by Amie Gibbons
I called, then sang as we walked, tryin’ to control my breath as I kept up with Grant’s longer strides.
We hit the van and I hopped in the back, looking for bottled water.
I can’t sing too long without my throat getting dry.
I found a pack, grabbed a bottle and opened it, downin’ half in a few seconds.
“What are we gonna do with him, sir?” I asked.
“Figure out what he is,” Grant said.
“Meanin’?” My breath caught. “No! Sir, we can’t… take him there. They’ll experiment on him.”
The snake hissed, wigglin’ his rattle.
“See!” I pointed to the snake.
“At least we know he understands us,” Grant said. “Tell us who and what you are, and we won’t have to send you anywhere,” Grant said to the snake.
The snake wriggled, shaking his rattle again.
“Are you some kinda shifter?” I asked him.
The snake looked at me and nodded.
My jaw dropped. “Sir, he just nodded.”
“I noticed,” Grant said.
“Can you turn back into a human?” I asked.
The snake just stared at me.
And winked.
“He’s messin’ with me,” I said.
“I noticed that too,” Grant said.
I bit my lip. “We should give him a name. He can’t just be the snake. He needs a name.”
“We’re not keeping him, Ryder. Naming him will only make it harder. You can’t get attached.”
“I can’t help getting attached, General.”
“I know. You need to train yourself.”
“I don’t want to. I’m naming him Collins; like this guy I knew in college. He had a rattlesnake tattoo.”
“Your mother must have had a time with you when you were younger, wanting to bring every puppy home even though you’re allergic, I’m sure.”
“Well, yeah. Luckily cooler heads prevailed. But I’m not allergic to snakes.”
“You can’t keep him,” Grant said.
“I know that.”
I sang to Collins until the other agents got there about ten minutes later.
The lead guy, a giant with a neat blond goatee and arms as big as my head, pulled a big glass cage outta the back of their van, and we walked over.
Grant slid Collins into the cage and I could practically hear the snake plottin’ a way outta there.
“Don’t worry, Collins,” I said as Grant put the cage in the back of our van, snuggled between the large set of bins that held the extra kit supplies and the set of monitors we used for surveillance.
“We taking the snake for a reason?” the big guy asked.
“Yes,” Grant said, holding out his hand. “Agent Grant.”
“Agent Kelim.” The shook.
“We have one body. Couldn’t find others, but we’re going to keep looking.”
Kelim nodded and jerked his head towards the trees. “Where?”
Geez, it was practically a monosyllabic men convention.
“Follow us.”
Grant led us through the trees and to my blanket.
I grabbed it and flicked it to get the dirt off before shoving it back in my bag. It’d have to be washed tonight.
Grant swiped the x-ray over the ground till he found the bones. “Here.”
“On it,” Kelim said.
Grant nodded and walked away. I scrambled after him.
We combed the woods a bit longer, but without more visions to guide us, the odds of happening over more bones weren’t good.
We went back to the van after about thirty minutes.
Grant unlocked it and I hopped in the back so I could ride with Collins and sing to him.
I slapped my forehead. “Um, sir?”
“What?”
“Come here please.”
He appeared at the doors a moment later and I pointed to the cage.
“Fuck!” Grant said.
The cage was empty.
Collins was gone.
And stuck to the top of the cage was a sticky note saying, “Gorgeous voice. I’ll talk to you when your boss isn’t around.”
Chapter three
“Bridges,” Grant said soon as we hit our desks, “report.”
“Elizabeth Trudy. Metro cold case. She was last seen at Johnson’s Bar in Midtown on March twenty-sixth, two thousand and one.”
I flinched.
Truck had been doing this since he was in college? People only caught on that there was a serial killer after he started puttin’ stuff online. He’d been doing this for years before then. Who knew how many missing people were actually his victims.
“I called to inform the family,” Dan said.
“The director?” Grant said.
“Already planning the press conference for tonight.”
Grant’s face got stonier.
“We have to try again tomorrow,” Grant said after a moment where you could tell he was fixin’ to say something not flattering about his boss.
“I know,” I said. “I’ll do better tomorrow.”
Grant leaned over and clasped my shoulder. “You did great today. We found one.”
“He can’t have killed so many in that cellar and not have buried them close by, right, General?”
“I think so. There’s probably at least a dozen in those woods, but we can’t assume.”
“I know, never assume.” I gave him a small smile.
He checked his phone. “We’ve got just enough time to get some lunch before the interviews.”
“Interviews? Oh! For the new lab tech.” I slapped my head. “I completely forgot we had those today.”
“Life goes on,” Grant said. “Chinese good?”
###
We got through the four interviews and one woman, Dr. Sanderson or something like that, kinda stuck out. We had to pick someone soon.
“Head home,” Grant said. “I’ll let you know if Truck and his lawyer agree to meeting again.”
“More like today?” I asked.
“No, Kowalski’s getting pictures of missing college age kids from the area. You’ll put the pictures in front of him, ask him if he knew them, touch him, get visions.”
