Corrigan Magic (Corrigan: Blood Destiny Book 2) by Helen Harper

would be safe from either scavengers or future prying eyes.  Then I stood back, bowed my head and said a small prayer.  The Cwnn Annwn, had they known of my actions, probably wouldn’t have thanked me.  Shifters had never been their friends.  But it still felt like the right thing to do.  Either way, it was very late by the time I started heading back down the slope.  I was trying to keep my spirits up but I couldn’t prevent the swirl of worried despondency every time I thought of the disease and the potential disaster it could create.  It was for that reason that when I heard a faint buzz appear in my head and a familiar voice breathe my name, that I was so surprised I tripped over a clump of grass and went flying.
    Corrigan.
    What the fuck…?  I knew it was Mack.  By now I’d know her voice anywhere.  I couldn’t believe that she was telepathically communicating with me though.  It was meant to be impossible.  So impossible in fact that I took a moment to glance and make sure she wasn’t actually standing in front of me again.  I knew how she felt about me.  She may have odd flickers of desire and lust but she really didn’t like me very much. If she were able to use the Voice – and I still couldn’t see how she could – she’d only get in touch with me if it were a real emergency.  The only sane thought I had before I responded was that I couldn’t let her hear how shocked I was.
    Kitten.  I felt, rather than heard, her yelp - and more dread snaked through me.  What’s the problem?  My heart was hammering in my chest for more reasons than one.
    Problem? Her Voice was remarkably composed.  Didn’t she realise how momentous this was?  The Voice hadn’t deserted me; I was still Lord Alpha.  And yet… I have no idea what you’re talking about, my Lord, she continued.   Now fuck off and leave me alone. 
    I almost smiled at her language.  At least some things never changed.  I could swear as well that she hadn’t even realised who it was who’d initiated the contact.  Gingerly, I tested out my theory.  Except that this time you called me. 
    Stop playing mind games with me, My Lord, she snapped, pulling away and leaving nothing more than a dull ache in my head.
    I massaged my temples.  Perhaps I was becoming so bloody obsessed with her that I was starting to imagine things that didn’t exist.  I had no reason to believe she wasn’t still up in the far reaches of Scotland.  Even if she could use the Voice in a way that no other shifter other than Lord Alphas had ever been able to before, then how could she broach such great distances?
    Kitten?
    There was nothing there.  Not even a glimmer.
    Mack?  Mackenzie?
    It didn’t matter how hard I tried - the only answer I received was the cold wind whistling down the mountain slope.

Chapter Nine
     
    I dropped the bag samples off at the laboratory, doing what I could to impress upon the scientists there that they needed to get a move on with their investigation into the Somerset blood samples.  The longer I remained as Lord Alpha, the more I realised what a fine line it was between demanding people do my will – and risk rushing and screwing things up – and ensuring things were actually completed in a timely fashion.  I also had to tell the shifter techs about what happened to the Cwnn Annwn without creating a panic.  Explaining that a rural pack of shifters had a disease that had wiped out an entire species not too far removed from our own genetics didn’t go down well.  As much as it went against my own grain, I compelled them to silence.  Part of me wanted to ensure everyone knew the truth about the severity of the red fever and part of me was terrified about the results if I did.  For now I was hedging my bets.  As long as no-one else fell sick, I decided I could afford to stay quiet about how potentially bad the situation could be.  Of course that meant I also had to speak to the Arch-Mage yet again and request his