by Jami Gray
“College boy ruins my ignition, he’s paying for it.”
Cheveyo didn’t answer.
The hum of the tires lulled her into a light sleep. She had no idea how much time passed before she was roused from her semi-conscious state. Couldn’t have been long, judging by the slight change in the sun.
“How upset is Mulcahy?” her voice was rusty.
Cheveyo didn’t even startle. “Fairly pissed.”
She sighed. “Why aren’t you with Gavin and Cassandra?”
“When you didn’t call back in, Mulcahy knew you were heading out alone. He contacted me. Considering I was the best bet at tracking you, it was a logical call.”
She stared out the window at the passing scenery. She would need every bit of strength to cope with her uncle. He wouldn’t take lightly to her disobeying his orders. Especially since she bucked his authority on a consistent basis lately. Which meant this would be a big argument. She didn’t want to deal with it. She would rather go home and hide for a while. And that was a weakness she couldn’t afford. Time to pay the piper. She sighed.
“You scared him.” Cheveyo’s voice brought her head back around.
“Mulcahy doesn’t scare.”
He shot her a look. “I don’t know why you can’t see it, but where you’re concerned, he can scare.”
She couldn’t stop the snort. “I’m just a very valuable weapon to him.”
He shook his head. “I think you’re selling him short.”
“No, I’m not.” She turned away, forcing herself not to feel. “Every time he sees me, it reminds him of my mother’s death. He blames me. Not that I hold it against him” The last was said under her breath.
Unfortunately, Cheveyo’s hearing was as good as hers. “I sincerely doubt that. You were a kid when it all went down.”
“It doesn’t matter.” She pulled at the seatbelt until it was no longer digging into the burn on her chest. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
She shifted on her seat as the burn on her right thigh throbbed under her jeans. “I’m going to need to clean up before I see him.” Spreading her left hand out, she took in the reddish brown tint to her nails, despite using water and a T-shirt to wash the worst off her face or her hands. She needed a shower.
“You’ll get maybe fifteen before he’ll expect you in his office.”
She nodded and closed her eyes for the remainder of the trip.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
When they reached Taliesin, Raine headed toward the gym and a shower, while Cheveyo made his way up to Mulcahy’s office. Some of her tension dissolved with his departure. Not knowing what to think or feel about the tie existing between them, she felt no urge to try and figure it out. Stripping, she left her clothes in a pile and walked naked into the shower.
Standing under the warm spray, she watched red and brown stream down her body and swirl into the drain. Closing her eyes, she let her mind blank and raised her face to the falling water. For a few precious moments, she reveled in the warm, relaxing pressure of the water. When it hit her thigh, it stung, but eventually changed to a dull ache. The hand shape burns shackled her leg like some weird-shaped tattoo. As she studied them, she realized she was now the proud owner of another scar.
The observation tore a harsh laugh from her throat. Without warning, her legs gave out and she slid down the wall. Wrapping her arms, laced with a variety of cuts and scratches, around her trembling legs, she drew them toward her breasts. Unable to bring them too close—due to the slashing burn along her chest and the stiffening of her left side from the burn working its way from her shoulder to her hip—she rested her forehead on her knees. Her long hair untangled, providing a spotty barrier against the stinging sensation of water on the deeper furrows Alexi left along the right side of her neck.
Battered inside and out, all the emotions Raine blocked out for the last few days came crashing through her compromised barriers. Why was it every time she reached out and opened herself up to others, she turned it to shit?
She made a mistake, one that cost her dearly. Not seeing Alexi for what she was left Raine burying one friend, losing the illusion of another, and fearing for the sanity of a third who very well might leave her. Plus, she was now tied to a powerful man—one who rivaled Mulcahy—and worried about her sanity at tapping into powers long denied.
The fear of losing her hard won independence and self-sufficiency made her blood run cold. Not to mention how watching Gavin walk away would shatter her. There, huddled in a shower stall in the gym at Taliesin, she made herself a promise. She would rebuild her emotional barriers, master her skills, and depend only upon herself. She wouldn’t open the door between her and Cheveyo, and she would avoid Gavin. He wouldn’t want her around anyway.
Leaning her head against the wall, she couldn’t tell the difference between the water of the shower and the tears trailing down her face.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Twenty minutes later, Raine stepped out of the elevator and moved with something close to her usual grace. Exhaustion still dogged her steps, however, her emotions were blessedly numb. Not a bad thing as Mulcahy would dress her down, and he had the right. She ignored his orders to fulfill her need for vengeance. Therefore, she would take whatever he dished out.
His door was open.
She stepped through and stopped before his desk. He stood with a cup of tea in one hand, and watched the dying evening light out his window. They stood that way for a moment before he turned and moved to the desk, setting the cup down. He motioned for her take a chair. She hesitated a second, but then chose to follow his unspoken order as her left leg still had a tendency to quiver.
“Are you all right?” his voice was even.
She nodded. “I’ll survive.”
He sat in his chair, studying her for an unnerving minute. Could he see the exhaustion behind her mask? His gaze traced the red gouges on her neck into the collar of her long-sleeved shirt. No doubt Cheveyo had given him a full report on what happened.
