by Kasi Blake
“What do you want?” Trick asked.
“I want you to read a book, one without pictures.”
Trick blinked. “Are you crazy?” What was wrong with the werewolf-teacher? He had to have a screw loose in his brain to make such a deal. “Why do you care if I read or not?”
“Your brother was probably the finest student I ever had the pleasure of teaching, and it saddens me that you aren’t more like him. Read a book. I won’t ask you to dive into an American classic. Any book will do. Age appropriate, of course. Don’t try using Cat in the Hat.”
Trick gritted his teeth. “If I agree to read a stupid book, will you send Isobel for the Bomb?”
“Consider it done.”
Jersey crossed the threshold of his home, and Trick started down the porch steps. He stopped abruptly as he remembered something about Oberon’s antics. “Can the faerie king see us and what we’re doing when he’s not there?”
Jersey chuckled. “Of course not.”
Relief flooded Trick’s system, but he needed clarification. “How did he know the vice principal was with me? I was told he’d kill someone close to me. Then the vice principal was standing a few feet away from me when he died.”
Jersey sighed. “A brain is a terrible thing to waste. I was at the school, not Oberon. He had me send him a text the moment I saw the right victim standing nearby. Be thankful I didn’t rat out your girlfriend.”
So Jersey had chosen Oberon’s target for him.
“He sent me a text about my curse and hit me with blood lust while I was with Dani. Were you there that day?”
Jersey shook his head. “He can see through the eyes of animals. Didn’t you know? She has a dog. Correct?”
Oberon had seen him through Carter’s eyes. That was not good. He could run, and he could hide as long as Oberon didn’t have the power to spy on him. But there were animals everywhere. What if the king of faeries could watch him through a bird’s eyes? Or what about a fly that gets into the house and goes unnoticed?
He pushed his hands into his jacket pockets and descended the steps. As a parting shot, Trick reminded the werewolf, “Let me know if you get your hands on the Bomb.”
♫
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
I’d Die For You
Trick returned home. Without thinking, he automatically took the path to the back door. Sean might not want to see him, but he had to say goodbye. He wanted to let them know he was leaving town and hoping the bad guy would follow suit. It still seemed like the coward’s way out to him, but Cowboy and Scarlet agreed he should go. Since they didn’t normally agree on anything, he thought he should listen.
“Trick?”
His softly spoken name traveled from Dani’s backyard to his. He knew her voice in an instant. Hadn’t he been dreaming about it? Instead of going inside his home—if you could call it that anymore—he crossed over to the neighbor’s yard. Dani was sitting on the same swing where they’d found her father. That both surprised and freaked him out some. Last he’d heard she hadn’t wanted to venture into the backyard because her father had died there. Now she was sitting in the exact same spot. Seeing her there chilled him to the bone.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Just thinking... about death,”
He hunched down in front of her and placed his hands on her legs. The black denim was cold as if she’d been outside for too long. Her teeth chattered. She stared at something over his shoulder.
He asked, “You know I’m here for you, right?”
Not for long though, his inner voice reminded him. Concern for her drowned it out. As long as Dani needed him, he wasn’t going anywhere.
A solitary tear slipped down her face. “I’m sorry I got so mad at you for kissing Scarlet. It’s not like we’re married. You should be able to kiss whoever you want, do whatever you want, and I shouldn’t get mad over little things.”
“That isn’t why you’re upset,” he said. “Talk to me. Tell me what’s wrong so I can help.”
“Claudia says that Bash guy killed my dad and his entire hunting group.” Her damp brown eyes gazed into his. “Is that true?”
He reluctantly nodded. “It’s true.”
“Are you planning to go after him?”
Taken aback by the direct question, he didn’t know how to answer. Up until a moment ago, he’d been planning to run away. Now he wasn’t sure. There were only two choices as far as he could see. Stay and possibly die or run away and live a life without his family or friends.
A life without Dani.
A life without Scarlet.
