Ace

by Kim Faulks

  He sucked in hard breaths and stared at the green. “Right fucking there,” he whispered and turned to me. “You said someone would heal my leg. But there’s no one here. Look at the damn fire. It hasn’t been used in years.” He stabbed a finger at the hut. “No one lives here. Do you hear me? No one fucking lives here. So, I want you to tell me what the Hell’s going on, and I want you to tell me now.”

  I followed the stab of the air to the hut. But I didn’t see what he saw. I didn’t see the empty shell left behind.

  I saw laughter.

  I saw fire.

  I saw men, and women, and children dancing in the rain.

  And then I saw bodies…and the blood staining the earth and my soul.

  I saw loneliness…I saw pain.

  I stepped away—away from his anger and his fear.

  I stepped away from the Human in his gaze to turn to the mounds in the woods.

  I saw my kind…my people…dead people…everywhere.

  Fragments, that was all I had…fragments of a child who carried, who dragged, who clawed the ground while Spirit filled her body. Flashes, and screams of that night stayed with me—thundering birds overhead, calling out with their bang…bang…bang.

  Hide little Ghost! My father screamed inside my head.

  Hide now!

  And Ghost hid in the den under the floor. Ghost watched through splits in the wood as Human came and Human took. Ghost cried, but Ghost did as her father taught her. Ghost stayed. Ghost watched…Ghost waited as blood slipped through the cracks, until night turned to day—but this day was silent. Pain stabbed my chest as I remembered the silence…the cruel, lonely silence.

  But Ace didn’t see…Ace didn’t heal.

  “Spirit,” the tiny word slipped from my lips. “Spirit.”

  “Spirit. Yeah, yeah, yeah…I heard you the first one hundred fucking times.”

  “Human took…Human came.” I spun, seeing Ace now…seeing his Human. Spirit pushed in, filling me with anger. Lips curled, claws lifted ready to lash out, ready to hurt just as I hurt. “Human came! Human killed! Human took from Ghost with their bang…bang…bang!”

  His forehead creased. He stilled, frozen. A tiny shake of his head as though he didn’t understand. And yet I could see that he did. I could see that he understood me well. He jerked his gaze to the grassy bank that surrounded the camp.

  And there was that shake of his head once more, like truth tried to speak, truth tried to make him understand. Truth was painful. Truth was hard. But truth never wavered. Truth stood its ground and fought with tooth and claw.

  The snarl died in my chest…and yet the pain still lingered. No matter how much Ghost hurt. No matter how much Ghost hated…only one thing remained…

  “You’re alone?” Human stared at the remnants of the fire. “You’re alone. They came, didn’t they? They killed them all—your mother, your father…your people?”

  Human blurred. Yes, he understood well.

  “Jesus…Jesus…” He stumbled, winced and growled, and found the elder’s seat once more. “Retaliation, wasn’t it? At that place where we found you. There was a photo I found in a file. Someone in the background, someone big, thick fur covering his shoulders. The reports said animal attack. But it was a slaughter. All the doctors, the nurses. I think that was your father.” He shoved up from the seat, hobbled and took a small step closer. “So they came and wiped out your family, leaving you alone. Human, right?” He pinched his shirt. “Human like me. Human dressed in khakis carrying guns? Marines, right? Marines like me?”

  I stared at his thin fur and the monster’s face reared. I saw his face through the cracks as he knelt beside my mother. You’re a pretty little beast, aren’t you? Beautiful. Just beautiful.

  Blood fell and smacked Ghost in the face as Mother moaned. Still he reached for her, touching her skin. Just like he touched mine.

  Alone…always alone.

  Except for me, Spirit whispered.

  I dropped my hand, finding the curled edge of her silver coat. Yes, except for you.

  “I still don’t get it. So the kid is a what…a ghost attached to this place?” He stared at the trees as though Spirit would return. He licked his lips. “A ghost, eh? Seen it all now, haven’t I?”

  He stood, hobbled, looked around the camp. “We have to leave.” He met my gaze. “You understand that right? We have to go back. Protect remember…protect.” He growled and hopped forward. “I just need a splint, something to keep my damn leg straight.”

