E.V.I.E.: 13 Slayers, 13 Missions

by Lexi C. Foss

  When I was back far enough to be completely hidden by shadows, I undressed and shoved my clothes into a small, air-tight bag that I always kept on me for just such an occasion as this. Then set them on top of my boots, out of sight. I gave my wolf the freedom to surface and, within seconds, claws burst through my fingertips and my teeth elongated. Fur grew from my pores, the bones in my body systematically snapped, and the muscles around them ripped apart, while my flesh tore open. Then they immediately began to heal into a shape that accommodated a huge, chocolate brown wolf. The process was somewhat painful, though it was easier because we shared it, and we both breathed a sigh of relief when it was over.

  My wolf crept to the mouth of the alley but kept to the shadows so that he went unnoticed by anyone out and about in the dead of night. New Yorkers tended to be less focused on what was round them anyway. And only supernatural creatures who’d lost their minds would mess with a big, ferocious-looking wolf like mine.

  We dozed from time to time, but my wolf didn’t like the idea of falling asleep and risking something happening to our mate. I was in full agreement. When dawn arrived, I urged him to lope further into the shadows and so I could shift back to my human form. I sincerely hoped no one was up early enough to hear the cracking and popping; it could really freak people out. Then I took a walk to stretch my legs, never far enough that I lost sight of Rowan’s building.

  It wasn’t until early afternoon that she emerged. My wolf was also happy to see her and I felt his desire to approach her, but I held him off just a little longer.

  She looked beautiful in her all black outfit, similar to the one she’d been wearing the day before. Today, her hair was unbound, hanging loose and tumbling down her back. Memories of having my hands in all that silky hair assaulted me and my already semi-hard erection swelled to uncomfortable proportions. It was a little ridiculous that I thought of those dreams as memories. Except that was exactly how they felt.

  I pushed away erotic images playing in my mind and followed Rowan as she began to stride purposefully down the street. She walked to a little shop in SoHo and disappeared inside for about two minutes. When she came back out, she was carrying a small bag and there was a beautiful, satisfied smile on her face. I briefly wondered what it would take for me to be the cause of a smile like that.

  Next, she went to a little bookstore called Baba Yaga’s and I chuckled at the name. Baba Yaga was a supernatural being that was a part of Russian and many other Slavic cultures. The folklore depicted a variety of different explanations, but most often she was considered a witch or a spirit that either helped or hindered those who called on her. From my view through the large front window, I saw an older woman hug Rowan, then guide her over to a table and chairs where they sat and talked. I spied a men’s clothing store one door down and since Rowan appeared to be staying put for the moment, I made a quick trip inside to grab a pair of boxers and a clean shirt, making the change before I left the store.

  I returned to my post and waited another fifteen minutes before Rowan exited the shop. She wandered another block down and looked around before opening the door to another little shop and slipping inside. After waiting a little bit, I entered after her and followed her scent. The store was packed with what looked like old junk, so I wasn’t surprised when no one appeared to ask if I needed help or keep me from darting into the back after Rowan.

  I wasn’t surprised to find the back room empty and a hunch led me to the green wall opposite the door. When I placed my hand on it, the wall melted into a portal. Another thing I’d become much more familiar with in the course of a day. I jumped through it, barely noticing the zap of energy anymore, and took off in the direction that smelled of my mate.

  To my surprise, we ended up back at the entrance to the catacombs and restaurant, a few blocks from the council headquarters. I was confused as to why we’d returned so soon. Had she forgotten something the night before?

  Rowan started pacing again and I briefly wondered if she was ever still. What had me astonished was that it didn’t bother me. Her energy was quite alluring, something I’d never found attractive in a woman before. She paced each way twice more, then her face scrunched up as if she’d tasted something bitter before she threw her shoulders back and marched through the portal into the long passageway. Considering the long, straight hallway, I was given no choice but to let her out of my sight if I didn’t want her to notice me. My wolf paced restlessly because of it, but he stayed relatively calm since I kept my ears alert and her scent in my lungs so that I was always aware of her. My concentration almost slipped when I arrived at what looked to be a nightclub…where a restaurant should’ve been. What the fuck?

  I looked around the space in disbelief. How had it happened? What was going on? Had I lost my damn mind? It couldn’t have changed this much overnight.

  My wolf grunted, reminding me that I needed to keep my focus on my mate and worry about whether my brain was deteriorating later.

  Considering the time of day, it was relatively empty, so no one seemed to notice me standing at the door…gawking. My wolf didn’t give a shit about any of this and he was urging me with great insistence to continue after Rowan. In my stupor, I’d let her get farther from me than intended and my wolf growled in frustration and bucked at me, trying to surface and take over so it could remain on Rowan’s tail. I forced him back down before the fur just under my skin began to push through. I sprinted up the steps and out into the afternoon sun. Her scent was faint, but even if I hadn’t been able to pick up on it, my instincts told me where she was headed.

