by LJ Swallow
"I don’t know anything about cats. Joss?"
"She really loves him," he says in a low voice. "If uh... Bacon likes living here you know he’ll be safe."
"But I want him too." My words are almost a whine as if I’m a girl cut up over a broken relationship. Bacon left me for somewhere and someone he prefers.
Joss takes my hand and squeezes. "Maybe he hated his name, and that’s why he ran away."
I scowl and slap his hand away. "Ha ha."
"What’s his real name?" asks the woman.
My heart hurts as I look down at the wide-eyed girl, the one whose new pet I could take away from her.
No. he should stay here. This way, I can be sure he’s safe. With me, he won’t be.
"Blackie," I say.
The girl’s smile brings sunshine into the shadows of my day.
I fight the lump in my throat as we walk away with reassurances from the woman, who finally introduced herself as Meg, that the newly named Blackie would be safe with them.
On the drive home, I rest my head on Joss’s shoulder, his hand on my knee, and close my eyes. Both guys fussed over me when we walked away from the house. Their hugs were welcome, but I need to put him out of my mind. I repeat to myself he’s better and happier with Maisie.
Heath and Joss don’t mention my cat again.
Halfway home, the car veers off the road, and I open my eyes. A petrol station forecourt comes into view, and Heath stops his car at a pump.
"How often do you think the original Horsemen had to refuel?" I ask with a smile.
"Original Horsemen?"
"The Four Horsemen. Men on horses, not in SUVs. Do you think their horses were magical?"
Heath shakes his head at me. "That's a story, remember."
"I know, I was kidding."
I glance at Joss who shrugs at Heath's unimpressed response. "Did you know Heath can't ride a horse? We tried once."
"I'm trying hard not to laugh here," I say. "The Horseman who can't ride a horse."
"Watching what happened when you tried was funnier, huh, Heath?"
Heath opens the car door. "You're not as hilarious as you think, Joss. I’ll fill the car, and we can head home."
"I want to tell Xander we have the cat just to see his reaction," says Joss. "Man, that would be hilarious."
Heath shakes his head but fights a smile too. Tempting idea.
The car door clunks closed, and I watch as Heath stands by the car and fills the tank, eyes to the sky. I look out too, at the cars lined up around, and at the people walking in and out of the small store attached, or leaving with snacks. Business people in company cars, mothers in SUVs, tradesmen in white vans. Ordinary people; normal lives.
People with no idea what lives amongst them.
I shuffle down and cover my face; I don't want to take in any more of the real world today.
"I understand," whispers Joss and pulls fingers from my face. "You don’t need to pretend you’re okay."
His green eyes, soft with concern, look into mine as he tips my chin with his thumb and forefinger. He places a kiss on my forehead, at a spot between my eyes, before hugging me to him.
After a few silent moments he says, "If we ever capture a hellhound to keep as a pet, you’re not naming it, okay?"
"Hellhound? Do they exist?" I ask, face against his chest.
Joss chuckles. "No. Well, I don't think so. I haven't met one yet."
I groan. "Heath's right, you're not as funny as you think."
Joss strokes my cheek with his thumb, and I close my eyes again. Leaving behind Bacon in the girl’s safe, sticky, hands brings a finality to my switch from Vee to the Fifth.
My cat was the last part of my old life, and now he's gone.
The Four Horsemen: Hunted
For those who’ve been with me since Soul Ties, thank you.
The Four Horsemen: Hunted
Who is Vee? Where did she come from? And what is the darkness the fae can see inside her?
Xander's reaction to these questions drives a bigger wedge between the fae and the Horsemen. His move isn't popular with the others because right now they need fae help more than ever.
A bloody message and a series of murders lead to a search for a threat from the past. Instead, the Horsemen encounter something new and dangerous. The race is on to find out what the creatures are and how big a threat they are to an already chaotic world.
Vee discovers using her powers has a strange effect on her relationship with the Horsemen. Although this pulls her closer to the guys, the conflict between Vee and Xander continues. But is the greatest conflict within himself?
And as the Five search for answers, someone watches. What does he know? Can he help? Or does he have an agenda of his own?
1
VEE
The silence between the four guys unnerves me. One of them always has something to say, but this isn’t the time for a joke or sarcastic comment. The only sound is distant traffic, the natural world around silent. Once again, my out of the ordinary day morphs into something worse than I could ever predict.
Movies filled with gore and violent deaths never appealed to me. I’ve avoided them, scared enough by the darkness in my dreams.
Now I live in a horror movie.
Heath breaks rank and edges toward the corpse. There’s no need to check if he or she's alive because nobody who’s contorted into that shape, surrounded by that much blood, could be. He crouches down and examines the body without touching, his face pale.
"Eyes burnt out," he says in a flat voice, then gestures. "The body has all the hallmarks a demon did this. There’s nothing I can do."
"Fuck." I'm unsure which guy speaks the word we're all thinking. I can't look away from the carnage in front of me, cursed by the human “car crash mentality” where curiosity overcomes horror.
A warm hand takes hold of mine, and I don't need to look around to know this is Joss’s. He gives my fingers a gentle squeeze but doesn't speak.