  He made for the trees, scouring the ground until he found a branch. “Too damn skinny, but it’ll do for now.” He reached for his thigh and unsnapped the tether. “This’ll secure the top.”

  The branch pressed to the inside. He tied the webbing over and around and snapped it closed. He yanked up his shirt and reached for his belt. I was drawn to the thin line of hair and the smooth skin. I stepped close, touching his hands…his belly.

  The tail of his shirt opened. My fingers met flesh, finding the soft fine hairs.

  He wrenched his gaze upward. “Jesus, you like to touch, don’t you?” His hand went to mine, gripped my wrist softly. His voice turned husky. “Don’t know what you’re doing. I’m not going to hurt you, okay? And I’m sure as Hell not going to take advantage of you. I know you’re a shifter and animals touch and…” He stilled, breath shuddering. “…and lick. But it means something different for humans…for men, like me.”

  “Ace,” I murmured, twisting my hand to touch his calloused fingers. Human wasn’t strong. His hands fell away with barely a fight. I traced his veins to the strong swell of his forearm, and then his bicep, and his shoulder.

  I stepped closer, pressing my nose to his chest and moved my face upward. I could still smell it, the bitter scent, and under that, blood. I would clean him. I would care for him.

  “Yeah, Ace. Ace the stand-up fucking guy letting you touch him like that, knowing it’s wrong. It’s wrong, okay? It’s just wrong.”

  He lurched…and then limped, moving away to wind the belt around his calf. Snarls and mumbles slipped from his lips as he cinched the leather tight and tested the brace. “It’ll do for now. It’ll get me to my pack.”

  He lifted his head to stare at the sky. “We should leave, it’ll take me longer to walk. We can make decent ground before we rest. Gotta be careful, gotta be quiet. You can track them right? The Humans, yeah… you can track them—track Alpha too.”

  He gripped the pine and tested his weight. Pale skin shone with sweat as he took a step, and then another. I followed as he stepped and pivoted and stepped again. His gait was awkward and slow. I followed three steps behind, stopping long enough to scan the trees.

  But the child was gone. A whine slipped free, the sound echoed, blending with the magic of this place. Come back…please come back.

  The lonely thud of his steps were all that answered. The soft coat settled heavy around my shoulders as I turned and followed. Black birds would come. Human was still hunting. Day was safe. Day we could walk, rest, and hide.

  But night was dangerous. I inhaled the downwind and kept watch, leading the way when he slowed, looked up at the sun and frowned. He hobbled, snarled…said words I didn’t understand. Lashed out at a tree. But he walked.

  He walked until the sun moved across the sky, until he stopped, turned and shot his gaze to mine. “I’m gonna need a minute here. You understand? The water, gotta come out somehow.” His smile was awkward, wincing more than anything. “Please tell me you understand what I’m saying. I’m trying to be a goddamn gentleman here.”

  I wrenched my gaze to the trees, and lifted my face. Scent…fresh. Movement, scurrying…running and running and running…not far.

  I lunged, finding air and dirt and a rhythm.

  “Hey,” Ace called, but I never slowed.

  Brown flickered at the corner of my gaze, right and left, right again. Picking up my scent…and fear filled the air.

  Hungry, Spirit snarled and I surged forward.r />
  A flash of white, tail up, panicked with the heavy thud of my steps. Tiny paws pounding, darting through brush and out the other side. I pushed deeper, weaving around thick trunks, and spiny bushes, gaining momentum.

  The fallen log reared, brittle on the outside. Rabbit scurried, ears flattened and dove underneath. Tiny paws scratching, clawing wood to climb higher and higher.

  I clenched my fist, lifted my body, swung upwards, and drove down with Spirit’s power.

  Log cracked. Log split, collapsing inward to where Rabbit hid. I speared my hand inside, searching, pushing, and found soft fur and fast heart.

  Long brown ears twitched as it kicked and bucked. I squeezed, snapping bones, and turned to the forest. My belly howled, hungry…berries not enough, rabbit not enough.

  But it would do…for now.