  A few blocks down, I stood in front of what looked like the shifter council headquarters, but at the same time…didn’t. I opened one of the tall, glass doors and ducked to enter a lobby. Not only did it look completely different, with marble interior and beefed up security, but I also wasn’t familiar with any of the guards or the people making their way through the metal detectors. My head was spinning as I tried to make heads or tails of what was happening. Before I could grasp any kind of explanation, I felt eyes on me and turned to find a man—a human from the smell of him—observing me with curiosity that barely disguised the deadly force in his demeanor. He might have been human, but I had a feeling this guy would give me a run for my money in a fight.

  Common sense told me that there was no way of talking my way past security so I could remain close to my mate.

  Following my instincts, I retreated outside and stood against the building in a spot cast in shadow so I could watch for her exit relatively unnoticed. I took the time to examine the area around me, noting that for the most part, everything looked as it always had, though I wasn’t as familiar with the city as Nathan or Asher. My mind replayed the events of the last day and a memory tugged at my mind. During one of Dimitri’s visits, he’d said something that I hadn’t thought much of at the time. Now, I pulled it out and examined it. He’d been talking about his cousin and that he was planning revenge on the woman who’s betrayed him. Even if he had to go to another world to do it.

  I remembered thinking he was just referring to another part of the world, but what if he wasn’t? Nathan had asked if Cassius had what he needed to cross over there. Dimitri had responded with an affirmative grunt, then hesitated before shaking his head. “Cassius spent over a century hating her for her part in his imprisonment. Acquiring a token to give him the power to take a portal to another realm wasn’t easy, but he wouldn’t let anything stand in his way.”

  I’d barely been listening at that point, as we’d been playing pool and it was my shot. The words echoed in my head now, growing and becoming clearer. Was this what he meant? Had I followed Rowan to another universe? If there was one thing you knew when living with supernaturals, it was to never discount possibilities. There was no rule book, no black and white, and anyone who tried to live inside the lines was an ignorant fool. As my mind opened to the idea of multiple realities, I felt the truth in my bones. It explained a fuck of a lot and maybe it made me craz
y, but instead of freaking out, I was relieved to know what the hell was happening.

  It had been about a half-hour when Rowan came flying through the front doors, her hair streaming behind her and a determined scowl on her face. She had a faint lavender aura surrounding her that sent my brow up to my hairline in shock.

  Nathan had informed me that she was a witch, but he hadn’t mentioned how powerful she was. Not all witches possessed the same type or strength of magic, and there were some who had a specialty, and they often effused color when they used their power.

  Apparently, Rowan was one of them, although from what I was witnessing, it seemed she produced her aura when her emotions were high as well. The cursing in Russian made a little more sense now, since the witches with this power were most often from Eastern Europe, according to Dimitri.

  Rowan blew past me like a tornado and if we’d been in a cartoon, I’d have been spinning away from the force of her winds. It was shocking how much energy was in that tiny body. It was extremely deceptive, and I had no doubt most people underestimated her. She really was a little firecracker and it made me hungry to see all that fire in bed.

  I had a lot to learn about Rowan, but one thing was becoming abundantly clear—my future with her was going to be…interesting. Never dull.

  My wolf longed to get close to her and I finally gave in to his demand. It was time to meet our little mate.

  17

  Rowan

  I might have overreacted. But for the love of broomsticks! Did he have to be so damn frustrating with his looks and insinuations? I mean, dude, would it kill the guy to be straight up with a girl? Well, what the fuck did I know? Maybe it was crooked, and this was how he compensated.

  When I surfaced from the catacombs, I stopped for a minute, shielding my face from the bright sun and letting my eyes adjust. Being still for that minute, I realized the strange feelings I’d been having since last night had all but disappeared while I was inside the E.V.I.E. HQ, but now that I was no longer within their magic walls, they’d returned. And they felt even stronger. It was the most unusual combination. I felt like there were eyes on me, but they didn’t make me uncomfortable. Instead, I felt…. safe. Similar to the way I’d felt with that mystery man during my dreams. My magic liked it too, and it was practically curled up in a little ball purring like a contented kitten. It was truly bizarre, and I was starting to worry that we were on our way to being one peanut short of a Snickers. I reminded myself to get my act together and put my guard back up. “Being stupid isn’t how you’ve survived for over a century,” I scolded myself.

  I glanced around, but nothing caught my eye, and my magic was quiet and relaxed, clearly not sensing any danger. I rolled my eyes at its lackadaisical attitude. Normally, it spent most of its time doing its best to irritate me into letting it come out and play. I had no idea what had caused this mood swing, but it was a nice change, so I didn’t question it. The short walk to my apartment was uneventful and I wondered if I’d imagined the feeling of being watched. I shrugged it off and inserted the ancient key into the even more ancient lock, praying that it wouldn’t get stuck again. I’d honestly thought it was going to break the key last night, but a few jiggles this time and I was able to unlock the door and remove my key.

  The lobby to my building was really just a small square box with a foot to the manager’s apartment, the stairs, and a row of gold mailboxes mounted on the only free wall. I dashed up the steps, eager to get home. I had another sparring session with Cam in the early evening, and since I didn’t have any classes to teach, I was going to get a head start on hunting my target. Dorian might not be able to walk in the sun, but a lot of my connections and informants did.