"How?" asks Ewan. "How the fuck did someone break the wards around the property and get in here?"
"Someone with powerful magic who can mask themselves," mutters Xander. "And the bigger question here is who’s able to?"
I'm on the edge again. Is the perpetrator known to the guys or not? Their reaction to whoever or whatever did this ices my veins. Joss can attempt to comfort me with his touch, but this time things are different.
I can detect his shock and uncertainty.
I drag my hand from Joss's, unable to cope with the idea the guys might have an adversary they fear. Xander's face is the darkest I've seen as he stands with both hands dug into the front of his hair.
Nobody has an answer.
I need an explanation, but I doubt any will come my way until they deal with their shock. I back up and sit on the rough stone doorstep. If I pretend that mangled “thing” on the floor doesn't exist the churning in my stomach might stop.
"You okay, Vee?" asks Ewan and crouches in front of me. "You've turned white."
I clamp a hand over my mouth to stifle the word “no.” Xander shifts focus to me his eyes glittering with an anger that freezes my blood further.
"This is your fault."
His words stun me, and I look between Ewan and Joss, scared their faces will reflect the same blame.
"How is it Vee’s fault?" snaps Ewan. "Don't be a dick."
Xander steps forward, and I scramble to stand and face his dark expression. "If you hadn’t distracted us with your stupid discussion, we would’ve noticed someone breaking through our defences and leaving... this."
"Whoa, Xander. I know you're upset, but this won't help." Joss places a hand on his shoulder. "Seriously, rein it in and don't lash out at Vee. Turn your anger into tracking down who did this."
"What the fuck are you doing, Xander?" calls Heath. "You guys, get over here and help me."
With one last scowl, Xander turns on his heel and joins his brother. Ewan follows.
"He
is such an arsehole," I say through gritted teeth, and Joss laughs softly beside me. "I mean it, the guy pisses me off. How can we live together if Xander treats me like this?"
"It's not limited to you, Vee. Xander struggles with the mood swings his power causes him, but rarely admits it. Put him under pressure and he can't deal. You know how it is with brain stuff." I shake my head, confused. Joss taps the side of his head. "Xander’s rational side switches off. He stops thinking and just “does.” That can help when we’re under attack, but other times... not helpful, especially when it comes to you. He needs to be more rational about the situation."
I rub my mouth and watch as Xander bends to look at the body, then backs off and walks away, face to the sky.
"This is an extreme situation. Xander's response is extreme too. Don't hold it against him," says Joss
I clench my jaw. "I don't think I want to be around Xander when he's like this."
"Agreed. Head inside the house. I'll try to explain what's happening." I remain still and tensed, anger building against Xander blaming me for something I had no influence over. Joss rubs my arm. "Xander's reaction to you fucks with his head too."
"Pardon?"
"How can he protect and care for you when half the time he's lashing out at and upsetting you? He hasn't voiced this is happening to him but..." Joss raises his brows. "I know he isn’t coping."
I run my tongue along my teeth, quelling my anger at Xander. When I'm close to him, do I pick up on Xander the way Joss can? Does my Famine absorb Xander’s raw emotion? Or is my response to Xander caused by the War I contain? If Xander's always on a hair trigger, and I contain some of his power too, how will we ever resolve the effect it causes between us?
"I'll bear that in mind."
Relieved Joss offers to take me away from the scene to explain, I follow him back into the sanctuary of the house. Although judging by the guys’ reactions, I don't feel the place is much of a sanctuary now.
In the kitchen, Joss flicks the switch on the kettle. "How about a cup of tea? The English panacea for all ills."
I sit in a chair and fold my hands on the table in front of me. "That's an odd phrase, Joss."
"I’m very cultured you know.” He chuckles. “Haven’t you noticed I read? We joke that Ewan's the geek, but I'm the one whose job is to study the books that could help us."
"Old books? Like the one you were going to show me?" I ask.
"Ah." He drops two teabags into mugs and looks to the window. "Maybe I'll save that for another day. Sometimes a joke isn't appropriate to the situation."
Joke? "Hmm. Okay."
Heath walks into the kitchen and over to the sink. He pushes up his jacket sleeves and turns on the tap with an elbow. I look away as the water runs red beneath his hands.
"You said you'd explain what's happening," I say to Joss. "Who do you think did... that?"
“There's no definite answer to that,” says Heath. “There are few demons powerful enough to break in and send us a message like that. This is a show of power by someone high up.”
“Why ‘guess who?’ Does that mean you need to guess who the body is or guess who did it?” The look they exchange suggests they hadn’t considered which.
“We don’t know who the body is yet.”
“Are the words a clue?”
“A taunt,” mutters Joss.
“No, a challenge,” says Heath. “‘Look at what we can do, try and stop us.’ That shit.”
I spread my fingers out on the table and look down. Their confusion scares me more than the situation. They don’t know what to do.
"Then how the hell are you supposed to win against these demons?"
The kettle clicks off and Joss pours water into three cups. "There's no way to 'win' this. We're guardians and can prevent an apocalypse situation, but the threat never leaves. It's non-stop, Vee."
"Your whole life will be this? Every day?" My life.
