Her Professor Mate

by Tasha Black

  Ainsley could smell Parker on him.

  From his brief tenure as alpha, he wouldn’t be surprised if she had sensed some portion of his emotions last night too.

  “Good,” she said. “So what’s going on?”

  “Do you remember how Carol Lotus sensed something in the forest the other night?” he asked.

  Ainsley nodded.

  “I felt it too, last night in the college woods,” he told her. “Hector Thayer can back me up.”

  “Yes, Hector was in touch this morning too,” she said.

  “What do you make of it?” Mac asked.

  “I’m not sure yet,” Ainsley said. “But I don’t think it’s anything to do with the portal. At least, I hope it isn’t.”

  Mac looked into the water.

  They had all played here as kids, he years before Ainsley. Near the banks, the water trickled past stones smoothed from hundreds of years of flowing water.

  A few feet in, it grew deeper.

  He had never known how deep.

  Below the surface at the center was the entrance to a portal that led deep underground, connecting Tarker’s Hollow to a sort of underworld, a pocket dimension that was home to indescribable things.

  And it had once been used as a prison of sorts for a shadowy creature called a moroi. The creature could take the shape of humans and other animals, but as far as Mac could see, its true form was an inky shadow, bent on destruction.

  The moroi that had been imprisoned in this portal was long gone.

  At least they thought it was.

  But what Mac had seen in the woods made him think another might have been lurking nearby. Maybe it had been biding its time, waiting until their guard was down.

  “I’ll check the wards,” Ainsley said. “If someone found a way to use this portal to amplify dark magic, we would all be in real trouble.”

  Mac watched as his alpha materialized a ball of blue energy out of nowhere and swirled it between her palms. He trusted Ainsley utterly and completely, but he wasn’t sure he would ever really get used to her magic.

  The sharp scent of the spell assaulted his nose, but this had a tinge of freshly cut grass to it. It wasn’t the scrubbed-clean, ozone scent from last night.

  Ainsley spread her hands wide, and then raised them heavenward.

  A web of bright light appeared in the air. Lines flashed across the creek and back, circling and intersecting in complicated patterns.

  It was beautiful and terrifying.

  This magic was here, all the time, invisible.

  Mac’s super human wolf senses normally gave him access to information that might not be apparent to everyone. But he wouldn’t have suspected anything like this without Ainsley’s help.

  Shimmering rays sprang into view among the others for another minute or two. They extended into the water, lighting it from within. Mac could see clear to the bottom.

  At last the whole area was illuminated in a swirling universe of light.

  “Everything’s intact,” Ainsley said. “No evil thing has crossed these lines or even disturbed them. Each of those rays is a protection. Together they are inviolate. Whatever you saw didn’t come from the portal.”

  She wore an expression of pleasure as she observed the web of protection.

  And well she should. Ainsley and her best friend, Grace Kwan-Cortez, had set these wards together.

  “What do you think it could be?” Mac asked her after a moment.

  Ainsley made a motion with her hands and instantly the network of light disappeared.

  “I’m not sure,” she said. “I’ll take a run tonight, maybe ask Grace to join me. But I wonder if the Harkness clan might know something. I know they had a few run-ins with shadow demons when their protection spells wore off.”

  “Good thinking,” Mac said. “I’ll have a talk with Kate Harkness.”

  16

  The Stranger

  The stranger stood in the shadows of the oaks that lined the western border of Springton Middle School’s parking lot.

  Behind him were the trees, and the waterfall flowing off the granite cliff face that separated Springton from Tarker’s Hollow.

  Ahead of him, the open parking lot of the middle school was choked with cars, harsh sunlight reflecting off their windshields so that the lot resembled a flattened disco ball.

  The woman walked among the cars, between two friends, her dark curls bouncing around her shoulders.

  He watched her intently, hoping her friends were parked closer to the building, that she might traverse to the edge of the lot alone.

  But her car was the closest of the three. As she got in and started her engine he felt a twinge of pain.

  Why is she never alone?

  He turned to head back through the woods. He would keep vigil at her small apartment in Tarker’s Hollow again.

  The thought gave him no joy.

  Springton might lack dark places for hiding, but there was something about Tarker’s Hollow…

  The whole place buzzed with wrongness.

  At first he had attributed it all to that golden-haired man she was spending her time with.

  But he felt it again and again, especially in the woods.

  Tarker’s Hollow held a secret.

  17

  Mac

  Mac arrived at Harkness Farms just as the sun was beginning to set over the orchard. He parked on the far side of the lot, near the old farmhouse, so as to stay out of the way of the customers.

  Harkness Farms was big with tourists. Every fall you could pick your own pumpkins, spring was festooned with flowers, and summertime meant fresh fruit by the bushel.

  Right now, the farm was readying for the holiday season.

  Kate had asked Mac to meet her in the basement of the repurposed octagonal barn, where she and Gloria Cortez were baking challah with raisins and preparing gingerbread dough for the coming festivities.

  “Hey, Mr. MacGregor,” a young teenager called to him, waving her hand.

  “Hi, there,” Mac said, trying to remember which one she was.