  The forest quiet now. Always quiet when Ghost on the hunt. I made my way back along the scent, finding Ace in the opening with the sun streaming down. The sharp stench of his water hit me like a blow. I dragged in the scent, taking it deep down, locking it in place where memories of my family stayed.

  I could hunt Ace…not eat, just touch, just stare. His warmth against mine. His scent on mine.

  I could hunt him until the end of the earth, and when the earth ended…then I’d swim.

  He raised his eyes to find me as I stepped from the trees.

  I liked Ace…liked this human. He found the rabbit in my hand. A growl trembled my chest.

  A warning…for others—for Human.

  For Ace I’d hurt…for Ace I’d kill.

  22

  Ace

  The hare hung limp in her hand, feet pointed to the ground. My stomach tightened, empty and hollow. I had water, taking sips from her flask, but the oat bar and handful of berries and nuts wasn’t anywhere near enough.

  But she’s a shifter—and she’s hungry.

  I’d seen how wolves act around a kill, seen them attack, seen them hunt. I stayed clear, watching from a distance as they all fought for the scraps left over.

  X was scared of her—this shifter. Ghost…Ghost is what she called herself—and if X was scared, then I should be fucking terrified. A growl echoed as she neared, but then the sound was gone. I found those gray eyes, and then the animal in her hand, keeping my voice low, and careful. “I could clean that for you—”

  She lifted the beast to her mouth. Fangs thickened and grew long as she opened her mouth and struck. But it wasn’t a massacre, it wasn’t savage. With precision she nicked the belly deep enough to spear her fingers underneath.

  The belly of the hare bowed, innards moved as she split the fur, all the way along its chest and yanked the fur free in the blink of an eye. Christ…my knee shook. She skinned the animal without spilling a drop.

  Glazed dull eyes shone in the animal. The neck hung at an angle—the hare was definitely dead. But there was no blood. No savage tearing at flesh, no guarding a kill. She stepped close, lips curling…just enough to make me understand—she dropped the animal at my feet and stepped backwards— to understand she cared.

  She cared for me. She protected. She fought. She fucking hunted…for me.

  My pulse picked up pace, thundering like a goddamn Gatling gun. Her touch, her warmth. Jesus, I could still feel her body on mine—hips rocking, desire mounting.

  She was courting, like an animal. She fucking wanted me.

  I swallowed hard. Heart smashing into my ribs. My body hummed with need, and it wasn’t for the damn animal at my feet. The long strand of her hair was still in my pocket like a goddamn omen. Easy now, easy. One thing at a time. Eat, find Alpha—I glanced to the forest—and find these bastards who wanted him dead. Desire just had no room. Not where loyalty was concerned.

  “You want me to eat? Okay…okay.” I clenched my jaw, bent and snagged a leg. The flesh was still warm, muscles twitching—revulsion reared. I could do this. I could do anything. Push my body to its limits and then beyond, and push my mind.

  That was all this was, carving a path. Survival, right? Survival. My mouth watered, belly clenched. “Thank you,” I whispered to Ghost, not once looking at the animal in my hand. “Thank you.”

  I opened my mouth, shoved muscle into my mouth and bit. Flesh bowed, hunger reared. I savaged, spearing canines deep, and tore.

  And she watched me. Eyes darkening like an ash-filled sky as I bit, chewed, and swallowed, working the muscle of one leg, and then the other. I stayed away from the belly, stayed away from the head, taking the thickest muscle until my stomach sat heavy and my hunger eased.

  I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. White bones on the legs bowed as I lifted what was left of the hare in the air. “I’m done. No more. You can eat now, Ghost. The rest is yours.”

  Brows arched high with the mention of her name.

  “That’s your name, right? Ghost.”

  Her eyes widened as she took a slow step closer. She reached out, grasping the remnants of the rabbit from my hand. Canines peeked out from under her lips as she opened her mouth and pierced flesh. Her gaze never moved as she worked her way toward the stomach.

  I swallowed, and clamped down as she gorged and swallowed, blood covered her mouth and dripped from her chin. There was no battling her conscience, no confliction.

  She ate, picking her way until all that remained was fur and bones, even that she used, stepping close to kneel at my feet.

