RedKnife (Skin Walkers Book 2)

by Susan Bliler

  SKIN WALKERS:

  REDKNIFE

  By

  Susan A. Bliler

  Copyright © 2014 by Susan A. Bliler

  www.susanbliler.com

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Cover fonts, spine, design, and back cover done by:

  Cindy Hubbard

  Image courtesy of: Shutterstock

  Editing done by:

  Leiah Cooper with

  So I Read This Book Today…

  http://soireadthisbooktoday.com/

  This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidences are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from Susan A. Bliler.

  DEDICATION

  For CJ Jones

  You don’t need all the answers, sissy. Just one.

  “The dark’s not taking prisoners tonight.”

  I love you the moon!

  “Victory’s within the mile,

  almost there, don’t give up now.”

  As soon as this damn snow thaws, we are going to do cool things!

  Chapter 1

  Knuckles tight and lips drawn thin in anger, RedKnife KillsPrettyEnemy struggled to calm himself as he stalked with purpose toward StoneCrow’s Infirmary. The Estate had just come under attack and RedKnife’s sole friend, King Mulholland, needed him.

  Having earned his trident under King’s command, RedKnife considered King his brother, and there wasn’t anything RedKnife wouldn’t do for his former Commander. Currently, that meant relieving King of his guard over an injured Lilly Worthington. King was fighting it, but RedKnife knew beyond a doubt that Lilly belonged to King.

  Wrinkling his nose, RedKnife scented the air as he entered the infirmary, seeking out any other intruders. He couldn’t help but snarl at the harsh aroma of chemicals that burned his nostrils. The scent wasn’t coming from the infirmary though, but from him.

  Chief of Surgery, Jenny Houlton, had given each of the Walkers an inoculation when they’d arrived at the newly formed Estate. Monroe claimed it was to prevent transfer of any disease or ailment to the human staff. Jenny had used falsehoods to explain the inoculations to the Dominant Walker, Monroe StoneCrow, but RedKnife knew better. She’d put something else into the inoculation, and it was this something that was stalling out King’s affliction.

  The Walker’s that had received the injection were having delayed affliction. Too strong to be prevented, the affliction was a physical reaction that Skin Walkers experienced upon meeting their angel, their mate.

  The Doctor’s deceit was disconcerting and had RedKnife questioning Monroe’s status as Dominant. Perhaps Monroe was aware of Jenny’s actions. Perhaps Monroe had learned to cover the scent of his lie, or perhaps Monroe truly was in the dark. Either way, RedKnife found himself immediately distancing himself from the Walkers at the Estate. They’d been dishonest with him from his first day and had injected him with something that could have him overlooking his angel. For someone who’d spent a lifetime alone, it was an unforgivable sin. He considered telling King of Jenny’s treachery, but opted to wait it out. RedKnife had to find out if Monroe was involved, because if he was then all Walkers on the Estate were in jeopardy, and if that were the case, RedKnife would be bound by his status as the sole Indigenous Walker to challenge Monroe for leadership, and RedKnife would win. Neither man nor beast possessed the abilities he did. Hell, he’d only divulged a few of his talents to King, but even those had startled his fellow Walker.

  Stalking down the corridor of the infirmary, RedKnife ignored Moke as he passed the Walker Sentry. Planted in front of an exam room was King with Monroe smirking next to him. His friend looked like hell.

  Wordlessly, RedKnife approached and mirrored King’s stance. Shoulder to shoulder, he stood at attention. When King didn’t move, RedKnife offered, “I’ll protect her as if she were my own. You have my word.”

  His words were intended to provide solace, but with his heightened senses, he didn’t miss the spike of jealousy and anger fueled by possessiveness that instantly surged forth in King. Yeah, King’s affliction would hit soon.

  Monroe excused himself as the scent of King’s ire faded. King’s shoulders slumped and he offered, “Thank you.” Then he checked in on Lilly and raced down the hall after Monroe.

  RedKnife knew what came next. King would attempt to eat and sleep. He wondered if the Walker would be able to do either.