  When he taught at the high school he’d known all the Harkness kids, but it had been a few years, so he wasn’t as familiar with the current crop of high schoolers.

  “It’s Hannah,” the girl said helpfully. “Are you looking for Mom?”

  Kate fostered shifter kids who were so-called early bloomers - children who came into their shifting abilities too young to control them. Mac wasn’t sure how it all worked, but he did know that each Harkness kid seemed to be nicer than the last. She must be doing something right.

  “Sure am, Hannah,” he said. “And thanks. Is it okay for me to go on to the barn to find her.”

  “Sure,” Hannah said. “I’ll walk with you.”

  They headed up the gravel drive, under the bare sycamores.

  “How’s school going?” Mac asked her, hating himself for not being able to think of another question. He remembered being a teenager. School had been the least of his worries.

  “Great,” Hannah said enthusiastically. “We’re reading Shakespeare now. It’s amazing.”

  “Which Shakespeare?” Mac asked, impressed. “The comedies, the tragedies, or the histories?”

  “Right now we’re reading A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Hannah replied. “Romeo and Juliet is next.”

  “That seems like a good reading order,” Mac said approvingly.

  They had reached the barn and Hannah gave him a friendly wave as she headed back toward the old stucco farmhouse where she undoubtedly had a book awaiting her.

  Mac opened the door to the barn and was met with the heavenly aroma of fresh fruit and assorted baked goods.

  He made his way down the crowded side aisle, past the glass jars of honey and maple syrup and the refrigerator with its sticky gallons of cider. All around him, children begged their parents for treats and skipped around happily.

  “Hey, Mac,” Evangeline Harkness said from behind the bakery counter.

&nbs
p; “Hi, Evangeline,” he replied.

  “Come on back,” she said. “My mom’s expecting you.”

  He stepped behind the counter and headed down the stairs to the basement that housed the bakery.

  The wonderful aroma grew more and more delicious as he descended.

  “J.D.,” Kate’s gruff voice called out fondly.

  “Hi, Kate,” he said. “Thanks for meeting with me.”

  When he reached the bottom of the steps he saw that Kate was rolling out gingerbread dough as her old friend, Gloria Cortez, sipped coffee, a plate of fresh challah bread in front of her.

  “You’ve taken so many of my kids under your wing,” Kate said. “We’re always here for whatever you need.”

  Mac smiled.

  It was true. The Harkness kids who were wolf shifters often needed a little encouragement to join the Tarker’s Hollow pack. Mac was glad to welcome them, in his official role as beta, and ensure they found their place.

  “So what’s going on?” Gloria wanted to know.

  Mac sat opposite her and explained the strangely moving shadows in the woods, and the way they seemed to recede just as he was trying to pursue them.

  Kate rolled out her dough, a serious expression on her face.

  Gloria nodded, her ever-smiling face pulled into a frown.

  “I heard that when your spell of protection falls away, some of the kids have had shadow demons to contend with,” Mac said. “I wondered if this could be related to that.”

  “I can see why you came to us,” Kate said. “But I don’t think that’s it.”

  “Why not?” Mac asked.

  “Do you understand how the three hundred moons spell works?” Kate asked.

  “Not really,” Mac admitted.

  “I’ll explain,” Gloria said, setting down her coffee mug. “Each time an early shifter comes into Kate’s care, I place a restraining spell on them.”

  “So they can’t shift,” Mac said, nodding.

  “No, if it were that simple they could go home with their parents again,” Gloria said. “It’s more that the spell helps them control their shifting, so it doesn’t happen unless they want it to. For most of them, that means they don’t shift again until the spell wears off.”

  “Why would a spell wearing off cause demons?” Mac asked.

  “It doesn’t cause demons,” Gloria said, looking more than a little offended.

  “I’m so sorry,” Mac said immediately. “It’s probably pretty clear that I don’t know anything about magic.”

  “You’re a wolf,” Gloria said, looking decidedly less ruffled. “Of course you don’t.”

  Mac thought about Ainsley Connor, who was also a wolf and commanded powerful magic of her own. But he decided not to bring it up. Ainsley was clearly an exception in a lot of ways.

  “The spell wearing off releases a little magic, isn’t that right, Gloria?” Kate asked, huffing a little as she carried over another massive ball of gingerbread dough.

  “That’s right,” Gloria said. “Quite a bit, actually. And that last puff of three-hundred-moon-old magic is what attracts the demons.”

  “Like an aged wine?” Mac asked.

  Gloria laughed. “I guess it’s like that.”

  “But things have changed,” Kate said.

  “Yes,” Gloria agreed. “Ever since the portals were opened, there’s magic everywhere. Now the shadow demons don’t chase the kids anymore when their spells wear off.”

  “Besides,” Kate said, “this sounds different.”

  “A shadow demon doesn’t hide,” Gloria said. “You’d know right away if one had business with you.”

  “Do you have any idea what it might be?” Mac asked.

  “No,” Gloria said. “But I’ll take my Grace for a walk in the woods and we’ll see if we can pick anything up.”