“Cheveyo explained what he did to save you.” By neither voice or expression did he reveal what he felt about the witch’s actions. “Are you going to be okay with that tie?”
“I have no choice but to be okay with his decision. However, I have no desire to draw on that bond. Ever.”
“Ever is a long time, niece.” There was a hint of humor in his voice that knocked her off balance.
She spoke without thinking, “Why aren’t you reaming me a new one?”
A glint of something, which might be sadness, washed through his gaze before it returned to its indecipherable best. Maybe her exhaustion had her imagining things. “I think I can figure out why you went out by your-self. I can even understand it.” He picked up his tea and took a sip before continuing, “Revenge is an emotion I understand all too well.”
She shook her head. “It wasn’t revenge.” At his raised eyebrow, she corrected herself, “All right, not just revenge.” She struggled with how much to share with her uncle, since this was who she was talking to, instead of her boss. “I made a mistake that others paid dearly for. It was my responsibility to correct that mistake. I didn’t want to endanger anyone more than necessary.”
“If she had killed you…”
Her smile was cold. “It wouldn’t have mattered. I linked a blood-tracking spell with one of blades. It would’ve led you straight to her. Either by my hand or yours, she was dead.”
He sighed and tapped his fingers on his desk as he studied her. “Did you ever consider yours wasn’t the only mistake made with this situation? That you weren’t the only one involved in this whole debacle.”
She remained silent.
He leaned back in his chair. “I made mistakes.” His words were serious, remorse a light undertone. “Decisions I can now look back on and say weren’t the best ones. That is the beauty of hindsight, niece. If you live your whole life looking backward, you will never move forward. Do you understand?”
This w
as so unlike any conversation she ever shared with her uncle, it rattled her. “I do, but I also understand learning from your mistakes.”
His sharp scrutiny almost made her squirm. “I could ask what you’ve learned, but it’s not my business.” There was no answer she could give, so he continued, “Do I need to worry about you going rogue?”
She understood this was now her boss asking the question. “No, sir.”
Mulcahy nodded. “All right.” He pulled some papers over and began scanning them. “Tomorrow, news of Dr. Lawson’s death is going to hit the air waves. I also need to close out Talbot’s case.” He paused and shot her a very pointed look. “Does he need to worry about any more deaths hitting his company?”
She heard the underlying question and knowledge. It barely made a ripple in her numbed state. Was she going to go after anyone else at Talbot’s for what was done to Gavin and Chet? No, but she wasn’t going to give Talbot carte blanche, either. “It’s a big company, sir. Death is very indiscriminant, but I don’t think he has a need to worry at this time.”
He smiled a bit at the twisted, enigmatic reply. “You still think he had something to do with this?”
She shrugged, uncertain how to explain the deep-rooted suspicion that could well be her own personal paranoia. “It worries me that Dr. Lawson worked so closely with Talbot, and he still, supposedly, had no idea what was happening. Lawson was clever, but I would’ve sworn Jonah Talbot was smarter than that.”
“Perhaps,” Mulcahy answered, making a note on the papers in front of him. “We’ll keep an eye on him, but at this time we have nothing concrete to tie him to Lawson.”
“What about the general?”
His pen stopped and there was nothing comforting in his small smile. “The general has lost his researcher and her research. He will soon discover all her promises were lies. For now, we have to watch him.” He leaned back in his chair. “Removing him would bring too much attention to the company, not to mention the Kyn community. The human military has always and will always, try to infiltrate the Wraiths, one warrior community to another. It’s matter of staying a few steps ahead of the humans.”
“And if he hooks up with someone else?” Arrogance was really an issue for the Kyn. Somehow, she didn’t think just because you outlived your human counterparts, you were that much more infallible.
Mulcahy’s smile went so sharp it could’ve drawn blood. “Then, questions or not, he’ll be taken care of.” The smile faded. “Which brings me to my next question. What about Tarek?”
She took a deep breath and let it out. “He’s gone for now. We could try to track him down, but he seemed awfully anxious not to go up against Taliesin.”
“Will he stay away or are we going to have to go after him?”
“I think he’ll stay away.” She rubbed at the ache in her thigh. “Giving me the meet place with Alexi was his way of making amends.”
Mulcahy nodded briefly. “For now, he’s off the radar. However, if he comes back up, it’s your responsibility.” Raine expected as much. “That’s it for now, McCord. Go home and get some rest.” He pulled another document over and started reading it.
She stood then paused. When he raised his head, she asked, “How is Gavin, sir?”
“I wondered how long it would take you to ask.” When she remained silent, he nodded, apparently approving of her control. “He regained consciousness a few hours ago. Cassandra said he’s doing better than expected.”
She fought to keep her voice neutral and won. “Will he be coming back?”
“When Cassandra approves it, yes. Gavin expressed a strong desire to be back at work.” His brown eyes were shrewd. “Anything else?”
Did he ask for me? She shook her head. “No, I’m glad to hear he’s doing okay. Have a good evening.” She turned and left the office.
