Sui Generis – 46

 

Brand shook his head. "If those two are going to spend all their time fighting, why are you teaming them together?" he asked Antton. When Antton gave him a scathing look, Brand seemed to shrink down into the sofa, whispering, "Sorry."

Ulrik, who had been fairly quiet up until then, said, "It's a legitimate question."

"And you know the answer," Antton snapped out. "Randulf's one of the best back-up men we have."

"You and I are almost as good and we don't really want to kill Lew, if we can help it," Ulrik replied.

Randulf looked up. "I don't want to kill him. If I did, he'd be dead. I'm quite capable of watching his back in order to stop Alanna, once he makes contact with her."

From the sour look on his face, it seemed as if Lew was going to say something before thinking better of it. Instead, he just nodded. "He is good."

"As much as you hate to admit it," Randulf retorted.

"Not at all. When it comes down to doing the job, you're fantastic. Despite what Ulrik said—and he's right, he and Antton are also good—I'd rather have you as my backup."

Mag turned to Randulf. "If she knows you, how can you be there too? Besides which, you're a werewolf so she'd sense you."

"Remember I told you I can physically change my appearance? Obviously I'd do that if necessary. As for the other, true she would sense what I am, so I won't be 'with' Lew—except mentally—until the time is right. Despite what he may think—" Randulf sent a scathing look at Lew "—it will probably take both of us to control her and get her away from whatever club he finds her."

Lew frowned. "You really think she's strong enough I couldn't overpower her on my own?"

"Not without possible collateral damage to anyone in the vicinity," Antton said. "She truly has no morals now. She's an alpha so, as you're well aware, even in her human form she has all the alpha attributes. She was almost captured in New York, by Theodule. He felt the same way you do, that he could handle her on his own. Not only did she kill him, she took out three humans as well before setting fire to the house he'd lured her to. At least," Antton added wryly, "she had sense enough to do that to cover her tracks. But it happened two years ago. Who knows if she cares anymore that people might learn of our existence?"

"So that's what happened to him." Lew shook his head. "He was a good man. I thought he'd retired, since I haven't heard anything about him recently."

Mag was surprised that Lew actually looked upset. Not that I should be, I suppose. He has to have more going on than just an inflated sense of his own self-worth or he wouldn't be an Enforcer in the first place.

"How often does she strike?" Brand asked.

"There doesn't seem to be a pattern," Antton told him. "In Rio, it was almost nightly for two weeks before she moved on. In Exeter, she killed twice in the space of a month. But…" He paused for emphasis. "She always shows up not too long after there's been a natural disaster. One could presume her thinking is that dogs who lose their homes because of that will form into feral packs, thus giving her a cover for her own activities."

Brand nodded. "Here, it was the rainstorms just north of us that caused such devastation." 

"Yes. As I said earlier, the club where the body was found is on the north side of the city."

"At least that should narrow our search," Randulf stated.

"Hopefully. Ulrik, see if the list of clubs has arrived."

Ulrik went to the computer, opening his email to check. "It has." He printed it out then handed it to Antton.

"This city has too damned many clubs, but at least there are only fifteen in the northern suburbs. It could be worse, I suppose," Antton muttered after reading through the list.

"Can you narrow it down to ones close to open space?" Brand asked. "The way we did when we were looking for Fedor's house?"

"Excellent idea." Antton sat down at the computer, logging into a map site. Soon he told them, "Two are relatively close to the Standley Lake, and three are within walking distance of open space tracts."

"Five clubs, five of us, how fortuitous. We'll start with them," Lew said, all business now. "I suggest we each take one and stick with it. That way we'll know the clientele and it will be easier to spot her when she shows up… if she does. We give it—" he glanced at Antton, "—a week? And then widen the field if none of us finds her?"

Antton nodded. "That should work. With the exception of you, Lew, we'll have to keep very low profiles so she doesn't sense we're there."

Mag frowned in thought. "Why go into the clubs where she could be aware you're there? Just stake them out then let Lew know if she shows up."

"He has a point," Randulf said. "For Lew it's no problem to go in, but… yes, that would work better." He smiled at Mag. "I have a feeling you're a good strategist and since you're new to this, you can see things we don't because you're not set in your ways the way we are."

Mag beamed at his praise, murmuring, "Maybe."

"Definitely," Brand told him, giving him a hug.