  “Ainsley might want to join you,” Mac suggested. “Her first thought was to ask Grace to walk the woods with her, too.”

  He was thinking that it would be best for Gloria and Grace to have Ainsley there to protect them, but he didn’t want to say it.

  “You think I’m a helpless old lady, huh?” Gloria asked him, her eyes twinkling.

  “Am I that obvious?” Mac asked sheepishly.

  “You’re a wolf, it’s your nature to be protective,” Gloria told him, patting his hand fondly. “We’ll be alright though. My granddaughter is no one to be trifled with. And she learned it all from me.”

  Mac smiled as Gloria thumped her chest once with great pride.

  “We’ll talk with Ainsley too,” she told him. “And we’ll get back to you if we figure anything out. Meanwhile, you keep a sharp eye on that girl of yours.”

  What the heck?

  Gloria wasn’t a shifter, she didn’t have super senses.

  “A whole month’s salary,” Gloria said to Kate, shaking her head. “That’s good money.”

  “At least it went to a very good cause,” Kate declared.

  Everyone knew. Literally everyone.

  “Thank you, ladies,” Mac said politely.

  “It’s our pleasure, J. D. - you know that,” Kate said. “Take a loaf of bread with you. It will do you good.”

  She indicated a paper bag with a loaf of freshly baked challah.

  “Thanks, Kate,” he said, unable to resist.

  When he picked it up it was still warm.

  She waved him off and he let himself relax a little as he headed back out.

  Maybe things would be okay. He didn’t know much about magic, but he had the best minds in Tarker’s Hollow on the case.

  18

  Parker

  Parker walked slowly down the winding path that led around Mac’s house as the last bit of sunlight faded from the clear sky.

  He had texted her earlier to invite her over.

  She’d smiled when she read that he had something to do after work and then he planned to pick up Indian food for them, but she was welcome to go on in - his back door was open.

  His door was open for her. He was fine with her going in and making herself at home.

  These were the actions of a man who was comfortable with commitment. Maybe there really was something to all of his fated mate talk.

  She wandered through the lush grass to the rear garden.

  Soft moonlight caressed the rose bushes, which climbed the walls of the garden. In the center, a pale marble birdbath was encircled with more roses.

  Movement in the shadows stopped her in her tracks.

  Parker watched in horror as the darkness took on a shape.

  “Don’t be frightened,” a male voice said.

  The shadows pulled together and a man stepped forward onto the path.

  He had been standing in the corner of the garden, but now he was moving toward her slowly, as if she were a bird that might fly away.

  Relief that it wasn’t her curse settled onto her shoulders, before it hit her that a man had been waiting in the darkness of the garden for her.

  “Who are you?” she asked, taking a step back.

  He moved forward slightly, so that she could see him.

  “My name is Arkady,” he said. “I’ve wanted to talk to you for a long time.”

  There was something familiar about him, the dark hair, the harsh beauty of his features.

  But when she saw what he wore around his neck she forgot everything else.

  Her hand went to her amulet.

  Arkady put his hand to its twin, which rested on his chest.

  The amulet was unusual. She had never seen one like it. If this man had one, it had to mean something…

  “Who are you?” she asked again.

  “I don’t know,” he breathed, answering the real question she meant to ask.

  Who are you to me?

  He held out the amulet and came closer to her.

  Parker lifted hers up as well and they compared.

  Now that they were closer, she could see the two amulets weren’t exactly alike. They we
re mirror images of each other - hers palest moonstone, his a deeper golden color.

  She ran her finger down the smooth groove on the edge of hers and saw that the side of Arkady’s amulet had a raised edge in that same spot.

  Without speaking they slipped their amulets off in unison.

  Parker held hers as steady as she could with trembling hands as Arkady slid the ridge of his amulet up the groove of hers until the two pieces clicked.

  Mine, a soft voice whispered. Or it might have been the sound of the winter breeze in the leaves of the oak tree.

  “My birth mother left this amulet for me,” Parker said softly.

  “So did mine,” Arkady told her.

  She gazed up at him, searching for some similarity to herself in his handsome face.

  “My sister,” he said reverently, reaching out a hand to touch her cheek.

  Parker looked back at their amulets, locked together, as if it had only been one necklace.

  “I didn’t know you were my sister,” he told her. “But I knew you had the gift. That’s why they sent me.”

  “Who sent you?” she asked.

  “The Order,” he told her simply. “You have a gift. You call to the shadows. Your gift could serve our holy purpose.”

  He still cupped her cheek tenderly in his palm.

  Answers - she was about to get answers.

  “Parker,” Mac’s voice came from the back door. “What are you doing out here?”

  “Mac,” she said. “I’m glad you’re here.”

  She turned back to introduce Arkady.

  But he was gone.

  Parker was alone in the shadowy garden once more. Her half of the amulet was back in her hand.

  But she had a brother.

  And soon she would have answers to the questions that had plagued her since the first time she saw the shadows gathering.

  She had no idea how to track him down, but she wasn’t worried.

  Arkady would find her again. She knew it.

  19

  Mac

  Mac watched Parker jog up the stairs to the back porch, her dark curls dancing along her shoulder.