  She slipped the skin under my holster, soft fur rubbed against my skin. I closed my eyes to the sweet relief, and then opened them as she rose.

  “Why me?” The question tore free. “Why help me? Why care for me?”

  She never answered, only stared, and all of a sudden all the pain and hurt from my past neared. All the hate and the destruction compiled into one simple thought.

  “I’m no one. Nothing special. Not enough…I’m not enough, all right? I’m never enough…”

  You gonna cry little man? Harold…Harold! He’s gonna cry.

  I wanted to cry, wanted to lance this wound and let it all go…my past, Stitch…everything.

  Tears welled, until I blinked them away. “Argh. God-fucking-dammit. Let’s just get this done, okay? Let’s get this done.”

  The past meant nothing. Not a damn fucking thing. I pushed forward, driving my heel into the ground, and twisted my hips. Muscles flared, agony roared, making my will weak. I could make it. I had to make it. There was no other thought.

  She followed, moving close as I tracked the path of the sun and hobbled west. Birds called from the darkness, something moved deep. I watched for movement and slipped from one tree to the next.

  The water didn’t last. I drained the last trickle and tied the empty pouch to my waist. Every tree looked the same, every fucking lash of pain the same. I stilled, yanked my trouser leg up, but this time it didn’t go far, bunching midway on my calf.

  My leg was swelling, whatever damage had been done was now taking hold. I could feel the heat through the fabric—feel the pain wearing me down inch by inch. I gripped the trunk of a tree and stilled. “Just wait, okay. Just fucking hold up.”

  Heat throbbed, strangling my knee and speared shards into my thigh and my calf. The muscles of my lower back howled. The constant torsion strained my spine. Agony flared, tightening my muscles, cramping my sides.

  Sweat dripped into my eyes. I swiped, stared through the sting at the endless shadows. I’d almost take Afghanistan over this shit. At least over there you could see. It might’ve been arid, and endless brown—but you could still see.

  A twig snapped deep in the forest, another followed, farther behind. Silver moved into my view. I reached out, gripped her arm as a soft snarl echoed. Darkness blurred to my right…deep, I could barely make them out.

  But they were there. A squad pushing forward, coming left and right. I counted four until the strands of her hair tickled my face and Ghost pressed her body against mine. Agony speared as I lifted my foot and eased my boot backwards.

  A crack ripped throu
gh the forest farther ahead, quickly followed by the flutter of wings.

  My heart took flight, clawing into my damn throat as I stepped backwards. Ghost moved with me, finding the right place to step by instinct. I jerked my gaze behind me, finding the traps of dried twigs and deep hollows, each twist of my knee making me tremble.

  I skirted around the other side of a thick pine and waited. My fingers found her waist, skimming warm skin to make her turn. She found my gaze as I looked to my knee and then lifted my focus, shaking my head. I couldn’t flee. I couldn’t even walk, not without rest…and night was coming.

  Night with its fucking cover of darkness. Without my night vision binoculars, or my IR scope, I was a fucking dead man. I could only hide, wait, and try to heal. I grasped the handle and dragged my knife free. If I had to I could still fight.

  Ghost glanced to the weapon and stilled. She knew Human, she knew pain. But that wasn’t me. I turned my head finding movement in the growing dark.

  Human come. The memory of her words surfaced. Human come for me.

  Not while I was alive. Not while I could fight.

  I’d protect her.

  I’d keep her safe.

  23

  Ghost

  He glanced at his knee, shook his head, and then leaned against the trunk of the pine.

  Pain filled his eyes, pain and truth. But he couldn’t see it and he couldn’t walk, not the path to Spirit, and not the path home. I touched the cold metal in his hand, touched his flesh, pressing in until I found his lips with mine.

  Human echoed behind us far in the distance. Black birds flew far above. I could hear them hunting…searching for us. But we were alive. We were here in this moment—and in this space.

  Metal slid along my arm and dropped to his side. His lips trembled against me, body shuddered.

  I’d fed Ace. I’d saved Ace, and yet in a way he saved me. I moved against him, lifting my hand to spear fingers through his hair. Careful with leg. Careful with pain. Take a little, just a little…