"I-" Galen turned from her to Keller. "Listen. I'm sorry-I should have mentioned it before." His eyes were embarrassed and apologetic. 'It just-there just didn't seem to be a right time." He winced. "I wasn't in that mall today accidentally. I came by to look for Iliana. I wanted to see her, maybe get to know her a little."
Keller stared at him, not breathing. "Why?"
"Because..." He winced again. "I'm Galen Drache... of the First House of the shapeshifters," Keller blinked while the room revolved briefly.
I should have known. I should have realized. That's why he seemed like a shapeshifter, but I couldn't get any animal sense from him.
Children of the First House weren't born connected to any particular animal. They had power over all animals, and they were allowed to choose when they became adults which one they would shift into.
It also explained how he'd known which pressure points to use to get her off the dragon. And his telepathy-children of the First House could connect to any animal mind.
When the room settled back into place, Keller realized that she was still standing there, and Galen was still looking at her. His eyes were almost beseeching.
'I should have explained," he said.
"Well, of course, it was your choice," Keller said stiffly. There was an unusual amount of blood in her cheeks; she could feel it burning. She went on, "And, naturally, I'm sorry if anything I've said has given offense."
"Keller, please don't be formal."
"Let's see, I haven't greeted you properly, or given you my obedience." Keller took his hand, which was well made, long-fingered, and cold. She brought it to her forehead. "Welcome, Drache, son of the First House of the shapeshifters. I'm yours to command, naturally."
There was a silence. Keller dropped Galen's hand. Galen looked miserable.
"You're really mad now, aren't you?" he observed.
"1 wish you every happiness with your new bride," Keller said through her teeth.
She couldn't figure out exactly why she was so mad. Sure, she'd been made a fool of, and now she was going to have to take responsibility for an untrained boy who couldn't even shapeshift into a mouse. But it was more than that.
He's going to marry that whiny little flower in the corner, a voice in Keller's head whispered. He has to marry her, or at least go through a promise ceremony that's just as binding as marriage. If he doesn't, the shapeshifters will never join with the witches. They've said so, and they'll never back down. And if they don't join with the witches . .. everything you've ever worked for is finished.
And your job is to persuade the flower to do her duty, the voice continued brightly. That means you've got to convince her to marry him. Instead of eating her.
Keller's temper flared. I don't want to eat her, she snapped back at the voice. And I don't care who this idiot marries. It's none of my business.
She realized that the room was still silent, and everyone was watching Iliana and Galen. Iliana had stopped prattling. She was looking at Galen with huge violet eyes. He was looking back, strained and serious.
Then he turned to Keller again. "I'd still like to help, if you'll let me come."
"I told you, I'm yours to command," Keller said shortly. "It's your decision. I'd like to mention that it just makes things a little harder on my team. Now we're going to have to look out for you as well as her. Because, you see, you're not expendable after all."
"I don't want you to look out for me," he said soberly. "I'm not important."
Keller wanted to say, Don't be an idiot. No you, no promise ceremony, no treaty. It's as simple as that. We've got to protect you. But she'd already said more than enough.
Toby was retrieving the tape from the VCR. Grandma Harman was making getting-ready-to-rise motions with her cane. "I think we've stayed here long enough," she said to Keller.
Keller nodded stiffly. "Would you like to come in
the limo? Or would you rather follow us to her house?"
Grandma Harman opened her mouth to answer, but she never got the chance. Keller's ears caught the sound of movement outside just before the living room window shattered.
Chapter 6
It was a full-force invasion. Even before the echoes of breaking glass had died, figures in black uniforms were swarming through the window.
Dark ninjas, Keller thought. An elite group made up of vampires and shapeshifters, the Night World experts at sneaking and killing.
Keller's mind, which had been roiling in clouds of stifled anger, was suddenly crystal clear.
"Nissa, take her!" she shouted. It was all she needed to say. Nissa grabbed Diana. It didn't matter that Iliana was screaming breathlessly and too shocked to want to go anywhere. Nissa was a vampire and stronger than a human Olympic weight lifter. She simply picked Iliana up and ran with her toward the back door.
Without being told, Winfrith followed close behind, orange energy already sizzling between her palms. Keller knew she would provide good cover-
Winnie was a fighting witch. She made full use of the new powers that all the Night People were developing as the millennium got closer. As one of the ninjas lunged after them, she let loose with a blast of poppy-colored energy that knocked him sideways.
"Now you!" Keller shouted to Galen, trying to hustle him into the hallway without turning from the ninjas. She hadn't changed and didn't want to if she could avoid it. Changing took time, left you vulnerable for the few seconds that you were between forms. Right now seconds counted.
Galen got a few steps down the hall, then stopped. "Grandma Harman!"
I knew it, Keller thought. He's a liability.
The old woman was still in the living room, standing with her feet braced apart, cane ready. Her apprentice, Toby, was in front of her, working up some witch incantation and tossing energy. They were right in the flow of the ninjas.
Which was as it ought to be. Keller's mind had clicked through the possibilities right at the beginning and had come to the only reasonable conclusion.
"We have to leave her!"
Galen turned to her, his face lit by the multicolored energy that was flying around them. "What?"
"She's too slow! We have to protect you and Hiana. Get moving!"
His features were etched in shock. "You're joking. Just wait here-I'll bring her."