  When I stepped onto the landing in front of my door, my whole body stiffened and became alert. Something was off with the wards protecting my apartment. They didn’t appear to be broken, just disturbed from someone walking through them. I expected my magic to be outraged, but it didn’t seem to care.

  Since when do you not care about my protection? “If something happens to me, it happens to you,” I griped haughtily. It wasn’t like my magic would drift away on the breeze to inhabit some other witch’s body. If I went down, I was taking it with me. I felt a pinch in my side where it sent a little bolt of power to convey its annoyance with my attitude.

  “I don’t have time for this.” I refocused on the wards around my home.

  The only people who could freely pass through them were Violet and Emerald. It had to be Violet. It didn’t bother me that she was in my apartment, but I was a little salty over the fact that she’d shown up and waited instead of calling me back. I stomped to the thick, wooden door and unlocked it before twisting the handle and walking inside.

  It wasn’t Violet’s aura that I sensed. “Emerald?”

  A woman who was at least half a foot taller than me, with flowing emerald green hair and a lean, athletic body was standing in my kitchen, adding milk to a mug. When she heard me say her name, she twisted her torso to smile at me with dark maroon painted lips. Her eyes, which matched her hair, were twinkling with amusement at my shock. She hadn’t changed much, though she now had a lot more ink than just the sigil I’d drawn on her back with magic. It protected her from things like compulsion, the call of a siren, hexes, curses from other witches, and a few other dangers. Now she had a beautiful and intricate design on her right forearm, another on her bicep that disappeared beneath the short sleeve of her T-shirt, and several black bands on both arms. She also had a tiny red heart tattooed on her right cheekbone, just beneath the corner of her eye. Emerald had always had her own cool, funky style and the new ink made her look even more badass.

  “Hey, Ro-ro. It’s about fucking time you got home.”

  My magic danced happily at seeing one of her two favorite people. No, I was not including myself in that number. It was pretty pissed at me most of the time since I kept it locked away. Couldn’t say I blamed it, but my empathy wouldn’t change the situation any time soon.

  I lifted my chin in her direction as I walked inside and shut the door behind me. “’Sup, homeslice. It’s about time you got your ass here for a visit. Not great timing, though.”

  Emerald cocked her head to the side and, while there was curiosity in her green eyes, there was also a calculative gleam. “What’s going on?”

  “Actually, I tried to call you last night about some of it,” I informed her as I shrugged off my jacket and tossed it on the black loveseat in my living room. “I’m guessing you were on a plane or something.”

  She shrugged. “Yeah, but I had it turned off anyway.” Her statement made me curious, but it was best to handle one bitch of a situation at a time.

  I sauntered into the little kitchen, intending to make myself a drink. My step stool was stowed between the wall and the refrigerator and since my mugs were in the cabinet above the sink, I scooted around Emerald to retrieve it.

  “Good fucking grief,” Emerald groused as she took my arm and held me back. “I get that you’re independent, shortcake—"

  I glared at her and muttered “Mudak,” making her grin because calling her a motherfucker in Russian was practically an endearment from me.

  “But would it kill you to ask me for help? It’s just a damn cup.”

  I shrugged and she rolled her eyes before turning to the stove and grabbing a mug I hadn’t realized was there. “You’re welcome.”

  I grinned and took the mug she held out to me. Normally, the mug was all black, but when it got hot, a purple haired unicorn appeared with the words Unicorn Badass I in white lettering above it. I’d given Violet and Emerald matching cups, except Violet’s was badass II and Emerald’s was badass III with a green haired unicorn.

  Bringing the steaming liquid to my nose, I inhaled deeply. “Mmmm. I love you even though you’re a giant,” I murmured before taking a sip. It was my favorite tea. I’d just gone to the specialty tea store the day before to pick up a couple of bags. It was hard to find the right flav
ors in decaf, but nobody should be subjected to me when I’d ingested more caffeine than a bar of chocolate.

  “Jealous much?”

  I snorted and sipped my tea. “Suka, I’m too busy working on my own grass to see if yours is taller." This was my brain’s equivalent to bitch, please.

  Emerald chuckled as she brought her mug to her lips. She swallowed then smirked as she asked, “Still swearing in Russian, Roskana?”

  I stuck my tongue out at her like when we were seven, earning another laugh.

  Watching her take another sip of her drink, and knowing what was in it, my nose wrinkled. Vi loved coffee as much as Emerald, the difference was that Emerald liked it black and strong. She believed you shouldn't "mess with perfection."

  "You know that's like putting tar in your stomach, right?"

  "I've got an iron stomach, so I'm good." Emerald grinned before taking another big swallow. “So, tell me what’s going on.”

  I gestured to my living room and we moved over to sit on the couch. Keeping it short and sweet, I filled her in on most of what had happened in the last few days. A few times during the re-telling, my magic wanted to put in its two cents and the air around me began to shimmer with lavender. I shut it down fast, but not before Emerald’s eyebrows shot up. I’d been suppressing my magic for a long damn time and I was pretty sure she hadn’t seen me turn into a glow worm since shortly after arriving in this reality. As we were short on time, I blew past it and went on to reveal the news about Dorian’s possession of her amulet.