by Jami Gray
“Ah well,” he sounded philosophical. “She wasn’t the one paying, but still, it’s a good thing I demanded the majority of my payment up front.”
Determined to keep the talkative dick on track, she pushed, “When did you realize you were working for the good doctor?”
There was a noticeable pause. “Does it help if I say it was right before I gave you the first phone call?”
Despite a faint note of truth, Raine wasn’t buying it. “How do I know you’re not lying?” She paused, not expecting an answer. When he stayed silent, she continued, “Let’s say you aren’t, so I don’t know if it helps. I’m not sure there’s enough money for me to kill Kyn who haven’t done anything to me.”
She could hear him shift as if settling deeper into a chair. “Now see, little girl, we’ll just have to agree to disagree on that point. You kill for Mulcahy, and he pays your bills. How is that different from me? Just because I’m not some cherished Wraith who works for the blessed Taliesin Security, how does it make us different?”
She spoke to the underlying resentment threaded through his words. “I kill those who harm others, or threaten the Kyn community. You kill for money. That’s a big difference.”
“You keep telling yourself that and maybe someday you’ll believe it,” his voice was droll. “Moving on, I’ve decided I don’t quite like being lied to, so I’m going to give you a leg up to help even the score.”
Her fingers tightened on the phone. “Lied to about what?”
“You do know your best friend hates the Kyn, right?” He paused, “Oh right, you don’t. So let me clue you in. I don’t mind doing a job as long as those paying me are on the up and up about why. She lied through her pearly whites and now Taliesin Security is out for my blood.”
Raine let that stand because he was right.
“I’m going to help you get your own back,” he said. “In turn, you’re going to give me the time to go under for a while.”
Seriously? He expected her to stand between him and Taliesin? He had to be crazy. “How exactly do you think I can do that?”
“You call your boss and have a chat. Get me a head start of a week. After that, it’s on me if I’m found.”
She didn’t bother hiding her derision. “And I get what in return?”
“You get a secluded meeting with your best bud, a little girl-bonding time.” Strangely, his voice gentled. “No one should be betrayed by a best friend. Even I have a level of honor to stand by, and that falls below it.”
She opened her mouth to take a shot about his so-called honor, but he cut her off before the words escaped.
“You best call the boss man and start dancing, Raine. I’ll call back in fifteen.”
The sharp click of the phone disconnecting echoed in her ear. She held the phone and considered his offer. This could easily be a trap, but her need for revenge—and some gut level instinct—told her Tarek was on the level. Growling in frustration, she dialed Mulcahy.
After an infuriating ten-minute phone call where Mulcahy pointed out all the possible faults with this deal, plus reiterating his anger at being forced to play nice to the one who killed his Wraith, she pinned her boss down to a four day head start for Tarek. Mulcahy wanted details on her meeting place, determined to send in back up. Not that she wanted it. Who needed the hassle of ditching or incapacitating them? This was a solo mission.
The clock struck fifteen minutes exactly when her phone rang again. She picked it up.
Tarek’s low rumble filled her ear. “Do we deal?”
“Depends on you,” she answered. “You get four days, not seven.”
He gave a surprised laugh. “Damn, little girl, you did better than I thought. You ever need a job, come see me. I could use someone like you.”
“Not in this lifetime,” she snapped. “When and where?”
“Impatient chicka-dee, aren’t you?” he teased. “Why is that, do you suppose? Is it because lover boy is down and out for the count?”
She tamped her emotions down with a ruthless grip. “He’ll be fine, and this isn’t about him.”
“Who’s the liar now?”
Her only answer was a snarl.
Chuckling, Tarek continued, “I’m to meet the little demon Gypsy at about three today, at a little hunting shack that used to be mine.”
“Used to be?” Raine asked.
He sighed. “Well, I’m not going to have much use for it where I’m going, so consider it a small bonus gift to the one who walks away.” He gave her directions. “If I were you, I’d get there a bit early to scope out the place. Just because she’s there to give me the final payment, doesn’t mean she won’t try to take me out.”
