeve.

"Creation," the doctor whispered. He approached, leaned his cane against the wall and took Damian's arm. "What did you do to yourself?"

"Why do you think I did it to myself?" Damian replied. "Maybe it was done against my will?"

"Scarification of this type is delicate work, although I've never seen it where the artist manages to make it look like the blood is at the surface. No, you had this done to yourself. I just don't understand why you'd disfigure yourself in such a way."

"Call it a demonstration of faith."

The hyena shook his head. "Nothing is worth going that." He pulled a syringe. "I don't even know if I'll be able to find a vein through all that."

"I'm sure you'll manage." Damian noticed the cane and studied it, frowning. I watched him and he caught me doing it. He nodded to the cane and tilted an ear. What was he playing at now?

"Tell me, Doctor," he said, "How long have you been a practitioner of the medical arts?" he kept looking at me while he spoke.

Doctor Merlin seemed to have found the vein and was placing the needle. "I graduated medical school when I was twenty-two, so forty-eight years again. How much blood should I take?" he asked me.

"Just fill the vial," Damian answered, "don't worry about it, I have plenty of it." He looked at me again. Ear canted and eyebrow raised.

"You have something to say, Damian, just say it." My response surprised him.

"Now that is interesting."

The hyena took the vial out and handed it to me. "Damian, is it? Do you mind if I take your blood pressure? That vial filled rather fast."

"I do, Doctor. This isn't a medical check-up, but a contract between me and Denton." Unrolled his sleeve. "And with it concluded, I believe I'm free to go?" He stood and put his jacket on.

"Let him pass, Tom."

"Brislow, I don't think that's wise."

"Your boss had given you your instructions," Damian said, all warmth gone from his voice. "You'd do well to move before I move you."

"I'd love to see you try."

"Why don't we try to avoid violence?" Doctor Merlin said, taking his cane. "I actually enjoy not having to treat injuries."

"Tom, it's my decision, Get out of his way."

The badger moved.

Damian stepped out, turned and smiled at me. "This has been a most interesting meeting, Denton. Until next time."

I raised the vial. "You'd better be on your best behavior, I'm going to be keeping an eye on you."

He beamed. "In spite of this," he indicated his body, "I am still an Orr. My definition of 'best behavior' will never match yours. But I will try to keep the blood to a minimum." He turned and disappeared down the corridor.

"Let me guess," the doctor said. "He's a frienemy?"

"He tried to murder me last spring, so no, he isn't."

"Which is why this is probably the worst idea you have ever had, Brislow," Tom said.

"Maybe, but this way the building keeps standing."

The hyena shook his head, seeming amused by the exchange. He placed a hand on my arm. "You look tired Mister Brislow. Maybe you should go home and rest. Whatever this catastrophe Mister Marrows believe you've unleashed, I'm sure it can wait until tomorrow."

And now that Damian was out of here and the adrenaline dropped, I was feeling the exhaustion. "Good idea. It's going to be a couple of busy days."

And I wanted to hold Eddy.

* * * * *

"This is crazy," Fred said as I led him through the building. We'd lost Frank after we'd run into Kevin. The otter had dragged the lion away. Kevin was dealing with the stress of what he'd done, and the things I'd explained to him in a very Society way. He was fucking his stress away.

"It's a crazy world you guys dragged me into. I'm just doing what comes naturally now that I know about it."

"Might I remind you that you have a bad habit of pushing yourself too hard when it comes to magic? You take unnecessary risks."

I unlocked the unused storage room. "Is this big enough?"

"Dent, you don't need to do this."

I took the foam insulated box out of my pocket. "Fred, I'm not carrying this thing around, I lose this and I lose all leverage I have over Damian."

"Then put it in that briefcase of yours. It can't be open so it'll be safe."

"It can still be stolen, as you very well know." I motioned around. "This room is in the middle of the building. There's at least a dozen trained men and women in here at all times. That and an isolation phrase of your creation and this will be the most secure room in existence."

"But you're talking about using your own blood. Do you have any idea what's going to happen if someone comes in here and blows the phrase apart to get to that? The backlash will almost certainly kill you, if Marrows doesn't."

"Don't worry about it, I can handle it."

The lion stared at me. "See that's what I mean. No worry? Dent, that's blood from someone who clearly has an affinity to blood way greater than our own. Do you understand how powerful that is? How dangerous? The fact that the guy who wanted you dead just last year willingly gave it to you terrifies me. And you don't even worry." Fred shook his head. "No. I'm not doing this. If you'd told me this was your idea I'd have stayed in South America."

