Blood Challenge by Eileen Wilks Read Free Book Online

brought Benedict’s head up, anger blazing through him.
    Benedict’s father—who was also his Rho, leader of his clan—sat in his favorite wingback chair. Isen Turner was burly, bearded, and nine inches shorter than his oldest son. He looked to be in his fifties, though unusually fit for that age. He was ninety-one. His eyes were sad, but there was no give in his expression, none at all.
    There never was when he gave an order. “Is my Rho speaking, then?”
    “Yes, although your father and your Rho agree on this. As Rho, I need you here, even if you don’t have your head straight. Too much hinges on the heirs’ circle Rule has called.”
    Benedict stared blankly. He’d forgotten the meeting of Lu Nuncios. How could he have forgotten something so critical?
    “You’ve done all the setup for security already, but I can’t have you holed up in your cabin now. Given the current tension—”
    “Because my brother decided to get married.” He kept his voice level. He wanted to spit.
    Isen’s voice sharpened. “You know better. Some are upset about that, yes, but it’s the union—or what they fear is a union—of Leidolf and Nokolai that worries the other clans.”
    Benedict took a deep breath and let it out, forcing his body to relax. Isen was right. Nokolai’s relationship with a couple of the clans had been troubled ever since the Leidolf mantle was forced on Rule. It could grow worse at any moment—especially if anyone realized the truth about those two blasted Leidolf Rule was having trained as guards. “My apologies. My reaction … that’s why I’m not fit. I’m not thinking clearly.”
    “Clearly, you aren’t,” Isen said with a thread of humor that quickly evaporated. “What you don’t know because you’ve been hiding it is that a Leidolf lupus went crazy last night. He killed three people and injured several others before someone put a couple bullets in him.”
    Benedict’s head jerked up. “Beast-lost?”
    “No. He stayed two-footed.”
    “That’s bad. You have a name?”
    “Raymond Cobb.”
    The small jolt of surprise landed him a few steps closer to normal. “Ray Cobb?”
    “You know him?”
    Benedict frowned. “Not really. He took second in the pole vaulting at the last All-Clan, though. Fifth in shot put. Competed in wrestling, too, but didn’t place. He’s got the strength, lacks the speed. Good control, though. I’d have sworn his control was good. He was attacked?”
    “Apparently not, but Rule had very few details when he called. He’s headed to Tennessee now.”
    “The circle—”
    “Will proceed as planned on Monday, unless Rule finds the situation to be more than it appears right now.”
    Benedict nodded slowly. Whatever had gone wrong with Cobb, the meeting was too important to delay. “Rule took guards with him?”
    “Two of the Leidolf guards, yes. Lily’s with him, of course. She’ll be handling the investigation, such as it is. It sounds open and shut, from a legal standpoint. Plenty of witnesses, Rule said.”
    “Is Cobb still alive, then?”
    “He’s hurt, but not dead.”
    Benedict considered consequences. “Is Rule going to announce himself to the press as Leidolf Rho?”
    Leidolf clan had vehemently opposed the mainstreaming Isen promoted. The previous Leidolf Rho had forbidden any of his clan to live openly as lupi. Rule had lifted that ban, but hadn’t yet announced the existence of the clan to the press, or his position as Rho.
    Isen chuckled. “I asked. He told me it was my son and heir who’d called me, not the Leidolf Rho, but if I wished to speak to the Rho he’d see if he could arrange it.”
    Benedict’s eyebrows shot up. “And did you?”
    “He gave me to understand that he hasn’t told Leidolf his plans yet, so he couldn’t tell me.”
    Benedict supposed it didn’t matter greatly. Humans wouldn’t care that it was a Leidolf lupus, rather than a Nokolai, who’d killed. Their fear would encompass all lupi, and their fear was