“Should I ask him about the money or an accomplice?”
“No.”
“Any leads on the money?”
“No.”
“I can try to focus more on that, without saying anything.”
“Do it. But do not say anything.”
I held up my hands. “Okay.”
“Anytime you get a vision of where someone is, you’ll come out, give directions to wherever it is, and we’ll send people out. If they have problems, they’ll call, but I want to keep you in there and get this over with. You get anything on the money or the records, same thing. Can you handle that?”
“Of course, General.”
He gave me a knowing smile and kissed my forehead.
Wow, that was tender.
I said goodnight and headed home.
I really didn’t want to be alone for the night, not after being inside Truck’s mind and knowing I’d have to go back for a big dose of seconds tomorrow.
But Jet and Kat were hangin’ with their honeys, Dan and I weren’t really friends, Grant was busy with the dinner, and most of my college friends had moved or we’d just drifted apart.
I did have a few new friends who loved to hang out, as long as it was past nightfall.
I honestly didn’t know whether to call Quil or not. I didn’t want to come off as too needy, especially since I’d be seeing him tomorrow, but I really didn’t want to be alone.
I got home in good time, hit the shower to get the woods outta my hair, and collapsed on my couch next to Pyro. I stroked him even though he wasn’t awake (alive?) to feel it.
In the depth of summer, night wouldn’t fall for about another hour.
I picked up the phone and clicked on Quil’s name. I got voicemail and left a m
essage that I was just saying hi, then called Len.
“Hey, darling,” he said after a few rings.
“Hey, Len, I didn’t wake you, did I?”
“No. I’ve been awake for a while.”
“Anything wrong?”
“Just trying to get things lined up for tomorrow.”
“Oh. I was wondering if you wanted to hang for a bit tonight?”
“Sorry, darling,” Len said. “I’ve got a ton to do before the re-opening tomorrow. What’s wrong?”
“How did you know something was wrong?”
“It’s you, Ariana. You speak more with your tone than most people can with words.”
One of these days, I’m gonna figure out how to keep everything I’m thinking off my face and outta my voice.
One of these days.
“I had to help interview a guy today, and what I saw in his head… it was horrible.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” Len said.
I took a deep breath he obviously heard.
“Ariana?” he asked.
“I’m not sure how much I’m allowed to say. It is an ongoing case, so…”
“Are you going to be okay tonight? I mean, I’m busy but...”
“No, I’m good. I just need to blow off some steam.”
“Really?”
“Seriously, I’ll be fine. And hey, good news. No big cases popped up today, so I’ll probably be able to go tomorrow. Oh duh! Do you guys know anything about people who can turn into snakes, or sentient snakes who turn into people?”
I quickly explained about Collins.
“There’s tons of myths, like you said.” I could practically see him shruggin’ on the other end of the line. “But you’re going to have to narrow it down because it really could be anything, darling. Oh! It could be one of us.”
“Huh?” I asked.
“Vamps. Some can turn into animals. No one in our nest does snake, but I’m sure someone somewhere does. Though why they’d be in our territory is beyond me.”
“You guys can actually do that?”
“Yeah. You’ve heard of Dracula, right?”
My jaw hit the floor and rolled back up a few times before I could speak. “Dracula’s real?”
“Was,” he said. “Despite what the movies say, when he died for real, he didn’t come back. He could turn into a bat. Which is where all those rumors about all of us being able to do that came from.”
“Whoa. But no.” I shook my head. “We saw him during the day. I mean, it was the woods, but they weren’t near thick enough to protect a vamp from the sun. Oh yeah, and he turned back into human out on the road in our van, and it was definitely sunny there. Is there some way around the sunlight thing?”
“Nope, even when we’re in animal form, we still can’t see the sun. So not one of us, I guess,” Len said. “But that’s only as far as I know. I could ask around.”
“You won’t be pluckin’ any feathers, will ya?”
“Plucking feathers?”
“That’s a Mama saying. It just means, like, rufflin’ feathers.”
“Nah. I’ll call up a few friends in other nests and see what I can pick up.”
“Thanks. I guess I’ll see ya tomorrow.”
“You sure you’re going to be okay, darling?”
“Positive.”
“Until then. Ciao,” he said in a horrible Italian accent.
“Ciao, Len.”
I hung up and looked at Pyro. He’s a six by four flying carpet with beautiful designs made out of black, red and gold, and he’s my pet/roommate/baby.
Once he was awake, we could go flying, but that wasn’t till sunset.
I called Mama and caught up with her as I set up my sewing machine and brought out my spools of cloth and sewing supplies. I hadn’t made anything for a while, it’d be good to make something and just let my mind zone.
After we hung up, I put on Netflix and pulled out my mess of patterns.
Maybe a new dress?
I’d have to get Quil’s measurements so I could make him stuff.
God, I missed him. It hadn’t been that long since we’d seen each other, but still.
###
I sat across the interrogation table from JB Truck.
He was in slacks and a button-down under a white doctor’s coat.
He smiled, big and inviting. “You look beautiful. I love that color on you.”
