by J. C. Diem
“What the hell is going on?” my bestie asked when she realized he wasn’t kidding.
“I think Irene wiped his memory of us,” I said.
“Start talking, or I’m going to call security,” Jax said threateningly. While he’d scanned Yas, his main focus remained on me.
“We’re agents from the Shifter Squad,” I said. “I’m Alex D’Ath and this is Yasmine Porter.”
“She’s a vampire,” he said, pointing at her without taking his eyes off me.
“Yeah, but she’s not evil like the rest of them,” I explained awkwardly. “You worked with us for a few months, then you suddenly vanished without a word. Our boss said your werewolf wasn’t happy and wanted to leave, so he had you transferred here.”
Jax shook his head in bewilderment. I knew he wasn’t faking it, because I could feel his emotions. “None of this is making any sense,” he said with a scowl. “I’ve never worked for the Shifter Squad and I definitely haven’t met either of you.”
“You might not remember meeting us, but I bet you recognize our scents,” Yas said shrewdly.
He cocked his head to the side, unable to refute her claim. “You smell a bit familiar,” he admitted stiffly. “That doesn’t mean I know you. I could have smelled your scents in passing.”
“Yep, the witch definitely messed with his mind,” Yas said with a grimace. “It’s no wonder we didn’t hear from him after he left. He doesn’t have a clue who we are.”
His hand went to the back of his head when he felt my anger and despair. “What is that?” he asked me, suspicion increasing.
“It’s the spell,” I lied dully. “A witch hates our squad and has been trying to break us up. It seems she’s succeeded with you.”
Now I felt anger beginning to rise inside the former agent. “I think you’d better leave,” he said. “I don’t know what you’re trying to pull, but I’m not falling for it.”
“Come on, Alex,” Yas said. “There’s no use trying to talk to him. The spell has him completely bamboozled.”
Jax stepped aside and opened the door. No one was in the hallway, so Yas darted outside before she could be noticed. Jax touched my elbow as I was about to step past him. “Do we know each other?” he asked, searching my eyes for a lie.
“Yeah, Jax. We know each other,” I said sorrowfully.
His hold on me tightened. “I keep dreaming about a beautiful woman who I can never quite remember when I wake up. I dreamt we were mates. Are you the woman I keep dreaming about?”
Deep inside his mind, he fought against the spell that had buried his memories. I didn’t know how to help him break free from the mental constraints and helpless tears rose to my eyes. “Do you feel anything for me?” I whispered in desperate hope. If he truly was my mate, he would know it. Not even magic could break that bond.
I sensed he was on the verge of saying yes, then a spike of pain went through his head. It was strong enough to make me wince in sympathy. “I don’t know you,” Jax said almost robotically. “You should leave now.”
Heartbroken that I’d been rejected by the man I cared about yet again, I hurried outside before I could be discovered. While I knew with utter certainty that we were meant to be together, Jax’s mind had been tampered with. He might never get his memories back.
Thanks to Irene’s abuse, I managed to keep my tears contained as Emma took us back to the SUV. My heart felt as hard and cold as stone inside my chest. Some shifters were lucky enough to find their true mate and spend their lives together. That didn’t appear to be my fate. It seemed I was destined to be alone forever.
Chapter Forty-Six
YAS AND I CHECKED OUR phones to see we hadn’t missed any calls or messages. “Liam won’t be happy if he finds out you ate in the car,” the vampire warned me when I tore a wrapper open.
“He can sue me,” I mumbled around the sugary treat and handed her the backpack.
“Are you going to drive like a maniac on crack again?” she asked me warily while buckling herself in.
My tone was moody when I replied. “I’m in no hurry to get back.”
“God has answered my prayers again,” she said in relief. Emma settled on her lap for the three-hour drive back to the base. Yas texted Nick that we were on our way home and when we were due to arrive.
I switched the radio on, but we didn’t talk much during the drive. “Are we going to mention our visit with Jax to the others?” Yas asked when we neared the base.