Summer had told him to dump them both because he would know who he loved by which he missed the most. She had been certain it would work, certain he wouldn’t be able to live without one of them. Unfortunately, he couldn’t see a life without either girl. They were both vital to his mental stability. They each provided him with something the other didn’t.
Unaware of the direction his thoughts had taken, Dani continued to talk. “Claudia had a major meltdown when she heard about the group being slaughtered. Guess one guy was watching from a distance through binoculars in case something went wrong.”
“So he didn’t wipe out your father’s entire group?”
Dani shook her head. “Claudia says the organization has over three hundred members. They’re thinking about sending them all to attack Oberon.”
“Won’t work,” Trick said. “The guy took them all out at once. They exploded. Anyway, my sources say he can’t be killed.”
“Then what will you do? Claudia says he’s after you.” She stood and pulled him up with her. Her hand latched onto his wrist, and her eyes took on a determined light. “You have to leave town. Now. Go. I want you to be safe.”
The sweet plea caught him off guard. He had been sure she was about to ask him to avenge her father. His arms went around her, and he drew her close. Her head bent forward so the top of it rested beneath his chin. Her hands held onto his arms as if she would fall without their support.
He looked at the terrace doors and saw Carter standing there, watching them. A cold chill went up his spine. Oberon could be watching them through the dog’s eyes. It wasn’t Carter’s fault, but Trick felt like getting rid of the dog anyway. If Oberon was watching, he might kill Dani on the spot.
Trick pushed her away.
He jerked his thumb behind him to indicate his house. “Need to talk to the family.”
His feet took him backward while he was still speaking.
Confusion clouded Dani’s eyes. “But... can I see you after you’re done?”
“We already said goodbye. Remember?”
“Okay.” She started to walk away, then stopped. Without turning to look at him, she said, “Be careful.”
He spun around and marched into his former home. The urge to run back to Dani went with him. He squelched the feeling. She was better off without him. They all were. As soon as he left town they’d be safe. He just needed to make sure Oberon knew he was gone and wasn’t returning for any reason.
♫
Trick let himself in the back door like a thief in the dead of night. As expected, the kitchen was empty. Lights off, dishes done, no one had been in there for hours. He closed the door behind him, careful not to make a sound. Although he had come to say goodbye, he hesitated in making his presence known. He thought about leaving them a note instead. They could read it over breakfast tomorrow morning.
He roamed the kitchen, visually taking everything in so he wouldn’t forget a single detail. He wished he could tour the entire house. Of course, he could pop in someday when he knew everyone was gone, but he’d made himself a promise. Today was the last day he would enter the Donovan’s home. After he left town, even if Oberon disappeared, he’d never return. His life as Trick Donovan was at an end; his life as Trick Carver the hunter was about to begin.
Matt walked in with an empty glass and did a double-take. His eyes darted to the threshold he’d just crossed. He kept his v
oice low as he asked, “What are you doing here?”
“Good to see you too,” Trick said in a sarcastic tone.
Matt sighed. “Dad is upstairs, and he’s still in a bad mood over the whole vampire thing. Mom told me we need to let him cool down. Then we can talk to him again. He won’t listen to anybody right now, not even Mom. This isn’t a good time for a visit.”
“I came to say goodbye,” Trick announced.
“G-goodbye? You can’t... did Summer convince you to run? I thought that wizard guy talked you out of it.”
Trick sat at the kitchen table. “I think Oberon told him to say those things.” He made invisible designs on the table’s surface with his finger while talking. “Oberon has been wearing a disguise, and he had everyone fooled except for the people working with him. Jersey Clifford knew his identity this whole time. I think Benjamin did too. He tried to convince me not to run, so I think running is the smartest thing I can do.”
Matt sat across from him and explained the situation from his perspective. “It’s not. Trust me. If we all ban together, we can defeat Oberon. I know it.”
“Or we all die together.”