"Fred, there's no one else I trust to build the kind of phrase needed here."

"And you're going to tie yourself to it knowing the risk!"

"What? You expect me to ask someone else to risk their lives for it? I know the danger, which is why I'm the one who had to take the risk."

"Why would you want to do that alone? Cock and Balls Dent, there's over fifty Society members in the building, why are you refusing to spread the risk among them?"

"What are you talking about?"

Fred stared at me. "Multiple donors, that way when the backlash happens instead of your receiving all of it, everyone gets a fraction."

"You can do that?"

"Oh for crying out loud, didn't you read the books I gave you like six months ago?"

"Look around, it's been a busy six months."

He let out a breath. "Yes, you can mix blood. How do you think building size phrases are done? You saw the work at Maximilian's home. You think one person could have provided all that blood?"

"I thought it was done over a long period."

"Yes, but you'd be looking at decades if only one person provided the blood. Read those books." He looked at the room. "One pint per person, that means six? Maybe seven? Me, Frank, Martin, Colby, you."

"Oscar will be here in two days."

The lion shook his head. "This is one phrase, it's got to be the same blood the entire way, and I don't think you want me to wait until he's here to start."

"Can anyone provide the blood? Or does it have to be Society?"

"With the amount I'll need, yes, one or two could be from normal people, but you do not want to ask them to deal with the backlash. That have none of the natural protections we have against that kind of magic. Do you think any of the new recruits would be willing to help?"

I snorted. "Put their lives at risk for me? One of them already told me his job is to kill me if I step out of line. No, they won't help. Except Jeroed, he might. Leroy's here. That'd make seven."

"If this Jeroed isn't willing. We need someone else."

"Max would help." I didn't want to ask that of him, I was trying to keep the emotional distance between the two of us. Having him take part of the burden for this would not help that.

"Alright. I need to clean the floor, get a few things ready and then I'll gather the blood."

"Do you want the doc to help?"

"Really? You want to explain to him why we're donating a pint of blood each to paint a floor? Unless you've brought him into this, it is among the worst ideas you've had recently. Go back to running your company, I'll take care of this."

I didn't make it to my office. My sister was waiting for me in the lobby with possibly the only person I wanted to see less than Damian right now.

"You two need to talk," She said, indicating the cheetah with her.

Before I could stop it I was back on that bed, trapped and moving over her. Her cries driving my body to an ever stronger frenzy of lust.

Doing everything I could to keep from shaking I entered my office. Magdee was behind me before I could slam the door in her face. She stayed in the doorway as I sat behind my desk and she and motioned for the other cheetah to sit.

"You have no right to do this," I growled at her.

"You can't keep ignoring her, my nephew is going to need both his parents to raise him."

"We are going to. I'm looking for a duplex, something like what Martin--"

"I don't mean shared custody, which is what I know you're planning on. He's going to need the two of you together to raise him."

"Martin doesn't--"

"Martin actually likes Tessa. He spends time with her and Esteban they play together. You need to deal with this now before Edward is old enough to pick up on the anger you have."

"Deal with this?" I laughed. "You're one to talk. When are you going to deal with dad?"

"Not the same and you know it. He kicked me out and I'm not planning on raising any kids with him. I'll see him again when he's buried for all I care. This isn't about you, or Loraine, it's about Edward. So fucking do what's best for your son." She slammed the door on leaving.

In the resounding silence that followed I frosted the glass.

"I am sorry," she, Loraine, said. "This was not my idea."

"I know." I tried to keep my voice even. "My sister can be a pushy bitch at times."

She smiled. "Older siblings can be like that." She spoke with wistfulness. Had she left brothers or sisters behind when she'd agreed to this? What had she given up to be the mother of my son?

I clamped down on the reflexive anger. The one that said getting to know her would just make what she did to me worse. That she was the monster for agreeing to take part in what had been done to me.

"Do you understand why I have a hard time looking at you?"

She shook her head, never looking up from the floor.

Fuck, what had Max told her? "You know I'm gay, right?"

She nodded.

"So I could perform I--" how the fuck did I explain what Max had done to me to someone who didn't know about magic? "I had to use help."

"Pills?" she asked, glancing at me then away.

"Yes, pills. I had a bad reaction to them. I was disconnected from what happened because of them. I didn't want to do it, but they forced me to continue. Unlike you, It was not a pleasant experience for me."

She nodded. "You think I--"

The door slammed open and the collie in the doorway glared at me. "What are you doing to find my son?" Niclas Brukammer demanded.

I sighed. Could my day get any worse?