Page 7 of Cruel Revenge (Jacky Leon #12)

“Come with me,” Hasan said, walking through the door. Heath was left following, unsure where this door was going to lead. As he entered Hasan’s other office, Landon walked into Hasan’s Tribunal office.

“I’ll be back,” Heath promised. Landon made a face, but didn’t chase after him.

“On my children, I will return your father alive,” Hasan said, then closed the door.

“I hope you meant alive and unharmed,” Heath said softly, staring at Hasan’s back since the werecat hadn’t turned toward him again.

“I have no intention of harming you, but I can’t keep you from stubbing a toe,” Hasan retorted as he walked through the office and opened another door, leading to a hall.

“Fair enough,” Heath said, pushing his hands into his pockets, following Hasan out of this office.

Heath had two guesses about where he suddenly was.

The mysterious island he only heard whispers about or Africa, in Subira’s territory, where no werewolf had tread in probably thousands of years, if ever.

Leaving the office, Heath noticed the lack of windows, frowning.

Instead, there were paintings of various styles and qualities.

From masterfully painted landscapes and portraits to a finger painting from a child, the walls were a real display of art that must have been meaningful to the one who hung them up.

Heath couldn’t resist lingering on the finger painting, as it reminded him of a few crayon drawings he never let Carey know he still had.

“Amir painted that for his grandmama recently,” Hasan said, his words softer than Heath had ever heard them. The gentleness was that of an endearing and aged grandfather, something Hasan didn’t look like.

“Zuri’s little one, right? Jacky and Zuri say he’s going to be our ring bearer,” Heath said, chuckling. He never met the little nephew of Jacky’s. He only knew Zuri’s husband by name, Kushim.

“Whatever the ladies want, they get. He’ll be three by the time you and Jacky get married, so he can certainly walk,” Hasan said, shrugging. “He’ll need one of his older cousins to help him get down the aisle without losing the rings, but it should be fine.”

Heath nodded slowly, before turning to see another painting, one of a landscape he had only ever seen on television—lions lying in the sun on the Savannah.

“Come, before my wife grows impatient.”

“My apologies. Whoever painted that scene did a wonderful job of it.”

“She did. Mischa is a fantastic artist when she can focus long enough to sit down and paint.” Hasan led the way, and Heath tried to keep up, realizing the werecat was now moving faster.

“I should have expected this. You’re the first visitor we’ve had at this residence.

I didn’t think to take down our personal pictures… ”

“And why would we take them down while hosting the man who is marrying our daughter?” Subira asked, stepping in front of Hasan.

Heath didn’t even smell her until it was too late, stunned into stopping by her sudden appearance.

“Why don’t we take this outside and enjoy the evening air?

” She grabbed Hasan’s forearm, pulling him along as she smiled in Heath’s direction. “Come, come.”

Heath took a deep breath and followed. He certainly always had a lot of respect for her, the ancient witch and werecat, but this was different.

He was in her domain, a place where outsiders never went.

Many didn’t even know who Subira was, other than the whispers about Hasan’s mysterious mate.

To see her was rare for outsiders, and he had, thanks only to his relationship with Jacky.

To be in her home, in her territory…

How is Hasan not on edge with me here?

By the time they made their way outside, Heath had already figured out where they were.

Subira’s territory was in Africa. He knew that her large home here was built underground to hide it from anyone who may look in her direction.

The only thing on the surface was a shack that hid the front door and staircase down into the home.

He’d been told that by Jacky and had heard some of the planning for it in passing, thanks to calls Jacky would have with her siblings.

Her den. Her home is a den where her family can hide under her protection.

He stepped out of the shack and looked back, seeing that it even looked dilapidated from the outside. Ignorable. Forgettable.

And he realized why Hasan was at ease when he looked back to the werecats who had invited him to this reclusive and hidden place.

The relaxed man found a folding chair and set it out in the grass, then sat down, kicking his legs out.

A second chair was already nearby. Subira patted her mate’s shoulder before turning back to Heath.

“There’s more to grab,” she said, gesturing to other chairs, an invitation for him to take his own.

Heath, without a word, did just that. It had been a very long time since he felt like a boy. Hasan could never do it to him. Callahan never could either. Both of them felt more like rivals in their own ways.

Subira smiled, and he felt as though an aunt was telling him to sit down if he wanted cookies. The sensation made him instinctually pull back on all his emotions, locking them away. She was always dangerous, but he hadn’t expected this type of dangerous.

“You’re safe here,” Subira said softly as he sat down.

“Ah… thank you,” he said, swallowing as she studied him. “Hasan said there were things you and he wanted to tell me…”

“Indeed, but now I must decide on where to begin,” she said with a mischievous smirk that revealed a single fang.

She moved the remaining chair that had already been there.

“Should we discuss the in-laws you’ll be getting or who our family really is?

” She sat down as she spoke, sitting closer to him than to Hasan. “What are you most curious about?”

“None of it. It’s not my business. Whatever you feel the need to share, I’ll listen and keep it in confidence.”

“Good choice,” Hasan said, sighing, his eyes closed as he relaxed in his spot, head back with the glow of the sunset on his face.

“Then we’ll start with the secrets Jacky has been forced to keep from you. Since you are marrying her, it’s not fair of us to require her to keep those walls up in your marriage. Certainly, by now, you understand the punishments if you use these secrets for your own purposes.”

Heath bowed his head in agreement and a submission he knew Subira would only appreciate on a human level. From his time with Jacky, he knew werecats didn’t feel or interfere with werewolf hierarchy. This was symbolic, a pure motion of respect, and even that was difficult for him to do.

“Let’s begin with Hasan’s Talent,” Subira said with a schooled tone that said she had given this talk several times in her life.