Downstairs she found her SUV parked near the doors. There were no signs of Cheveyo, Ryder, or Xander, for which she was grateful. Getting in, she heaved a sigh of relief when her key slid in smoothly and the engine turned over. The deafening sound of industrial rock brought a weak smile to her face. Pounding, angry music and Ryder were hard to picture. She figured him to be more of a pop music person. It so fit with his looks.
She headed home, bone tired and soul weary. The fact Gavin hadn’t asked to see her broke her heart a little, but it wasn’t unexpected. If their positions were reversed, she wasn’t sure she’d want him around.
For now she just wanted sleep. Tomorrow, she would clear her desk and put in for an overdue vacation. She wanted to get away for a bit. She needed time to shore up her defenses. Maybe she’d call Cheveyo to take him up on his offer of training. It couldn’t hurt. It was better to master your weapons instead of letting them master you.
At the end of the day, when all the blood was washed away and the bodies disposed of, she was what she was—a Kyn and, Lord and Lady help her, a Wraith.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Three days later
High above downtown Portland, Jonah Talbot watched the hustle as Wednesday commuters rushed to and fro. On Monday, he received a call that Dr. Lawson died in an electrical fire in her house over the weekend. Unfortunately, when flames hit the gas heater in the garage it touched off an explosion. The house was nothing but rubble and ash. Eden Lawson was identified by dental records. The officer who called him explained there were no signs of arson or foul play. A tragic accident.
Perhaps, but he wasn’t altogether certain it was an accident. First thing this morning, his very efficient secretary brought him the final report from Taliesin’s investigation into the deaths of his employees. According to Mulcahy’s report there was no decisive evidence linking the deaths together. Some could be murders, but each death carried different distinctive traits. The final supposition was some of the deaths were purely accidental, while a couple might be the result of personal vendettas against the victims. Mulcahy added a personal note, stating that Taliesin found no eminent threat to Jonah Talbot at this time.
At this time was a curious way to word things. Jonah admired Mulcahy’s ability to be subtle. The ringing of his desk phone interrupted his train of thought. “Talbot.”
“The lab was destroyed along with any and all research.” General Cawley’s voice came over the wire. “It looks as if a damn bomb went off over here.”
“Pity. I hate to lose that much research. However, don’t you have some of the earlier notes and results?”
“Some, but it’s going to take time to rebuild what we lost here.”
“I’m a patient man, General.”
There was a disgruntled sigh. “I’m not, and my superiors are getting itchy. We need to give them some proof of advancement to keep them calm.”
Talbot let the frustration of dealing with politics color his voice, “They may call me directly if they need reassurance. I would remind them that moving too quickly on this will set off alarms within the Kyn community. If they wish to avoid whatever happened to Dr. Lawson and her research, they will remain calm. Every experiment encounters setbacks.”
The general paused. “I’ll soothe whatever ruffled feathers I can at this point. However, are there any other names you want me to add to the list of who we’re watching?”
The flash of silvered eyes ran through Jonah’s mind. “Yes, Raine McCord and Gavin Durand.” He hung up the phone softly then turned and watched the flow beneath the glass window, a slow cruel smile playing across his face.
END OF BOOK ONE
Keep reading for an exclusive Kyn short story
Submerged in Shadows
A Kyn Short Story
Forced on an unwanted vacation, Raine soon discovers that boredom is the least of her worries when danger washes ashore, bringing unexpected complications.
“You call this a vacation?”
“Until a few moments ago, yes.”
The man didn’t bother to respond, but picked up the extra blanket from the second chair and sat down. The night was closin
g in, the light fading under the gathering storm clouds on the horizon. It brought along a chill with more teeth than bite, but what else could you expect in November? At least it wasn’t raining. Yet.
“Why here?”
Taking another sip of tea, Raine McCord savored the delicate combination of chamomile and spice in hopes it would wash away the bitterness his presence wrought. He waited, his silence creating more pressure than being battered with questions. Ryan Mulcahy, CEO of Taliesin Security and head of the Northwest Kyn, knew how to work the non-verbal interrogation. She focused on the waves lapping the edges of rocky sand. “It’s quiet.”
And here, on Shaw Island nestled among the San Juan Islands in Washington, quiet was an understatement. No street lights glared, no busy streets rumbled, no bustle of shops distracted. Endless starry skies stretched above, while water whispered over sand and stone below. Between them, there was silence.
With under three hundred residents, she didn’t worry about nosy neighbors or unexpected guests during her impromptu vacation. Well, except for the man currently sitting next to her, comfortable in his tailored slacks and pressed shirt sans tie. He didn’t fit here. Hell, she didn’t fit here, but she needed this after…Her mind shied away from the memories and the guilt.
“Not the vacation spot I expected,” he said.
Her lips twitched. She couldn’t help it, but to hide it she brought the mug to her lips and murmured, “Did you think I’d go to Hawaii or something?”
“Or something.” Quiet humor drifted in his voice.
“Yeah, sorry Uncle, that’s not really my style.” The moody waters surrounding the island matched her thoughts. Besides she was much more comfortable in the shadows. Hawaii would have required a bikini, something she didn’t own. “Surprised you made it out here.”