"All right, we'll go with that," Antton said. He read through the list, assigning a club to each of the werewolves, including Brand. "We'll start this evening."

Sui Generis – 45

 

"Enough," Antton roared, glaring at them. "Lew, you'll work with whoever I decide, and it will not be Mag. He's not trained yet."

"I can take care of myself," Mag muttered. "I did on the streets."

"That's entirely different, I think," Brand told him.

"Yeah, I guess, but still…"

"Good Lord, you all are worse than a room full of kindergarteners." Antton waited until he had their attention again. "I'm putting both Ulrik and Randulf with you, Lew. Alanna is a force to be reckoned with. If you'd have done your homework, you'd know that. She's a female alpha and insane."

"Aren't 'female' and 'insane' synonyms?" Lew asked with a straight face.

At the same time, Mag leaned in to ask Brand, "In that case, why are we here?"

Ignoring Lew's comment, Antton turned his attention on Mag. "You two need to see how we do things. Even if—" he glanced sourly at Lew and the others, "—they don't always run as smoothly as they did when we were planning Fedor's demise."

Brand nodded. "If I can help in any way…"

"We'll see. First we have to come up with something more than just Lew hitting up clubs night after night and hoping he connects with Alanna before she kills again."

"With three of us—or four if we use Brand—we could cover the ground much faster. If one of us spots her, we let Lew know," Ulrik suggested.

"And if she spots you, she'll flip you the bird and move on. Don't forget, she's powerful in her own right."

"What does she look like?" Brand asked.

"Average height. Five-six or so. We have the few pictures of her we've managed to get since she went rogue, all from security cameras at clubs. Randulf has seen them and he says her face hasn't changed since he knew her."

"Except to get harder," Randulf said. "Physically, she's much thinner and sexier. The last time I saw her in person, she was cute but decidedly not svelte and not voluptuously sexy either. She was, as un-PC as it is to say, pleasingly plump and she radiated child-like innocence."

"Hair, eyes?" Brand asked.

"Blonde hair, usually straight and shoulder length," Antton replied. "Blue eyes, bordering on lavender. Her nose is… Hell, why am I describing her?" He went over to his desk, taking out a file. Extracting several pictures of Alanna he passed them around.

Lew whistled in appreciation. "Even as bad as these are, she still comes off as a real looker. Yep, she can try to seduce me anytime."

Maybe I was wrong. Maybe there wasn't anything between him and Randulf except a job gone bad. Mag glanced at Randulf. Nope. If he looked any angrier at Lew's words, he'd be off the sofa attacking him. Or walking out, telling us he wasn't going to be involved as long a Lew is.

::He's bi, and as Vesper would put it, a right bastard.:: Randulf's words echoed tightly in Mag's mind. ::So get that questioning look off your face, and the compassion as well. I don't need it or want it.:: All the time he was mind-speaking to Mag, Randulf was glowering down at his tightly fisted hands.

"That is the idea behind what we're planning," Antton said in reply to Lew's comment. "Let her come on to you, or you to her, then get her somewhere safe so we can deal with her without endangering anyone else."

"No problem." Lew smirked. "I'm more than capable of getting her attention and taking it from there."

"Conceited ass," Brand muttered under his breath.

"It's not conceit," Lew responded, "if you're aware of your abilities and can carry through on them, which I do. Ask Randulf. He knows."

"What I know is, you're going to go down in a ball of flames if you come on to her flashing that kind of attitude," Randulf replied caustically. "She is not stupid. She'll pick up on the fact it's a trap before you can get past the 'Your eyes are like the sunset… beautiful, inspiring…"

Lew glared at him. "I'd never use a cheesy line like that and you know it."

Randulf just cocked an eyebrow contemptuously before going back to studying his clenched hands.

Sui Generis – 44

 

 

"Oh my, don't tell me I'm late again." A tall, extremely handsome man with long flowing red hair appeared suddenly in the middle of the living room. "My apologies my friends." His red-flaked amber eyes glittered with amusement.

Randulf snorted exasperatedly. "You'd be late to your own funeral."

Ignoring him, the man looked at Mag and Brand. "Newcomers, and one's a human. I am, as you may have surmised, Llewellyn, although most people call me Lew."

"Is there anything wrong with being human?" Mag asked with some sharpness.  

"Of course not. Some of my best friends are." Lew looked Mag over with interest. "And I think you and I could be quite good friends."

