by M. J. Caan
“Please don’t do that,” Torie said, her voice trembling slightly.
“Don’t do what?”
“Put your feet on the furniture like that. Sorry, but if you’re practicing your manners, then that’s one to add to your list.”
The hunter frowned before slowly placing her feet back onto the ground. “I hadn’t heard you weren’t supposed to do that. People do it all the time where I’m from. And on the television as well.”
“Yeah, well that’s something that makes me crazy when I see it on TV,” Torie said. “Especially when someone climbs onto the bed with their shoes on. Makes me wonder if they were raised in a barn.”
She saw something click in the hunter’s eyes, but the young woman didn’t respond. Just continued to look around.
Without taking her eyes off her, Torie positioned her body towards the iron poker that stood propped against the fireplace mantle.
“Oh I wouldn’t,” said the hunter, without making eye contact. “Trust me when I say, I could snap your arm before you could even make a move to grab that.” She then rolled her head in Torie’s direction and locked her with a look.
A look that said she wasn’t joking.
“What do you want?” Torie asked.
“Well, what I wanted was the two wolves. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’ll still get them; but this town has presented me with something else I now want as well.”
“And what might that be?”
The hunter stood up, walking around the couch to the console table behind it. She leaned down, studying the array of pictures displayed.
“That’s not your concern,” she said, running her fingers across the top of the frames. “But if what you meant to ask me was what do I want here, in this house, well that I can answer.” She walked up to Torie, standing close enough that she made Torie even more nervous than she already was. “I want some information from you.”
“Information? About what? I’m new here in town…I don’t know anything.”
“New? Maybe. Ignorant? No. You know that you’re sleeping with a werewolf, don’t you?”
“Oh, that’s ridiculous…my boyfriend is—”
The hunter cut her off. “Don’t. Don’t play dumb. You were at the bar the other night with the whole gang. You know perfectly well what he is. But what I want to know is why would a human like yourself be hanging out with a cadre of supernaturals?”
Torie didn’t answer, swallowing hard. Her throat felt like it was drier than the Sahara.
“At first I thought maybe you were one of them. But then, none of my divinity objects registered you as anything more than human.” She spun on her heel and walked away, heading for the kitchen. “So, I’m just curious; what is your connection to the supernaturals?”
“I…They’re just my friends. It’s no big deal who or what they are. This town, this community, is built on acceptance.”
“Yeah, I kinda noticed that. Never seen anything like it honestly. Of course, from what I’ve seen, not all the humans know what the other half of the town is.” She stopped walking and turned back to Torie, placing her index finger on her lips as a thought struck her. “But that works both ways. I’ve also noticed most of the supernaturals don’t know what some of the humans are into either.”
Torie wasn’t sure what to make of that, and she wasn’t sure how much to ask. The hunter saw the look of bewilderment on her face and smiled.
“See, I thought maybe you were one of those humans. That’s why I needed to know what I was dealing with.”
“What are you talking about? What do you mean by other humans?”
The hunter shrugged. “Not important. You’re obviously not one, so it doesn’t matter. But I do need you to tell me what you know about the two witches. The ones from the bar.”
Torie felt a line of sweat break down her back.
“They’re just friends, like I said. They keep to themselves. I don’t really know that much about them, personally. I met them through El— my boyfriend.”
“Elric. You can say his name. I already know it and that of his old alpha’s as well.” She walked to the far side of the island and rested her hands on the granite. Then she leaned in, supporting her weight on the island. “And something about what you just said wasn’t entirely true, was it?”
Torie swallowed hard but didn’t break eye contact with the hunter. “What I said was the truth. Honest it was.”
The hunter cocked her head to one side before moving around the island to the side where the stove was. She ran her hand over the large butcher block where the knives were housed. She smiled as her hand came to rest on the handle of the larger butcher knife.
“See…there it was again. That little something that tells me you aren’t being truthful. You know, telling when someone is lying is a talent I have; well, one of many. It comes in handy in my line of work.”
“Which is?” Torie asked.
The hunter laughed. “I help people recover things they lost…or things that maybe ran away from them. And in running away, they may have taken something that didn’t belong to them. When that happens, I go get it back; and deal with the thieves however my boss tells me to.”
“And who is your boss?”
“The one with the fattest check book, of course.”
“You’re a mercenary then? And let me guess, your boss put a price on Elric and Max’s head, right?”
“Something like that.”
“And it doesn’t bother you? That maybe you’re working for someone that is just using you to get what they want?”
“Hey, a girl’s gotta eat, right?” She looked around the well-appointed kitchen and waved her hand. “We can’t all be loaded.”
Whether she meant to or not, her words gave Torie an idea.
“If all you’re doing this for is money, then let me make you an offer. Whatever your boss is paying you to do this, I’ll double that to walk away now; without hurting anyone.”
“It doesn’t work that way.”
“But it could. I can pay you enough that you can go anywhere you want; start over again, and no one would be the wiser.”
“I’d know. I’ve never failed at delivering on a contract. Don’t think I’ll start now.”