Elbows on the table, Matt buried his face in his hands. “I still can’t believe they knew about monsters and didn’t tell us.”
“We didn’t tell them either.”
“Mom thinks Dad will come around in a few more days.”
Days? Try weeks... months even.
Damp eyes, Trick looked away and blinked several times. He blamed his unusual emotional state on suffering one shock after another. Sean had known about vampires. Bash was Oberon in disguise, and the faerie king could kill an entire group of hunters at once. The average person would be in a straight jacket by now.
“I came to say goodbye,” Trick repeated.
Matt shot him a glare. “I’m not letting you leave.”
“Oberon is ready to kill everyone I know just to make a point. I’m leaving town. It’ll be safer that way. I think he’ll follow me.”
“You think?” Matt got up and paced around the kitchen like a caged tiger. “I don’t get it. Since when do you run away? Aren’t you the one who wants to be a great hunter? Here’s your chance. Kill the faerie king.”
Trick’s shoulders sagged. “I can’t beat him, Matthew. He’s invincible.”
“Says who?”
Trick sat up straight and gave his brother the complete list as he knew it. “Cowboy, your girlfriend, Jersey Clifford, Baxter, a wizard named Benjamin, Scarlet, and John Foster’s hunting group. Pretty much everybody including the man himself.”
Matt gaped at him. “You met Oberon?”
“Yeah. Funny story.” Only he wasn’t laughing. “Oberon has been with us this whole time, watching and learning. He pretended to be my dad’s friend, pretended to be my friend.”
“Are you... are you talking about Bash?”
Trick touched a finger to his nose, signaling his brother had guessed it in one. “I saw him kill John’s hunting group by lifting his arms and saying something in a foreign language. They exploded, blood and guts everywhere.”
Matt turned green and covered his mouth as if the thought was enough to make him puke.
“Sorry,” Trick said. “But that’s why I have to go. I can’t beat him.”
“I don’t believe that.” Matt folded his arms and leaned back against the counter. “You are just letting this guy psych you out. Don’t. I know you can stop him somehow. You just need to remember who you are and reignite that crazy confidence that makes us all question your sanity.”
Was it true? Had he let himself get beaten down by cold facts instead of trusting in his gut?
“Maybe you’re right,” Trick said, feeling better for the first time since seeing the evil king kill the hunters. “Maybe I do just need to find my way back.”
Matt pointed at him. “Yes. You just need to build yourself up again. You are the same guy that killed the Shadow Faerie. They all said you couldn’t do it. Remember?”
Trick nodded. “Yeah. They did.”
“They all doubted you. They thought the shadow thing would kill you, but you beat it. You won. You found a way. Just remember the only reason people think Oberon can’t be killed is because no one has done it yet.”
Adrenaline kicked in at the memory of destroying the Shadow Faerie. Feeling pumped now, Trick leaped off the chair and hit the air with his fists. Matt was right. He had done the impossible before. He could take out the stupid faerie king. People only thought Oberon was immortal because no one had killed him yet.
“I am going to do it, Matthew. I’m not running away. I will kill that sucker or die trying.”
A deep baritone said, “I like the sound of that.”
Bash stood beneath the arch connecting the kitchen to the foyer. Hands deep in his pockets, he grinned at them, and Trick knew his time had come. He didn’t have any choice but to fight the faerie king. If he teleported now, the maniac would kill his entire family.
♫
Trick only hesitated a second.
With a war cry he launched himself at the intruder. They traded numerous blows. Bash/Oberon seemed okay with hand to hand combat. As long as he didn’t lift his arm and say those words from earlier, Trick felt like he had a chance.
“Trick,” Matt yelled his name to get his attention. When he glanced his brother’s way, Matt threw a butcher knife to him. He caught it easily by the wooden handle. The blade was wide and razor sharp. He’d seen the housekeeper use it to cut through tough pineapples and coconuts.
He sliced through the air, missing Bash by a mere inch. Another try from a different direction. Trick lifted the knife high and came down hard.