"Sorry, but I'm taken," Mag replied.

"And?"

"And he doesn't play around," Randulf said, scowling.

"Oh my, Randy, do you mean you finally found someone?" The smirk on Lew's lips was decidedly mischievous.

"Don't call me Randy," Randulf snarled. "Not that it's any of your business, but Mag is not mine, he's Brand's."

"Which has to be you," Lew said, looking at Brand as if he was some sort of strange creature he'd never run into before. "Werewolf and…?"

"Human and vampire," Brand told him.

"Meaning a dhampir. I don't remember ever meeting one before. How on earth did you manage to be a werewolf too? Just mixing the two bloods should have killed you."

Brand grinned impishly. "I was lucky?"

Lew glowered for a moment then laughed. "I think I'm going to like you."

Mag, who had been watching Randulf, saw the scowl that had been on his face since Lew had arrived deepen. There must have been something between them once. Something that ended badly. Not that he'd ask, since it was none of his concern.

"Gentlemen," Antton said firmly, "shall we get down to business?"

Everyone nodded, finding places to settle. Brand and Mag ended up on the sofa with Randulf, Ulrik sat on the bench of the bay window, and Lew claimed one of the armchairs.

"Alanna has made her presence here known," Antton told them. "As you may have heard on the news, a man's body was found by a dumpster behind a nightclub on the north side of the city. Since the club is across the street from a large open space area, the police are theorizing a pack of feral dogs may have been responsible for his death."

Mag shuddered, envisioning what the corpse must have looked like.

"And so it begins," Ulrik growled.

"That means I get to start haunting clubs and bars," Lew said. "The question is, which ones?"

"Not the kind you usually go to," Mag heard Randulf mutter.

Lew just grinned momentarily, obviously overhearing him, before asking, "What sort of club was it? That might help narrow the field."

"One of the more popular ones, with a live band for dancing. It's the type she usually uses," Antton replied.

"Get me a list."

"You'll have it by the time we're finished here," Ulrik replied tightly.

Oh boy, this is going to be an interesting… case, for lack of a better word. Mag glanced at Brand and from the dubious expression on his face, he thought he felt the same way.

"You'll need backup," Antton said.

Lew smirked. "Not really, but if you're going to insist on it, I'll take Mag. He's human, so I suspect that's why he's in on this."

"He's here because I am," Brand told him.

"You two are joined at the hip? And as far as that goes, why the hell are any of you here? Antton and I could have come up with a plan without the rest of you."

"Do you have any idea what you're going up against?" Randulf asked coldly.

"A female werewolf with a hard-on for human males. She should be easy enough to stop."

"Oh really?" Randulf sneered. "So you would have caught her when she was in New York, or London, or any of the other places she's struck."

"If I'd been assigned to do that, yes."

Randulf leaned back with obviously feigned casualness. "Then why weren't you?"

"The other head Enforcers weren't as smart as Antton. He asked for me. They didn't."

"With reason. You're a show-off, a grandstander. You put anyone you're teamed with in danger—or worse."

"You survived," Lew spat out.

"No thanks to you."

 

Sui Generis – 43

 

"Not bad," Brand said a couple of days later after Antton had shown him and Mag around their new home. "But it's a bit far from school. Is there a bus line close by?"

"Better than that," Antton replied. He dug into his pocket then tossed Brand a set of keys. "For the house and the car in the garage."

"You're kidding. A car?"

"Comes as part of the job. Your new jobs. It belongs to the company, but you two can use it until you can afford ones of your own."

Brand glanced at Mag, who looked as surprised as he felt. "Do you know how to drive?"

"Of course. I even have a license. Don't you?"

Brand waggled his hands. "Sort of, but it's been forever since I've driven and I don't have a license. So I guess you're the designated chauffeur." Returning his attention to Antton, he thanked him, as did Mag. "Now all we have to do is move our stuff over here."

Mag laughed ruefully. "That'll take three boxes at most."

"Whatever it takes, do it now," Antton practically ordered. "I expect you at my place at noon. We have plans to make to catch Alanna Jans."

"So she is headed here," Brand said.

Antton nodded. "She's here already."

"Then we'd better get moving."

With a wry smile, Antton told him, "Isn't that what I just said?"

*****

The move was accomplished quickly. As Mag had pointed out, they didn't have much. Clothes and a few personal items were about the extent of it.