Raine’s voice was cold. “I’m not a novice.”
His low chuckle filtered through. “Never said you were. By the way, don’t waste your time searching the place for clues to me, there won’t be any.”
“How do I know you won’t be there to help Alexi take me out? She was pretty pissed she missed me last time.”
“You don’t,” he answered. “However, I’d be a stupid man if I didn’t take advantage of my four day head start as soon as I could, now wouldn’t I? Au revoir, cher.” The phone went dead.
She studied the blades on her table, her mind quiet. She glanced at the clock. She had some time—an hour at best. Flipping open her cell phone, she dialed one more number. After it was picked up she asked a few questions and once she had the answers, hung up. Deliberately, she removed the sim card from her phone and set both pieces on her counter.
Time to finish this.
Chapter Thirty-Three
It was just past eleven in the morning when Raine found the ramshackle hunting shack. “Shack” was being generous. Gaping holes spotted the weathered wood, and a simple, gray tarp played door. Green vines twisted in and out of the boards, giving the appearance of stringy, green hair.
After leaving her SUV behind in the garage of an unoccupied cabin, she walked the few miles back into the nearest town. A battered backpack held her well-padded weapons. Just off the main road, at the bait-and-tackle shop, she found what she was looking for.
Hitching a ride in an ancient truck with older man in stained overalls who smelled strongly of fish, she had him drop her off at the entrance to some unnamed, unpaved road. The old man thought she was a young college student intent on backpacking some of the trails. He made noises about young women not being safe out on their own. Reassuring him she would be joining up with her group already at the campsite, she left him somewhat mollified. He let her go with barely a rumble.
She backtracked, hiking the next five miles in, studying the terrain and realizing Tarek was true to his word. It really was the middle of nowhere, and that brought a terrible sense of pleasure.
Circling around the ramshackle shelter and surrounding foliage, she took her time, looking for any sign that Alexi had made it there before her. Satisfied she was the only one around, Raine headed in. Walking the perimeter of the structure, she sent out little probes testing for nasty traps lying in wait. When it came up clean, she pulled aside the tarp. Winged insects rushed out and she waited for them to dissipate before stepping inside.
Letting the tarp fall close behind her, she called forth a small flame of light. Tarek had left her nothing but the four somewhat sturdy walls. Weak sunlight and soft breezes filtered through the cracks, causing dust moats to float like fairy-dust on the drafts.
Shifting her pack off, she placed it in the corner. Taking off her flannel shirt, she stripped down to her black T-shirt and jeans. After stuffing the flannel in the backpack, she slipped off her hiking boots. She could move quieter and quicker in bare feet. Not to mention, barefoot, she wouldn’t leave a trail.
Going back outside, she ignored the chill of the mountain air and moved stealthily through the forest. She set up a subtle spell, enough to send an alert when someone headed her way. Time to determine which way Alexi would most likely come from. Her choices were limited to the
overgrown path from the road to the east, and the faint hikers trail to the west.
Behind the shack was dense forest growth, which eventually backed into federal land. In front, the forest ran a couple of miles before dropping off sharply at the edge of a very steep cliff that met a rambling river below.
Once she spelled the east and west sections, she moved back to the shelter and pulled out various blades. The silver lynx Cheveyo gave her spilled out of her T-shirt. She placed her hand over it, feeling the warmth of it. It would come in handy later.
Facing Alexi would be difficult, especially since she could set a ward to cut a Kyn off from accessing their magic. Raine couldn’t depend on her ability with natural magic. Instead, she’d have to rely on her skills as a Wraith—skills honed with deadly precision. The well of twisted power residing inside her would be an added bonus.
Her plan centered on running Alexi down. Raine wanted the chase, needed to hear Alexi’s heart beat furiously as she ran, to smell the cold sweat of fear as she became nothing more than prey. Raine didn’t just need it, she craved it.