Torie’s mind was racing. “Do you like what you do? It doesn’t seem like the kind of life that has a future.”
The hunter looked at her, brows furrowed. “What? You mean because I don’t have a 401K or stock options? Is that how you measure satisfaction in a job? Is that what got you all of this?”
Torie hesitated before answering. “No. I inherited this from my mother.”
The hunter stopped and stared at her. “Well, aren’t you special. You know what I inherited from my mother? Jack shit.”
Her clenched fists told Torie that a nerve had been struck. She held up both hands to the hunter.
“Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. Honestly, I didn’t have the best relationship with my mother. That was why I moved here…to get reacquainted with her after my marriage fell apart.”
“Yeah, well that’s all fine and good for you. But it’s not a possibility with my mother. She tossed me out of her life after I was born. So there won’t be any happy family reunions coming up, I can guarantee you that.”
“So you, what, raised yourself?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Of course not. But if you’re trying to get me to open up about my childhood, forget it. That’s not what I’m here for. I want to know what your connection is to the witches and the wolves. And don’t lie to me again.” She took the large carving knife from its resting place and laid it on the island in front of her.
Torie looked around. She had no doubt that she couldn’t get to a weapon in time to put up a fight. Even if she could, what would she be able to do? She’d seen the hunter toss around werewolves like they were stuffed animals.
Before she could respond, the sound of the front door flying open and footsteps running through the living room
hit her ears.
Jasmin and Opal burst into the room. A blue orb of magic encircled Jasmin’s fists, and Opal’s eyes glowed white as ghostly tentacles swirled about her.
The hunter snatched up the knife in front of her and turned to face them, a smile on her face. She glanced at Torie, who had moved to stand behind her friends.
“So, you’re still claiming that you have nothing to do with them?” the hunter said. “They just happen to come running to your rescue?” She stepped out from behind the island cautiously, reaching into her belt to withdraw a second knife.
“You need to leave before things get ugly,” said Jasmin, not taking her eyes off the hunter.
“Your magic won’t work on me, witch. I’m protected against it.”
“Yes, I noticed that when we were at the bar,” said Opal, stepping forward. “But I’m betting you aren’t protected against physical attacks. My magic is a little more subtle than that.” The phantom tentacles began to flare outward, striking at the hunter like snakes as Opal mentally commanded them to inch toward the young woman.
“Plus,” said Jasmin, “we brought back up.”
The back door opened slowly, and Fionna and Glen entered. Glen leveled the familiar shotgun in the hunter’s direction, one finger curled lightly around the trigger.
The hunter didn’t move as they advanced on her. “I’m betting I can get to you before you can pull that trigger.”
“Oh yeah?” said Glen, her tone flat and menacing. “Why don’t you mess around and find out?”
“Okay, stop,” said Torie, stepping forward from behind Jasmin and Opal. “There will be no fighting in this house. Glen, put that thing away before you blow my cabinets up. And you two,” she turned to Opal and Jasmin, “power down. Before you all came busting up in here, we were in the middle of a conversation.”
Jasmin turned to her friend, her face dropping.
“A conversation? She was holding a knife on you!”
“I wasn’t going to use it,” said the hunter. “It was just for show. Mostly.”
“My offer still stands,” said Torie. “Double.”
The hunter was staring at Jasmin as she slowly made her way past them and into the living room.
“You know my answer to that. Besides, I got what I came here for.”
Torie frowned. “What are you talking about?”
The hunter slowly placed her knife back in its sheath and then withdrew her golden chain. “I’m walking out of here, witch,” she said to Jasmin. “And if you try and stop me, someone is going to get hurt. Bad.” She glanced back at the others, leveling a look at Glen before turning her attention back to the two witches. “Don’t worry. I’ll be seeing you. Soon.”
She turned to face Torie and smiled. “Just as soon as I skin your boyfriend.”
With that, she sprinted for the door just as Opal sent one of her tentacles flowing at her. It just missed, grabbing air as the lithe hunter cartwheeled through the open door. As soon as her feet touched the porch, she vaulted into the air in a spin that carried her far enough from the house that Opal wouldn’t have been able to reach her.
She sprinted for the road and was out of sight before those in the house had even made their way to the front door.
Torie let out a breath that felt like she had been holding in since the hunter stepped through her front door. She bent over, placing her hands on her knees.
“You okay, Torie?” asked Fionna, rushing to her side.
“I will be. As soon as my heart returns to its normal pace. I think I need some water.”
Fionna helped her to the couch where she sat down, holding her head in trembling hands. Glen was at her side with a glass of water.
“Easy, don’t gulp it,” she said.
Torie sipped the water, looking up to see Opal and Jasmin still standing near the door.
“Did you manage to do it?” said Jasmin.
“No. She must have some other charm or something that blocked it,” replied Opal.
“What? What did you try to do?” asked Fionna.
Jasmin walked into the living room where everyone else was clustered around Torie.
“Opal was hoping to put a magical tracker on the hunter.”