Shaking my head, I slowed down and pulled into the driveway. “They’ll be pissed at us for sneaking onto the Shifter Corps base,” I predicted. “There’s nothing we can do about the spell the witch placed on him. No one seems to be able to nullify her magic.”
“I hope her spells will fade after we kill her,” Yas said as I drove along the lengthy driveway.
“I highly doubt they will,” I said dourly. “She’s good at making misery permanent.” I knew that better than anyone, since I was wearing some of the enchantments she’d concocted.
Our mood was glum when we entered the main living area.
“Did you eat anything other than candy bars?” Nick asked.
“Nope. What’s for dinner?” I replied.
“We had steak and fries,” Brynn told me. “We left a plate for you in the fridge.”
“Thanks,” I said and heated the food in the microwave. I scoffed it down, made a mug of tea, then headed for my bedroom. I intended to search for information about how to block my emotions from Yas.
I smirked when I saw Franko pacing up and down in his cell on one of the monitors as I passed through the coms room. “That’ll teach him not to steal my chocolate,” I muttered in satisfaction.
“You showed him, lass,” Crowmon agreed from his spot on the couch. “I doubt anyone will be brave enough to touch your junk food after the enraged display you put on.”
They all snickered and I was glad to lock myself in my room where I couldn’t hear them mocking me. I switched my laptop on and Emma curled up on the bed to watch me. Running a search through the archives, I looked for information on how to muffle my emotions from others. There wasn’t much on file. What little there was related to bonded shifters, not hybrid necromancers who were linked to zombies and vampires.
“Ugh, it looks like I don’t have much choice but to contact Lexi,” I said in dread. Knowing Yas would feel it every time I dreamed I was with Jax was the only thing that could have forced me to take such drastic action. “This is so embarrassing,” I muttered, then took my cell phone out.
Liam had programmed a bunch of numbers into my phone for me. Both the older and younger generations of the squad were on there, as well as Crowmon and Dr. O’Brien. My finger hovered over the screen and I could feel myself grimacing. Emma reached over and placed her tiny paw on my arm in support. She knew I wasn’t looking forward to this. “Here goes nothing,” I said, then began typing a message.
Hi, Lexi. Can I ask you a question? I sent the message, heart thumping hard as I waited for the spells to kick in and punish me. Thankfully, nothing happened. I jumped when I received a reply.
Of course, honey. What do you need to know? Her response was warm, but it was hard for me to feel anything other than uncomfortable at her endearment.
Is there a way I can block my emotions so they don’t spill over onto others?
Who are you trying to block your emotions from?
Yas. I kept my reply short, wondering who else she thought I was trying to block myself from.
Picture a brick wall in your mind. Make it two feet thick. Practice pushing your thoughts and emotions behind it. Eventually, you’ll be able to keep it in place even when you sleep.
That was exactly what I’d needed to know and I did a fist pump. I texted her my appreciation. Great. Thanks.
How are you?
I rolled my eyes that my absentee mother was concerned about me. I’m fine. We all hate Franko and want him gone. “She asked,” I muttered as I sent the message.
Agent Franko came highly recommended by his trainers. You all need to give him a chance to prove himself.
Her reply annoyed me. She had no idea how horrible the alpha was to live and work with. How would you like being lumped with someone you hate? As soon as I sent the message, I wished I could take it back.
Her response was pretty much what I’d expected. I’d be an adult about it and not sulk like a child.
“She’s another alpha hole,” I said with a scowl. Stung by the rebuke from the woman who’d allowed me to be abused for my entire life, I didn’t bother to respond. Lexi didn’t send anything else. “There’s the motherly love I’ve been missing out on,” I said dourly, then hissed in pain when the spells reacted. “Give me a break!” I said in annoyance when the pain faded.
Now that I had some guidance, I switched my laptop off and set it aside. I drank my tea, then lay down and closed my eyes. The image that appeared in my mind wasn’t a brick wall. Instead, it looked like the concrete cell I’d rescued Jax from. The memory floated up from the recesses of my mind and I cemented it firmly in place.