"This is sort of sad," Mag said, as they put the last of what turned out to be four boxes plus their backpacks into the car.

"It'll get better now," Brand told him with a hug. "Besides, when it comes right down to it, how much stuff do we need?"

"True enough," Mag agreed.

The pair unpacked at their new home in record time. They hung their clothes in the closet or stashed them in the dresser in the larger of the two bedrooms. Everything they used for school they put into a room on the ground floor that held a desk, several bookshelves, and two comfortable armchairs. The living room was furnished with a sofa, a matching recliner, and a fairly large television set, as well as bookcases.

"I guess he expects us to do a lot of reading," Brand commented.

Mag chuckled. "In all our spare time, that at the moment we don't have since he wants us at his place in twenty minutes."

They arrived at Antton's just after noon. He greeted them at the door, ushering them into his living room. Randulf was there, seated on the sofa, as was Ulrik, who stood looking out the window facing the mountains.

"I feel like the witches in Macbeth," Mag muttered. "All 'when shall we three meet againish'."

"Except there's five of us," Brand pointed out.

"Six actually," Antton said.

Brand smirked. "You're using ghosts now?"

"It should be so easy," Randulf grumbled. "You haven't met Llewellyn yet or you'd know why I said that."

"Another werewolf?" Mag asked.

Randulf just nodded, looking none too happy.

"A very late werewolf," Ulrik said sourly, turning to look at the clock on the desk.

Mag frowned. "If none of you like him, which apparently you don't, why is he going to be involved?"

"Because," Antton replied, "he has a very unique ability. He can pass as a pure human to anyone who can sense werewolves. That includes Alanna."

"Ah. So he's going to be the bait in the trap."

"Precisely. Presuming I don't kill him first. That man is never on time." Antton drummed his fingers impatiently on his thigh.

Sui Generis – 42

 

It was late when they returned to the city, so Randulf dropped Brand and Mag off at home. They changed clothes, gathered up their books, and headed to class. As they walked, Mag asked, "What's it like, being able to run free the way you did this afternoon?"

"Exhilarating, wild, humbling."

"Humbling?"

Brand nodded. "It made me realize how much we humans could learn from those we consider less than ourselves, about living free and untrammeled by—" He flung his arm out to encompass the buildings, the street, the people, "—all this. Look at them. So many frowns or worried expressions. So much 'Am I good enough?' written on their faces. Where's the joy that they're alive?"

"I suppose," Mag replied pensively, "it gets beaten out of people when they try to be what others expect of them, instead of being who they really are—who they wanted to be when they were young enough they didn't know the expectations of others would force them into molds they didn't want." He smiled a bit. "Aren't we waxing philosophical all of a sudden?"

"I suppose we are." Brand stopped, looking at Mag. "Are you happy?"

Mag nodded slowly. "Over all… I think so. Things have changed—radically. You, most of all, but yes, I'm happy. I have a life I like, even though it's a strange one now. I have you. With all that you've become, I still wouldn't give up you or our life together." Putting his arm around Brand's shoulders, he asked the same question. "Are you happy?"

"Yes. Unequivocally, yes." He grinned at Mag. "Why, you ask? Because I have someone who accepts me for what I am." Whispering, he added, "Fur and all."

Mag laughed. "That was definitely unexpected. I thought, when I first fell for you, that I met someone with the same… aspirations. To keep it together and survive the best we could, and maybe someday make something of ourselves, if we got the chance."

"I think we both still have that desire. If we didn't, we wouldn't be here." Brand pointed to the entrance to the school a few yards away. "We did survive the streets and a lot more. And now…" he chuckled. "Now we have to survive tonight's classes." 

"Had to say that, didn't you?" Mag grumbled. "Okay, I'll see you when we're through or…?"

"No hunting tonight," Brand said quietly. "Just you, me, and a nice warm bed."

"After we've studied."

            "Killjoy," Brand muttered. Then he kissed Mag quickly and they both headed into the building.

 

Sui Generis – 41

 

"That's a relief." Feeling better now about at least that, Mag leaned back against the SUV, watching when Brand and Randulf shifted. "You're very handsome," he said softly, studying Brand. Brand dipped his head in response as if saying 'Thank you'.

