Read Sing for the Dead (London Undead) for Free Online Page B

she’d dislodge the cat.
    “Our friend Kayden here finds the most interesting people.” Seth gave her a smile and released her hand.
    “And what do allies of the pack do?” She wanted to know more, before she formally aligned herself with the shape-shifters. They could be of help as scouts or direct intelligence regarding the hidden places in the city, perhaps, but the fae had little need of the dual natured to handle fae matters.
    Seth tilted his head to the side, considering her. “In some cases, run patrols like Kayden or coordinate search and rescue efforts. We need all the help we can get out there, keeping the numbers of zombies down. The pack is outnumbered, and we can’t kill the lot of them in one night.”
    Oh, but wouldn’t it have been wonderful for the solution to have been so simple?
    “My purpose is not to keep the corpses under control.” Seth’s mouth tightened at her choice of words. Kayden’s gaze burned into her as well. “The fae only intervene because fae influence is involved.”
    “So you’re not here to find a cure or wipe out the problem, you’re just cleaning up the evidence of faery fun?” Seth crossed his arms.
    The cat sitting on her foot began to play with the laces of her boot.
    “Yes.” Truth, for the most part, and to put an end to the one causing it. What did she care if he wanted to put it that way? Allies did not have to be friendly to one another. “I am a soldier for the Court of the Light—the Seelie sidhe—sent to investigate why the lesser fae living in the city of London are dying and to stop it if I can. My lords in the Court have no concern for the mortals in the city, only the fae.”
    Silence fell. Only the sound of the cat tugging at her laces broke the heavy atmosphere. Sorcha might have shivered as well, but her annoyance was slowly burning to a true anger. She would not jump through hoops for the pleasure of one of the dual natured simply to gain their cooperation.
    “Help is help.” Kayden shrugged.
    Seth snarled.
    “What?” Kayden shot back. “The lass found evidence of fae magic. If it can be eliminated, it’s one less thing to worry ourselves over. As much as I enjoy going out there every night and killing the blighted things, there are other approaches to the problem.”
    Enough was enough. Sorcha deliberately took her gaze off the irritating men and bent to reclaim her laces. After she retied them, she scooped the cat up and cradled him in her arms. “I have my purpose here. I will proceed whether I have your help or not.” She paused. “It would be preferable to work with you as opposed to avoiding you.”
    The cat purred in her arms, the sound impossibly loud to her ears.
    “Get on with you.” Seth sighed. “No point in arguing over the how of it all. That you’re helping is enough. I suppose you’ll want to talk with our prisoner then?”
    “Prisoner?” Sorcha looked to Kayden.
    It was Seth who continued, “My wolves took the landlord who did this into custody for questioning.” His brows together in a dark scowl. “No matter what we’ve tried so far, he hasn’t revealed any information. He just opens his mouth and nothing comes out.”
    “He’s gone mute?” Disbelief colored Kayden’s voice.
    Seth shook his head. “He can cry and beg for mercy, curse us and blubber.”
    “When he tries to give you the answer you seek, the words are stolen before he can speak them.” Sorcha’s mind raced. Only magic could have bound the man’s words, a safeguard against betrayal. It was a geas , a binding of his will. The fae responsible for laying the geas on him would have left other safeguards on the human servant. “He’s been bound not to speak of what he knows. To let him see me, talk to me, might warn the responsible fae of my arrival.”
    “What do you need, then?” Seth’s brows drew together and his expression grew more severe.
    “Fae magic is powerful, but it has its limits.” That much should have been common