I sensed Yas coming upstairs shortly before it was time to turn in. She stopped at my door and I got up and opened it for her. “Are you working on a way to block your emotions?” she asked in a hopeful tone.
“I’m trying to,” I confirmed.
“What method are you using?” she asked as she entered and closed the door.
“I’m picturing a cell in my mind and have been practicing shoving my thoughts and emotions into it.”
“I could feel you cutting in and out,” she said as she scooped Emma up to cuddle her.
“So, it’s working, then?” I asked, surprised that I’d had some success with it already.
“Yeah, thank God. Now maybe I won’t wake up wanting to jump the nearest dude’s bones because of your sex dreams.”
We both snickered and I resolved to keep up the practice. It wasn’t pleasant for either of us to feel each other’s emotions. She felt mine a lot stronger than I felt hers. That had to be because of my necromancy. Taking over her mind had made her mine in a similar fashion to Emma. “Do you wish I hadn’t bonded us together?” I asked her hesitantly.
She thought about it, then shook her head. “I know I don’t have a soul of my own, but I almost feel like I’ve got one again now,” she told me. “I can feel a wider range of emotions and I don’t feel dead inside anymore.”
“Is that what it feels like to be a full vampire?” I asked in horror.
“Yeah,” she said with a shrug. “We have more intelligence than zombies, but we’re still dead and soulless.”
Only part vampire myself, I still had my soul. “I’m glad you don’t resent me for it,” I said.
“I do sometimes,” my bestie said truthfully. “Then I remember how awesome I am now and I get over it pretty quickly.” She tickled Emma’s belly, making her squirm in delight. “Roadkill is glad you bonded her, too,” Yas said. “Aren’t you?” she asked, poking the zombie’s chubby belly. Emma’s nose twitched in response. “That’s a yes,” Yas said solemnly.
She handed Emma to me and I smiled down at the squirrel. I could feel her contentment and gladness that I was her mistress. “Having you two as my friends makes being a necromancer more bearable,” I said.
“I’d probably be dead if I hadn’t met you,” the vampire mused. “Dead for real,” she added before I could point out that she wasn’t exactly alive. “The humans would have hunted me down and finished me off, like they did the rest of my nest.”
“I guess it was lucky I found the cellar you were hiding in,” I figured.
“Was it just luck?” she said speculatively. “It seems pretty coincidental that you just happened to stumble across me just when I needed you the most.”
A chill walked its way down my spine. “You don’t think Fate is manipulating us, do you?”
She hesitated, then shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe it is all just random. You met Jax and saved him from the humans just in time. You met me and saved me as well. Jax just happened to work with people you’re related to. My nest headed to Denver, near where the Shifter Squad was based. You rescued an ungrateful woman who rewarded you by calling the cops on you. The squad heard about it and came to investigate it. I ran into them and led them to you when Killion’s goons grabbed you. Do you see a theme here?”
“Yeah, I keep rescuing people,” I replied wryly. “I must be the heroine of this story.”
“And I’m your trusty murderous sidekick,” she retorted. Checking her watch, she stood up. “It’s getting late. We should turn in, since we’ll need to leave early in the morning.”
She left my room and I took a shower, then went to bed. I practiced keeping the concrete cell in my mind until I fell asleep.
Chapter Forty-Seven
“ARE WE GOING TO LET Franko out of his cell?” Syd asked when we gathered in the kitchen to make breakfast the next morning.
Nick shook his head, then expertly flipped a pancake over. “I texted Liam about what happened. He told us to leave the alpha hole in his cell until our business in Landsby is settled.”
“Should we feed him?” I asked reluctantly. I’d glanced at the monitor on my way past to see Heath was asleep on the cot.
“Nope,” he said with a grin. “Liam says we’re not to have any contact with Franko. He’ll deal with him when we get back.” It was a relief to know we wouldn’t have to face the rookie’s rage for a few hours.
“He has water,” Yas said. “He can even drink it from the faucet rather than from the toilet bowl.” That cracked me up and it took a while for my cackles to peter out.