::First,:: Mag heard Randulf say, ::we'll test your senses.:: He lifted his massive head, scenting the air. ::There's a squirrel close by. Tell me where.:: Mag didn't hear Brand's response but he must have found it because Randulf nodded. ::Now, find the fox.:: There was a brief pause. ::You're not going to if you don't hunt for it. It's not standing around watching us,:: Randulf said somewhat dryly.

As Mag watched, Brand moved across the clearing into the trees after lifting his head to sniff, his ears cocked forward. A few minutes later, Randulf said, ::Very good. Now follow the deer and try not to let it know you're there.::

"He's not going to kill it is he?" Mag asked, suddenly understanding that in his wolf form Mag was a real predator who, if left on his own, might do just that and dine on the carcass.

There was a chuckle then Randulf said, ::Mag would prefer you not have the deer for supper.:: A second later he told Mag, ::He went 'yuck', so I suspect the deer is safe enough.::

That part of the training continued for a while longer as Randulf determined just how strong Brand's senses were as a wolf. Then he had Brand return and they both shifted.

"You did well," Randulf complimented Brand. "Most newly created werewolves don't have nearly the sense of smell and hearing you already do. Now, in your human form, can you point out where the family of chipmunks is hiding?"

Brand tilted his head and actually sniffed the air the way he had in his wolf form. "Off to the right, about two hundred yards from here, I think. I'm not certain about the distance."

"Close enough—and impressive."

"Maybe my dhampir half is enhancing the werewolf in me?"

"That would be my guess," Randulf agreed. "Brand, wait here a minute, please. Mag, come with me." Randulf led Mag over to the SUV, telling him, "I'm shielding my words from him. I want you to tell him something you did while he was missing. Something you haven't told him. But, lie about one part of it."

"I… okay." Mag thought for a moment and nodded. When they got back to where Brand was waiting, Randulf told them to stand with their backs to each other. They did, although Brand seemed reluctant to a first, until Randulf told him it was another test. Mag began telling Brand about the night he had had to fend off a man who was quite certain—because Mag was in an alley well after midnight—that he was either selling drugs, or himself, to make some money.

Brand listened, obviously not happy with the story at first. At the end, he shook his head. "None of what you said happened after the man approached you is true. I don't know what he did want, but it wasn't what you're saying."

"It was so," Mag protested vehemently.

"You're lying again, I can tell." He turned to look at Randulf. "How?"

"It's one of the things most of us can do—with humans. When you've been a werewolf for a while, you'll also be able to do it with us, if the lie is blatant enough."

"Oh boy," Mag muttered, "there goes any chance of my surprising you on your birthday, Brand."

Brand laughed, then sobered. "It also means I know you're telling the truth when you say you care about me."

"You doubted it?" Mag replied a bit petulantly.

"Not at all, but still—now I know for damned sure it's the truth, if that makes sense."

"I guess it does," Mag said, but he didn't feel too happy about the fact that he couldn't say the same about Brand. Not that I doubt him, but….

::He cares very deeply for you,:: Randulf told Mag. ::Trust me on that. Oh, don't worry, I wasn't reading your mind. I told you I wouldn't. You have a very expressive face.::

Mag nodded then, impulsively, he moved to Brand and kissed him. Brand looked surprised but seemed to have no problems returning the kiss.

"Now that that's settled, can we continue?" Randulf asked.

For the next hour, Randulf tested Brand's strength, speed, and agility in both his human and werewolf forms. At times he told him how he could improve one or the other when he was a wolf and taught him some tricks for moving more silently and stealthily. Finally, he deemed it time to stop and head back to the city.

"Did I pass?" Brand asked, obviously worried.

"With flying colors, but then I was certain you would."

"You're very impressive, as far as I'm concerned," Mag added. "Scary in what you can do, but impressive."

"Scary is good," Randulf told them both. "However, Brand, you are to keep your abilities hidden unless you have to use them. Never tip off the enemy what you're capable of. That means no showing off in your human form either."

"I understand, and I won't. Well, maybe other than mind-speaking to Mag while I'm doing other things." He grinned and winked.

"When you learn how," Mag pointed out.

::Like now?::

"Oh hell."

Brand and Randulf laughed at Mag's consternation.

"Will I be able to mind-speak to him?" Mag asked. "It's not fair if it's not a two-way street."

"Doubtful, but who knows. Stranger things have happened when a human and a werewolf care deeply for each other. Time will tell, I guess."

Sui Generis – 40

 

"Where are we going?" Brand asked, watching the mountains get closer as they drove northwest of the city.