Placing the knives neatly on a towel, she sat back and ran a finger absently down one of the blades. Gathering calm around her, she went out to sit in the sunlight with her back against the weathered boards of the shack.
Closing her eyes, she opened her senses. The wind blew around her, its chill nipping at her skin. The rustling of the leaves, like whispered conversations, flowed and changed with the breeze. Wildlife flittered in between branches, and wound through overgrown paths, burrowing under roots and rocks. Her tension slowly retreated, washed away by the cool air.
Then she did something she never tried. She dropped her barriers and reached for the magic she never fully embraced.
Pushing open the mental door, she hovered at the threshold knowing this would change her fundamentally. If she survived Alexi, she might not survive her magic. No matter what happened—even if she left here alive—she would be different. Maybe not at first, but eventually it would show.
The outcome scared her, but she was willing to pay the price. Never again would someone else to pay for her mistakes. In this quiet moment, she admitted this wasn’t entirely for Gavin, but for her, for her sense of betrayal, and her pain and anger. As selfish as it seemed, she wanted restitution, no matter how much it cost her. Even having Alexi’s blood on her hands didn’t give her pause. Raine took the last step through the doorway and tumbled willingly into the abyss.
Losing her sense of time, Raine delved into the swirling magic. Power flowed around her, through her. At first, she tried to separate each wave, but gave up as the flow moved faster and faster. The first few waves washed over her, leaving her untouched. Then they began to grow in size and strength, hitting her, washing over her mind in a sickening dance.
Some of the magic she could easily grasp, but the stronger waves were overwhelming, almost frightening. Dimly, she realized perhaps she should’ve listened to Cheveyo and done this with him. Her physical body wasn’t meant to hold such power, and she was pretty sure that same engulfing power could destroy her mind.
After the first few painful struggles, she stopped fighting each time something clicked into place. Like a gigantic jigsaw puzzle, the years old missing pieces slid into place, some smoothly, while others needed a metaphoric pounding. When the puzzle was complete, she stood before a tall mirror, much like the one in her dream. The surface wasn’t clear, but swirled with colors and distorted images. Just when she thought she could make something out, it would shift and change. She watched the patterns form and reform, trying to understand.
The mirror disappeared, leaving her in a well of darkness.
I’m Raine McCord. I’m a Wraith. I can survive this.
Her silent mantra served as an anchor in the storm. She bit back screams as more and more magic hit her. Then suddenly it stopped. For a moment, everything stilled. The sound of her breath rasping in her chest was overly loud.
The mirror stood in front of her once more, swirling with memories triggered by the wild trip. She saw herself at fifteen, huddled in a corner, and a brief glimpse of Cassandra kneeling in front of her, hand extended. It all came back to her—the struggle to get through the noise of the magic dwelling inside her to find something that didn’t shift, something stable.
Her breathing hitched, then sped up as the spinning mass in the mirror expanded, reaching for her. Her first instinct was to step back, run, and close the door. Instead, she made her feet move forward, feeling battered in spirit but determined to see this through to the end.
Reaching out she watched as her fingertips touched the nebulous image. Surprisingly, it wasn’t cold, but warm. Her eyes widened and she forgot to breathe when her image emerged on the mirror’s dark surface. It wavered and reformed to the feral woman of her dreams. Her hands and teeth were still rimmed in blood, but the large black leopard with matching silver eyes lay calmly beside her. Raine dropped her hand and froze while the woman and leopard watched her warily. Meeting the woman’s silvered gaze, a hush fell over the world.
She stepped closer. The woman moved with catlike grace to match her movements. Gathering her mental strength like a ragged cloak, her gaze never wavering, Raine reached out again and felt the silent white explosion when her hand met the woman’s. Blinking to clear her eyes, she realized she was now naked. Under her palm, was soft fur. Looking down she met the silver gaze of the leopard beside her. There was a final shift in her magic then it locked into place.