“I checked up on the lad from time-to-time last night,” Crowmon reported. “He paced up and down until the wee hours of the morning. I’m sure he’s all worn out and needs to take a long nap.”
We’d gotten an early start, but not early enough for Nick to take the wheel. “We’ve got two hours before Charles expects Emma to pick him up,” he said.
I took that to mean he didn’t want me to completely terrify them all with ridiculous speeds. “I’m on it, boss,” I said and we climbed into the same SUV I’d used last night. “We’ll have to stop for gas,” I warned him.
“We’ll probably need the break,” Syd muttered as she climbed into the back with the others. Nick rode shotgun with Emma nestled on his lap and my backpack on the floor at his feet.
No one wanted to stay behind at the base this time. We were all eager to distance ourselves from the toxic environment Franko had created.
“I can smell candy,” Brynn said as I backed out of the garage.
“I ate a couple of bars on the way home last night,” I confessed.
“Liam is going to be pissed,” Sydney said in a sing-song tone.
“I didn’t drop any on the seat,” I said in self-defense.
“You’ve seen her eat chocolate,” Yas said to back me up. “That girl never wastes a single scrap of it.”
Crowmon showed no fear at all when I zoomed down the long dirt driveway. His expression didn’t change when I rocketed along the backroads to the highway. Syd and Brynn scowled at him when he made himself comfortable and crossed his arms. He grinned back at them, leaning into the curve as I took a corner far too quickly for everyone else’s liking. “It’s like being on a ride at a theme park,” he said. “I don’t know what all the fuss is about.”
“Rides in theme parks probably won’t kill us,” the lamia muttered sourly. I snorted out a laugh, then concentrated on driving.
We made it to the outskirts of Landsby and I parked in the same spot for the third time. We had a few minutes to spare even after stopping to fill the tank. Nick texted Charles to warn him Emma was coming. He received a message from the doc to say he was ready and waiting, but he needed help to carry his equipment.
“I’ll go with Em,” Nick decided. “Try not to get into any trouble while I’m gone,” he said in a mock stern tone.
“We’ll be
good, boss,” Syd said and snapped him a salute.
Emma took my brother to Denver and we had to wait a few minutes before they returned with Dr. O’Brien. Nick was carrying a bulky metal box. Charles wore a white lab coat and carried a leather satchel over his shoulder. “Hello, all,” he said, beaming at us all. “This is quite exciting, isn’t it?”
“Aye, doc,” Crowmon drawled. “It’s a veritable delight for us all.”
“I’ve plugged your destination into the GPS,” Nick said, ignoring the deity’s sarcasm. “We’ll meet you there soon.”
“Remember that you’re not supposed to know us,” Brynn said, clearly hoping he’d tone down his enthusiasm.
“Of course,” the doctor said, still grinning widely. Nick placed the box in the back of the SUV and Charles climbed behind the wheel. He drove off and Emma took us to the church grounds.
Liam was waiting for us with the van. “How’s Franko?” he asked.
“He was sleeping when we left,” Nick reported. “Crowmon said he spent most of the night pacing.”
“The dude’s got rage issues,” Yas said. She was hooded and gloved and would have to stay out of sight this time.
“Yeah, he’s a typical alpha werewolf,” Sydney joked.
“You look relaxed, bro,” Nick said, eyeing his brother with a smirk. “How was your night in Sheriff Unwin’s bed?”
“Relaxing,” Liam said wryly. “She and her deputies are waiting for us, so let’s get to it.”
He took the wheel and the rest of us climbed in. We stopped to drop Yas off a short distance from the farm, then kept going. Liam parked next to the sheriff’s cruiser and we all climbed out.
The SUV we’d loaned to Charles pulled into the driveway, so we waited for him. Sheriff Unwin and her men were standing next to the old barn, watching us. Liam and the doctor made a production of shaking hands like they were strangers. “Thanks for coming, doc,” Liam said.
“It’s my pleasure,” Dr. O’Brien replied. He was trying hard not to grin in excitement.