Bash blocked his arm in mid-strike. Trick dropped the knife and caught it with his other hand. Moving fast, he stuck the blade in the king’s gut. His reward was a strangled cry. If the king could be hurt, he could be killed. Seemed logical.
Trick withdrew the knife, now soaked with the faerie’s blood. He tried to bury it in the king’s heart. The knife disappeared. Trick jumped, startled, and searched the floor near his feet.
Bash grinned, and Trick realized the faerie had made the weapon vanish. The king lifted his shirt to expose the wound. While Trick watched, the blood dried up, and the injury healed until there wasn’t even a scratch. Hope faded. If the faerie king kept using his crazy powers, Trick couldn’t possibly win the fight. His skills were irrelevant when pitted against magic.
“Stop cheating,” Trick said. “Fight like a man, you coward.”
Bash lifted his arm, and Trick flew backward. He didn’t stop until his back hit the wall. His feet dangled several inches off the floor. The ominous crash drew his parents to the room. They ran down the hallway to the kitchen to see what had broken and why.
Laura screamed at the sight of Trick pinned to the wall.
Sean grabbed her and forced her behind him while he confronted Bash. “What the hell are you doing here?” Sean yelled. “What sort of monster are you?”
“The time for games is over,” Bash said. Like someone wanting to crack their neck to ease joint pain, Bash sharply tilted his head to the left, chin up, ear down. Louder than normal, it echoed through Trick’s skull. Matt’s head snapped around. The sound of his neck breaking was a gunshot to Trick’s ears.
Matt crumpled to the floor like a broken doll.
Laura screamed and tried to run around Sean to get to her son.
Sean grabbed her around the waist, refusing to let her go.
Bash tilted his head the other way and made another audible cracking sound. Laura’s neck broke. Eyes wide, the light died in them. She fell back into her husband’s arms. He yelled her name and gently laid her on the floor before trying CPR.
Trick squeezed his eyes shut and gave into the grief rising out of his soul. If sorrow could kill a person, he’d be dead. Every awful thing he had ever said to his mother and brother returned with vicious clarity. They were dead because of him. His fault.
Summer ran down the mansion’s staircase in a state of panic. She shouted for Cowboy three times before he joined her in the foyer. Eyes wide and hands trembling, she grabbed onto her oldest and dearest friend.
“What’s got your panties in a bunch?” he asked.
She started talking fast, barely a breath between sentences. She didn’t care that Cowboy hated it when she went on a rant. “I fell asleep while reading a book Matt gave me, and I had a terrible dream. It was so real. He died. In my dream he died, but I think it actually happened. I tried to teleport to his house to check on him—”
“Then you remembered we can’t teleport anymore.” Cowboy smirked. “I could offer to drive you over on my bike, but it might be faster if you just called him.”
Her phone! She had forgotten she could call Matt. The powers she and Cowboy enjoyed until recently had made them soft. She ran back up the staircase to retrieve her cell. Then she’d call Matt. If he didn’t answer, she would call his parents or his maniac brother.
He had to be okay.
Deep in her heart she knew she couldn’t live without him.
♫
Pinned to the wall, Trick stared down at his brother’s body. His head was spinning. Matt couldn’t be dead.
“You will battle me on my terms,” Bash said.
A murderous rage filled Trick until there was nothing else left. He didn’t care if he died now, as long as the faerie king ended up buried next to him. Trick curled his hands into fists with a great deal of effort and worked to peel himself off the wall. His body remained glued to it. He grunted and strained. Nothing happened.
Bash grinned. “Having trouble?”
“I would have given you the power,” Trick said. “Now I’ll just kill you.”
“That isn’t how it works.” Bash crossed the room to stand directly in front of him. “Besides, I want to battle you. You’re the most powerful creature I’ve come across in this realm. True, you don’t know how to use that power, but you’ll still put up a good fight. We’re a lot alike, you and I. We both want a challenge.”