The leopard’s triumphant scream blended with hers before everything went dark.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Raine woke with a start, the cool breeze tickling her face and the weathered boards prickling against her back. Shifting her wrist to look at her watch, she was surprise to note only an hour had passed. Such a short amount of time to alter her whole world. Under her skin, the predatory cat prowled, as anxious as she to hunt. Patience, she whispered to herself and the cat. They still had a couple more hours to go. Instead of feeling beaten, her body was relaxed and ready for action.
Uncertain of what happened or how much of an impact her decision would have on her magical abilities, she remained calm, accepting the fact she and the leopard could easily interchange. Cats were notorious hunters—quiet, lethal, and quick. Attributes she would need when facing Alexi.
The magic part of the package…well, she’d handled it as it came. Who knew if she would be able to call on any magic, or how reliable it would be once it manifested. Better to stick with what she knew than try for something new.
No doubt Alexi would show early, so Raine went into the shack to prepare. She tied her hair in a knot and slipped two throwing blades into the mass. Most people thought they were hairpins, and they could be, but made even better darts.
Next came the stiletto blades, which rode low on her hips. She kept her lynx charm tucked under her T-shirt. Stuffing her plaid shirt back into the now almost empty backpack, she took it into the forest and tucked it into a hollowed out log on the south side. There were no tell-a-tale marks leading to it, but she made a point to remember where it was, as she might want to retrieve it if she made it out alive.
Back at the shack, she erased all signs of her presence before heading toward a large tree overhanging the barely discernable path on the east side. If Alexi came up the west path, Raine could catch her by surprise. If the Gypsy came up the east path, then all the better. Picking her spot in the heavily shaded branches, Raine hunkered down to watch and wait.
The slight vibrations of the various wards she placed around the perimeter of the shack vibrated softly against her psychic skin. Even if Alexi got lucky and took her out, Raine had a couple of nasty surprises waiting for her. Some would injure, slowing Alexi down, but Raine’s favorite was the intricate blood tracer spell.
Her earlier question and answer session before leaving her house produced the recipe for this particular spell. The tracer spell would be an invisible thread leading her uncle to Alexi�
��s doorstep regardless of where she tried to hide. Raine trusted Mulcahy to take Alexi out—not because of the death of his niece, but because Alexi was the one behind the attacks on his Wraiths.
The spell required blood magic, something most of the Kyn shied away from as it deeply involved the caster. Raine never professed to be the shy type. The spell used a part of her, an essence of what made her who she was, and it wasn’t replaceable. But if Alexi was the one who left here alive, that part would no longer be required.
She let the silence filter through her and felt a calm settle in her bones. Regardless of today’s outcome, she was ready. For today, she accepted the fact she would never fully fit into the Kyn world. She might walk this path alone for many years. That was okay, though. Sometime during her mental trip, Raine took the first step to facing her fears and started embracing what she was, what she would become.
If she made it out of here alive, she was fairly certain she would be taking Cheveyo up on that training—if it remained on the table. Not to say she would she go quietly into that good night. Oh, hell no, that wasn’t who she was.
Her mind calmed and her wards vibrated with a steady hum. Every now and then, she reached out and touched the part of her crouched and waiting, tail twitching. Keeping her rage locked down, she horded it for later.
Maybe an hour passed before the first trip of her wards slice across her awareness. Someone approached from the west road. Moving only her eyes, Raine waited to see who would step into the clearing.
A faint jolt of pain surprised her as Alexi’s short, dark cap of curls moved into view.
Raine’s last spark of naïve hope sputtered and went out, quickly followed by disgust at Alexi’s inability to be subtle on her approach. Either she was stupid or arrogant in thinking she could stroll in bold as brass. No self-respecting hunter waltzed into a meet without scoping the place out first. Maybe all those deaths were just luck on Alexi’s part, not skill. Either way it was more proof of Alexi’s egotistical belief in her own skills would be her downfall.