I looked down. I was in a red sleeveless wrap dress and killer red stilettos.
“Thanks,” I said. “I don’t know who picked this out though. Not exactly practical.”
“I wouldn’t worry about that,” JB said. “You’re not running anyway.”
“You don’t know that. You don’t know what I am.”
“Of course, I do. I felt it the moment you walked in the room.”
“So what am I?”
He licked his lips. “Power.”
I blushed. “I, um, the word we usually use is psychic.”
“That’s just how it manifests in you.”
I crossed my arms. “You gonna tell me where the bodies are?”
“That’s not what this is about.”
“It is for us.”
He tossed his head back, laughing. “You still think this is about you questioning me?”
“Yep, pretty sure it is.”
“Oh sweetie. I get more from you from the questions you ask than you do from me from the answers I give.”
I screwed up my face. “Even if that’s true, you can’t do anything.”
“Of course I can. I am right now.”
“You’re awfully confident for a guy in prison.”
He shrugged. “I’m not in prison right now.”
“Yeah, ya are.”
“Don’t do it, Ariana,” Grant’s voice said out of nowhere and I jumped outta my seat and turned around to look at the double-sided mirror. “Send him back, lock him up, and throw away the key. It isn’t worth it.”
“But the director said,” I said.
“Dammit, Ryder!” Grant yelled, makin’ the glass shake, “if he comes back, he’ll kill you, and he won’t make it fast.”
“We have to find the bastard,” Grant said, faint and faraway. “I don’t give a flying rat’s fuck who has to help.”
I turned from the mirror.
Truck stood right in front of me and I screamed.
He smiled that same normal, flirty smile.
“I knew you were special,” he said, twining a lock of my hair around his finger. “I didn’t know how much until I was in here. Your power, it burns. It called me here. Men can hear the song even without amplifiers. We’re going to have so much fun.”
I backed up, tapping against the glass.
“What do you mean, it called you here? The director had you transferred.”
He smiled. “Yes, but whose idea was it for her to do that?”
My mouth dropped open.
Well sugar a swine, there was no way.
“Who?” I asked.
“I did, of course. Didn’t know what I was chasing, but I knew it was in Nashville. People are so easy to manipulate. You just have to make them think it was their idea. A suggestion to the interrogator here, a little hint dropped there, and voila, they take me to the psychic I hear whispering over the wheat.”
The room blinked into woods and I shook my head, pinchin’ myself.
Nothing but the ghost of what I knew the pinch should feel like.
“It’s just a dream,” I said.
Truck planted his hands on either side of my head against solid air and leaned over me as a rattle rang in the background.
“You sure about that?” He licked his lips. “I love blonds. And it’s natural, isn’t it? Too dark to be that bottled junk women like to dip their heads in.”
He leaned in like he was gonna kiss me.
“What the fuck did I just walk into?” a cheerful voice said from the side.
Truck jumped and I scrambled backw
ards, risking a glance to the side.
Collins rose up, rattlin’ his tail. “I thought I’d say hi without your boss interrupting. Didn’t think you’d have someone else in your head. Shouldn’t be surprised, the way you’ve been projecting. You do realize you were calling every supernatural creature within a hundred, maybe a hundred and fifty miles, right? It’s why I came up to you in the woods.”
“It’s why I’m here,” Truck said. “I need the signal boost.”
I glared at him. “I’m not boosting anything for you.”
“I’m not asking. You already have.” He winked.
“I think he’s telling the truth,” Collins said.
I shook my head. “Are you sure?”
“I know these things.”
“I don’t mean to project. Do you know when it started?”
“I heard your call this morning down in Chattanooga.”
“You wiggled all the way from Chattanooga?” I asked.
“No.” Collins laughed. “I drove. I just turned into a snake to approach you. Seemed safer until I could figure out who you were. At least until your boss pulled a gun. Quite the chivalrous pain in the ass, isn’t he?”
“Your brain is a strange place,” Truck said. “I love it. Kind of makes me want to hang around. Or take you with me. You’ve got an edge under all your sweetness, like razorblades covered in sugar. We could have a lot of fun on the road. I promise it’ll be worth it.”
“Okay, this isn’t real,” I said. “You’re not really here. He’s not really here. Just, no.”
“The grass is always greener on the other side,” Truck said, takin’ a step towards me.
I stumbled back.
Big arms caught me and I turned, seeing gold eyes in a strong face I swore I’d seen before.
“I know you,” I said.
The world disappeared, leavin’ me standing on a giant soft pink petal. I looked behind me at the rest of the rose. It was so big I could’ve built a mansion on the heart of the flower.
Now that sounded pretty. The petals could be decorations around the house.
Like it heard me, the dream zoomed me to the center and a beautiful stone house rose outta the pollen.
“I’m allergic,” I said.
Something rumbled in the distance.
“Whoa!” someone screamed, giant hands on my arms.
I blinked and we were in the woods again.
Collins the man shook me. “What is it with you fucking psychics and peeking behind the curtain! There lies madness. Don’t do that again.”