Neither guy responds. Heath sits and shuffles his chair closer to mine. He wraps an arm around me, and I rest my head against him. The conversation we had about struggling with his role makes sense. At the start of my time with them, the guys’ confidence in their abilities and situation comforted me. Now? I think the guys fooled me they’re the ones in control. Or are they also fooling themselves?
Joss hands me a steaming mug of tea, before sitting and placing his hand on my leg. I stare into the mug, mouth dry. I think this situation will take more than a cup of tea to fix.
2
VEE
One cup of tea later, a calmer Xander reappears with Ewan. He doesn't meet my eyes as he sits at the opposite end of the table. Ewan sits too, and the same silence as before joins us.
This isn't good.
"Who's the victim?" asks Joss.
Xander pushes away the mug Joss sets in front of him and tea sloshes onto the table. "Fae," he replies.
"Shit!" exclaims Heath. “Ewan, get onto this, now."
"How?" demands Xander as Ewan throws open the laptop lid. "Whoever the fuck did this holds the cards. We won't be able to find him unless he reveals himself or leaves more stupid fucking clues."
"Which is why Ewan should get onto it. We need to find whoever did this before someone else dies. There’s a murder victim on our property.” Heath replies. “What if the next victim’s human? The last time we went through this shit we were almost pulled under the police spotlight.”
“Okay. But how much time do we have before Portia's party tonight?" growls Heath.
"Maybe cancel?" I suggest. All Four look at me with the “are you insane?” look I'm learning to recognise. "Or not."
"This is fucked. Not only do we need to tell Portia we're no closer to finding out who attacked her, now we have to let her know another fae died," replies Heath.
Ewan rests back in his chair. "When we see Portia tonight, some of her advisors will be there. We can ask if they know anything or have heard any rumours."
“This has to be connected to the assassination attempt. Maybe the dead fae is somebody who needed to be kept quiet, or has outlived his usefulness," suggests Heath.
Xander rubs his chin. "I don't think we say anything to Portia. Not yet."
"Why?" asks Heath.
"Because I can't be sure one of her 'advisers' isn't involved. I don't trust any of them right now, and they’re heading to this dinner party too. I hope she's being careful who she surrounds herself with too."
"Transparency's best, Xan" says Joss.
"But how does it look if we tell Portia we're no closer to finding who attacked her and there’s a new threat we also have no idea how to deal with.”
“Another fae died, Xander,” Ewan reminds him.
“The two events are too much of a bloody coincidence. No. We wait and watch."
I watch the interaction. Partly, Xander's right. But I see the others' point of view. There are alliances, and there is trust. Without both, things go south and that's exactly somebody’s intention here. Xander's trust levels are already low. This won’t end well.
"Look, we'll go to Portia's tonight. We’ll decide what to say when we’re there," suggests Joss. “Play it by ear.”
"What am I walking into when I go?" I ask.
"Picture a human, civilised dinner party filled with falseness and one-upmanship. Now add in fae. And alcohol. And possibly magic," says Heath.
I tense at the mention of magic. "All good, we'll be on the look out for any tricks. We've seen most of what fae do before, and long since learned to avoid them. Demon magic is the ever-changing version we need to stay on alert for,” says Ewan.
"Right."
"You’ll be okay," says Ewan. “Bored, but okay.”
If they’re leaving a situation this dangerous in order to go, not meeting Portia’s requests must lead to serious consequences
Despite Ewan’s assurances, the prospect of a dinner party at Portia's house appeals as much as a night out with the Clone Club.
EWAN
Th
e guys leave the kitchen, but Vee remains, spinning an empty mug on the table in front of her. I’ve waited for the right chance to talk to her about last night, and now I don’t know what to do or say. She needs us to help her through this new side to our world; one I didn’t think would land on us this quickly.
I’m distracted by the way her hair falls away from her slender neck, and at the cute crease between her brows that appears when she’s deep in thought. I want to push Vee's hair further to one side and kiss her neck, to inhale and remind myself of the feel good from our time together.
I want this to be okay.
The chair scrapes across the floor as I sit next to her. She looks around. "Hey, Ewan. Are you okay?"
“I should be asking you that question.”
She shrugs. “No. But nobody is. Talk to me about something else.”
I place my hand over hers. Vee’s hands are tiny beneath mine; smooth and warm. “I enjoyed your talk before; I especially enjoyed the guys’ reactions.”
The worry returns to her face. “I hope you didn’t think I was rejecting you after last night.”
“No. But I need to talk to you about this.”
“Oh.” She gives a small laugh. “Are you rejecting me?”
"No. You blow my fucking mind, Vee," I say in a low voice. "I'm trying really hard to keep things cool after what happened between us, but it's bloody difficult."
Her cheeks redden, but I don't miss the unmistakable attraction darkening her eyes, the one I saw the other night. This girl fell apart beneath my hands and begged me for more.
The power from Vee took over, as if her desire was only part of the reason we let go. The energy radiating from her coiled around and dragged me from common sense into a place I desperately wanted to go but told myself I wouldn’t. At that moment everything centred on us, and I needed to give Vee what she wanted. I still have no fucking clue how I stopped myself.