"To a piece of land the council owns where we're safe to be what we are," Randulf replied, turning off the highway at that point onto a two-lane road that began to climb sharply into the foothills.

Fifteen minutes later he made another turn onto a dirt road. Ahead of them, Brand could see a wooden gate with a 'No Trespassing' sign on it. Leading off from it in both directions was a low, rusty-looking wire fence. "Does that really keep hunters and what have you out?" he asked.

"More like it lets any of us who are here know if someone decides to come exploring. Antton's security company isn't just for show. This area is well monitored."

"Okay. Do alarms go off if someone tries to climb the fence?"

"Let me show you," Randulf said, parking the car by the gate. He got out and went over to the fence, pressing down on the top wire.

"Holy hell," Brand exclaimed, covering his ears.

Looking puzzled, because he obviously hadn't heard anything, Mag stared at Brand. "What?"

A moment later Brand uncovered his ears, just as Randulf returned to the car after opening the gate. "That's something like a dog whistle?" Brand asked him.

"Yep. An ultra-high frequency alarm. A human…" Randulf glanced at Mag, "won't hear it, but we can and then take the necessary steps not to be seen."

Mag frowned. "But Brand's in his human form."

"He still has the hearing sensitivity of a werewolf, just as he has the strength and speed of one, although it's less as a human than when he's shifted."

Grinning at Brand, Mag said, "So I can pick up a dog whistle and train you to do my bidding."

Brand snorted. "I think you already have."

"As if."

While they bantered, Randulf drove the car past the gate and deep in to the forested area beyond it, following a trail so narrow Brand wondered at times if the SUV would be able to navigate it. Eventually they came to a small clearing. Randulf parked at the end of the trail, announcing—to neither of the younger men's surprise—that they had arrived. 

"We'll start by shifting," Randulf told Brand. "Mag, I'll let you listen in once we have."

"You can do that?"

"No I just said it to tease you," Randulf replied with a laugh. "Yes. I can do it, and perhaps when we've finished. Brand will be able to as well."

Mag grinned momentarily, getting a wicked smirk in return from Randulf, who told him, "When his mouth is busy with other things, it does come in handy."

Brand just shook his head, saying, "You have a one-track mind sometimes, Mag."

Mag winked at him before asking Randulf, "If you can let me listen in does that mean you're reading my mind? I'm not certain I like that idea."

"No. I'm using mind-speak, which is different. I could pick up on what you're thinking but that would be an invasion of privacy, unless you gave me permission to."

"If you can, then any werewolf could and they might not be so polite as to ask first," Mag said.

"Like me, they would have to be an old and powerful alpha to do that. Of all of us that you've met so far, Antton's the only other one who can, and he's honorable enough not to unless it's an emergency." 

Sui Generis – 39

 

Brand asked, "If she's so good at hiding, how are we going to catch her?"

"Presuming she does end up in this territory, I'm sure Antton will come up with something. He's very good at that. If he wasn't, he wouldn't be in charge."

"Couldn't the same be said for any of the top Enforcers?"

Randulf nodded. "It could, but he's exceptional." He stopped pacing, leaning his elbow on the fireplace mantle. "Enough of that for now, Brand. I have to teach you how to use your werewolf abilities, beyond shifting and returning fully clothed, which I know you've already mastered. Are you free for the rest of the day?"

"Until class, yes. Mag should go to work, though, before his boss thinks he's taken a permanent leave of absence."

Mag chuckled. "He probably already thinks that, so if you don't mind, Randulf, can you drop me off there? It's not far from our place."

"You could quit, you know," Brand said. "I wasn't kidding when I told you I've got some money and now that you know why…"

"I think we still have to work. Otherwise, it would be hard to explain how we survive."

"Once the council gives their approval, Brand will go onto the payroll as a member of 'Ochoa Protection Services'," Randulf told them. He chuckled. "It pays very well."

"You're serious? There's a company for what we do?"

"Of course," Antton said, coming back into the room. "Mine. We need a front and what better one than a security company?"

"Makes sense to me." Brand grinned. "Do I get a badge and a gun?"

"Please say 'no' on the gun. He's dangerous enough as he is," Mag grumbled.

Antton chuckled. "The badge, yes. As for a weapon, Brand, you already have one that's much more effective against the sort of people you'll be going after."