“So that’s why you were okay with her just waltzing out of here?” said Glen.
Jasmin nodded. “I have a feeling that hunter is in town for more than just Max and Elric. We need to know what she’s up to.”
“You’re right,” said Torie. “She said as much to me.”
“What else did she say?” questioned Opal.
“Hey, let her relax and get her breath,” said Jasmin. “She’s lucky she wasn’t hurt.”
“No time to relax,” said Opal. “She needs to tell us everything that was said while it’s still fresh in her mind. Even the smallest details.” She was looking at Torie and nodding.
“I really didn’t get much out of her. She wanted to know what my connection was to the two of you and to Max and Elric. She couldn’t understand why I would be friends with you.”
“Why would she care about that?” asked Glen.
“Exactly,” said Opal. “If she were only looking to kill the wolves, why hasn’t she already done that? Something tells me she is more than a match for the two of them.”
“Maybe she’s one of those hunters who believes all supernatural creatures are evil and need to be purged from the world,” said Jasmin. “Maybe after the bar fight, she’s looking to probe our weaknesses as well?” She looked from Opal to Fionna and finally back to Torie.
“I didn’t get the feeling it was like that,” said Torie. “Though she definitely wanted to know about the two of you.”
“Did you tell her that you used to—that you are a witch as well?” asked Jasmin.
Torie shook her head. “No. She said that her…” she scrunched up her face trying to remember, “something she had, some kind of objects, registered me as human. That was what kept throwing her off. She couldn’t understand why a human would be so close with witches and shifters. I told her that you were friends with my mother and that was how we got to know each other.”
Jasmin nodded. “That’s good. Hunters don’t know how witch lineage works. She wouldn’t have made the connection that you are a witch as well. That keeps you off her radar.”
“What were you saying about an offer?” asked Opal.
Torie told them about the conversation she had with the hunter, about how she had tried to pay her off.
“Yeah, that won’t work,” said Jasmin. “They are way too wrapped up in some weird honor system that compels them to eradicate evil from the land, or something like that.”
“I don’t know,” said Torie. “I get the feeling this one is not like that. She wants something. I think I was close to getting it out of her.”
“Anything else you two talked about?” said Opal.
Torie started to shake her head, but then stopped, her eyes lighting up.
“No, there was something else! She said that the supernaturals in town didn’t know what they were dealing with when it came to certain humans. Or something like that. She made it seem like some of the humans in town were hiding secrets of their own…secrets that could hurt the supernatural community.”
“Interesting,” said Opal. “Something tells me I’m going to like this little town.”
“Hey, how did you know I was in trouble?” Torie asked.
“Magical security system, remember?” said Jasmin. “The wards I erected let me know the minute she crossed the threshold into your house.”
“Oh yeah, I forgot about those.”
Jasmin walked over to the coffee table and picked up the white gem she had given Torie. “Looks like that wasn’t the only thing you forgot. I told you to keep this on you at all times.”
Torie could only blush as she took the stone from her friend and slipped it into her pocket.
“So, what now?” asked Fionna. “Looks like reasoning isn’t getting us anywhere wi
th this hunter. What’s the next step?”
“Well, there are two steps,” said Jasmin, looking at her sister.
“First, we get Torie her magic back,” said Opal.
“Second, we track this hunter down before she can do any more damage and run her out of town. For good,” added Jasmin. She was about to say something else, but her phone began buzzing in her jacket pocket. She took it out, a frown crossing her face as she read the messages.
“What is it?” asked Torie.
“It’s from Max,” she said. “He and Elric found out something interesting. They were finally able to speak with the injured bus boy from the bar. The one who waited on the mystery woman that seems to be at the scene of each incident. He said it was Myra Simms. She’s a school teacher at the high school. She was there with her husband.”
“Wait a minute,” said Glen. “Did you say Simms? Myra Simms and her husband Marcus?”
Jasmin shrugged. “He didn’t send the name of the husband. Why?”
Glen shook her head in disbelief. “Because that’s not possible. I was Marcus’s nurse at the hospital. He died six months ago.”
10
No one said anything. They all stared at Glen, letting her words sink in.
“Wait, are you sure?” asked Jasmin.
“Of course I’m sure,” Glen replied. “I literally sat at the man’s bedside, holding his hand when he passed. He suffered from lung cancer, but it was in remission. Myra had left town for a teachers’ seminar in Raleigh. Marcus developed a blood clot that traveled to his lungs while she was away and was brought into the hospital for emergency surgery. I was the nurse anesthetist on duty. The surgeon tried everything, but he didn’t make it; I watched him breathe his last breath. I didn’t see Myra when she finally arrived at the hospital, but I heard she was devastated by the loss.
“So, unless she has gotten over that and remarried in the past couple of months; whoever was with her at that bar could not have been her husband.”
Torie looked around excitedly. “This has to be connected to the wave of violence that seems to have broken out in Singing Falls. We need to talk to this Myra Simms.” She stood up and started to head for her bedroom at the back of the house.