Brand sighed. "True, but a gun…"

"Would be fairly useless, unless you caught a werewolf in their human form. And before you ask, the council welcomes you to the Enforcers."

"Woot!" Brand gave a fist pump, grinning when Mag hugged him tightly and said, "Congratulations—I think."

"Yes, they are in order," Randulf said before turning to Antton. "We should set them up in a new house—one that's well protected, for both their sakes."

"Consider it done. I'll call you when I know where but for now. I think you should take them off somewhere safe and start Brand's lessons."

"I have to get to work," Mag pointed out.

"Sorry to have pulled rank on you, which I did, Mag. You are now officially employed by my firm as well, just as Brand is, and I'm giving you a couple of days before you need to report for duty."

"Now just a damned minute here! Don't I get a say in this?" Mag asked tightly. "I liked what I did, as menial as it was."

"You can say thank you," Antton replied, looking at Mag with a bit of amusement. "It's a good job, it pays well, and gives you a reason to be with Brand when necessary."

"Yeah, like I can fight vampires and werewolves." Mag touched his bruised cheek. "You can see how well I do that."

"You did exactly what you were supposed to, young man, and when you've been trained in self-defense, you'll be prepared to do more."

"I thought this was going to be Brand's training, not mine. I'm not one of you."

"You're part of Brand's life. A very important part, if I'm not mistaken. So as I told you earlier, it behooves both of you if you're able to defend yourself, Mag. I'll set it up with one of my people to work with you."

Mag nodded. "I see your point, but I still don't like that you went behind my back about my job."

Antton shrugged. "Get used to it. I run this area with a tight hand. I expect all of my people to do as they're told and that includes you."

Brand put one hand on Mag's shoulder. "I'll quit if this makes you so unhappy," he told him softly.

Mag looked at him for a long moment then shook his head. "They need you. I'll get over it. I mean his highhanded treatment of me. But so help me—" he glared at Antton, "—if we don't like the house you get us, you'll keep looking until you find one that we do."

Antton laughed. "Deal. Now out of here, all of you. I have work to do."

Sui Generis – 38

 

"Are you certain?" Antton asked a few minutes later. "Because it will impact not just you, Brand, but Mag as well."

Brand looked at Mag and they both nodded. "We talked about it, in case you really did want me to become an Enforcer. He knows it's important, and that it's dangerous." Brand took Mag's hand, smiling softly. "As he put it—well, implied at least—for him it would be like being the partner of a cop or someone in the military. He'd be waiting at home and praying I came back alive and in one piece."

"Then what you two have is now a permanent arrangement?"

Again Brand smiled at Mag before replying. "Yes, it is as far as I'm concerned."

"It is," Mag said adamantly.

Antton tapped his lip. "All right then, I'll let the council know. Pending their approval—and I'm sure that won't be a problem—I'm putting you in Randulf's capable hands for training." He paused, glancing at Randulf. "Take Mag with you when you work with Brand. Under the circumstances, it won't hurt for him to know what's what and how to take care of himself."

"Why?" Brand asked before he understood. "He could become a target, the way he was with Fedor."

"Exactly. Although the situation would be different because it wouldn't be part of a plan."

"I'm not sure I like that idea." Brand looked worriedly at Mag.

"Then back out now," Antton replied with some asperity.

"He's not backing out," Mag pronounced, sending an irate glance Brand's way. "I might be just a human, but if I know what to expect, I think I can take care of myself if I have to. Hell, Brand, I lived on the streets and survived just fine. It's not like I'm some preppy rich kid."

Brand nodded, adding, "Now, but…"

"You were?" Randulf asked, seeming surprised.

"Way back when I guess you would have called me that. Then things went bad between me and my family and I got out of there fast. I decided—" Mag glared angrily down at his hands, "—a conversion camp was not going to be in my future. And that is all I'm going to say about that. It's in the past and it's staying locked up there." 

"Understood," Antton said. "We all have histories we do that with." He stood, telling them, "Now, as I said, I have to tell the council we have a new member. I suggest, Randulf, you start working with Brand as soon as possible. There are rumors that Alanna Jans is heading this way."

"Only rumors?" Randulf asked, frowning deeply.

"So far, yes. Obviously, we're trying to determine if there's any truth behind them."

"If she is, this could become very interesting, to put it mildly."

"Who is Alanna Jans?" Brand asked.

"I'll let Randulf explain," Antton said before leaving the room.

Randulf paced as he began talking. "Alanna is a very vicious, rogue werewolf. Once, many years ago, she was one of the sweetest, most docile female werewolves I've ever known. Then she made the mistake of falling head-over-heels in love with a human. No insult intended, Mag."

Mag nodded. "None taken."

"Unfortunately, this man was a bastard, to put it mildly. He used her, abused her, and then when he was finished, he turned her over to a friend of his as if she was just a piece of chattel."

"If she was a werewolf, why didn't she rebel and… and do something to him?" Brand asked. "Surely she was strong enough to have stopped what he did to her, at least on a physical level."

"That would have given away what she is and at that point, she wasn't willing to—for everyone's sake. Besides, as I said, she loved him and never quite came to grips with the fact he was only using her to satisfy his own insane needs. Needless to say, when he tried to dispose of her by giving her to his friend, she finally got the message. By then, she was broken mentally and emotionally. Something snapped and in the end she killed both of them, quite horribly. Since then, she has gone on a rampage, seducing and then killing human males indiscriminately. Before you ask why she hasn't been caught, she learned a trick or two along the way on how to stay beneath our radar until it was too late."

"The female of the species," Mag muttered.

"In this case, that quotation holds very true," Randulf agreed.

Sui Generis – 37

 

Later that morning, once Brand and Mag were dressed and had eaten, Brand called Antton, asking if he and Mag could come over. Antton agreed, saying that since they didn't have a car, he'd pick them up. However, when the SUV showed up at their front door, it was Randulf, not Antton, in the driver's seat.

Brand cocked an eyebrow as he slid into the passenger seat. "I figured you'd be long gone, back to wherever you live."

Randulf smiled ruefully. "Most of the time I 'live' wherever I'm needed at the moment."

"You don't have a home?" Mag asked in surprise, after he got into the back seat.

"Define 'home'. I have a place where I keep most of my junk, but that's about all it is." He chuckled. "A storage bin that looks like a house." 

Mag frowned. "Is it like that for all the Enforcers?"

"You've seen Antton's place, so what do you think?"

"Honestly, that you're even more homeless than I used to be—and that's saying something."

"Not homeless. Just a…a nomad. And how the hell did we get on this line of conversation?" Randulf turned his attention to driving while asking Brand, "Have you come to a decision?"

"Since I haven't been asked yet…"

"Okay. If Antton or the council asks, will you say yes?"

"Yes. I have a question though. Is Antton the right-hand man for the council, so to speak?"

"There are several high-ranking Enforcers, one for each geographical area. He's one of them and supervises the western half of the country."

"So I'd be working for him?"

"To start with. Then when he's sure you can handle it, you'd be available for anyone who needs you."

"Just like you and the others are," Mag put in.

"Yes. Ulrik's based out of Sweden. Dante's Italian—big surprise—and Vesper's a Londoner born and bred."

"I thought he was British from his accent, as slight as it is."

Randulf grinned. "Don't tell him he has one. He thinks of himself as a man of the world and thus… Is 'accentless' a word?"

"Works for me," Brand said. 

 "So anyway, back to the original question—yes, you'd be working under Antton."

Brand and Mag instantly broke into gales of laughter, causing Randulf to look at them in bewilderment. Then, apparently, he realized what he'd said and shook his head.

"That is not what I meant and you know it. Believe me, he's as straight as they come."

Brand asked, once he'd stopped laughing, "Are most Enforcers straight?"

Randulf nodded. "Most, but not all. But then that's true in any organization. If you're asking will you be ostracized by some of them the answer is, probably not. Still, when it comes down to it, we're all human, well human in our reactions to things, so who knows what you could run into? So far, I haven't had any problems and I suspect you won't either."

"Whoa. You?"

"Yes, me." Randulf chuckled. "As they say, don't judge a book by its cover. I wouldn't have figured either of you were just by looking at you. Ulrik sort of guessed because he'd seen you together often enough on the streets. But as he said, homeless kids tend to find someone else they feel safe with, as a way of keeping from becoming targets of punks looking to cause trouble."

"Not always," Mag replied. "There are loners out there who don't trust anyone—and with good reason. But I guess that's neither here nor there at the moment."

            "Nope," Randulf agreed, as he made a right-turn onto Antton's street. "In a minute we'll have… well, not more important things perhaps, but other things to talk about."