  Standing alone in the hall and having nothing better to do, RedKnife pondered the affliction. He spent little time interacting with the other Walkers and he avoided the human staff at all costs. Where Walkers were wary of him, humans downright feared him. He didn’t blame them. At 7’2”, he was the tallest Walker on the Estate, and as the lone indigenous Walker, he touted Anasazi descent, which made him darker than the rest. His mood typically matched. He also normally refused all duties that put him indoors and he never stayed in the cabin assigned to him. He was a loner and he didn’t talk much because his heightened senses didn’t require it. He could scent emotion, he knew what people were thinking or feeling without asking. It was these very attributes and habits that had him wondering if there was an angel out there somewhere in the world that belonged to him because the females he’d encountered here at StoneCrow were terrified of him. In fact, he didn’t have to bother avoiding them because they did everything in their power to steer clear of him. No, there’d be no angel in RedKnife’s future. He’d spend his adult life as he’d spent his youth. In solitude.

  Several hours passed with RedKnife standing guard outside Lilly’s door. When Monroe returned to the infirmary, flanked by Legion, and no King in sight, RedKnife tensed. Monroe ignored RedKnife as he stalked past and entered Lilly’s room. True to his word, RedKnife followed the Dominant Walker into the small room. He’d given his word to protect Lilly and he’d do so, even if it meant going head-to-head with Monroe.

  In the room, he noted how Monroe’s angry gaze jerked to the gift King had brought during the night.

  Monroe claimed a seat near the bed where Lilly slept and Legion stood behind him, darting a wary eye RedKnife’s way.

  RedKnife wanted to tell Monroe to leave, to come back when King returned, but he didn’t like to speak, and knew that if Monroe challenged him, he wouldn’t back down. Lilly’s room was small and she could be injured if a battle ensued.

  Lilly woke and Monroe wasted no time in beginning his interrogation of Lilly, but RedKnife’s attention was suddenly pulled elsewhere. Something smelled…wonderful. Monroe and Lilly’s words drifted to background noise as he concentrated on the scent that was slowly getting stronger. He tried to place it. Perfume? Food? His heart thundered and blood rushed in his ears as the scent intensified. He shifted his stance, curling his hands into fists, itching to abandon his post and seek out the source.

  Suddenly, the door opened and a female entered.

  The scent blossomed in the room, filling it instantly, and RedKnife felt his eyes stray from Monroe to pin the source. He’d partially shifted without intending to do so. The beasts within surged to the fore and forced him to draw in deep nose-fulls of air, basking in the magnificent scent.

  The small female with short dark hair was a recent hire. RedKnife made an effort to keep tabs on all who worked or resided at the Estate. He didn’t know her name, and had only ever seen her from a great distance…until now.

  Carrying a covered tray, the woman entered and scanned the room for a ta
ble. RedKnife’s eyes locked on the tray and he prayed the scent was coming from the dome covered plate. His beasts knew better.

  Finding nowhere to set the tray, the female wordlessly approached RedKnife and gripped his elbow with delicate fingers before sliding her hand down his thick arm to grab his wrist. A jolt shot through him at the contact and goose bumps rose in the wake of where her hand trailed down his arm. No one had touched him in years. Well, not intentionally.

  She lifted his fist and used her small fingers to force his hand opened so that it rested flat, palm side up. He allowed it.

  The female placed her tray on his hand before smiling up at him. She whispered, “Can you hold this for a sec?”

  Completely oblivious to the fact that everyone in the room had suddenly stilled, she kept working to prep Lilly’s food as all eyes in the room locked on her. Even Monroe tensed as he peered apprehensively at RedKnife’s dazed expression.

  No one ever touched RedKnife KillsPrettyEnemy. No one! Hell, even his best friend, King, had only ever brushed the lone Indigenous Walker a handful of times over the span of their decade’s long friendship.

  Unaware of her faux paux, the female continued to remove items from the nearest bedside table before removing the tray from RedKnife’s hand and smiling at him appreciatively before giving him a friendly wink then bending to lay out silverware next to Lilly’s lunch.

  “Thanks!” She whispered.

  When the room suddenly darkened, all eyes—except for Cindy’s and RedKnife’s—shot to the window.

  It was rumored, but as of yet unproven, that Indigenous Walkers could control the elements. No one was certain if the shifts in weather, that seemed to mimic RedKnife’s moods, were coincidence or not.

  Monroe cleared his throat. “That’ll be all, Cindy.”

  Cindy.

  She nodded once then quietly exited the room.

  RedKnife still stood with his hand palm side up in the air, as if unsure what had just happened. He looked mystified.

  Monroe had to smirk at the poor Walker’s confused expression. “She meant no harm, RedKnife.”

  Instantly, RedKnife dropped his hand and his ever-present scowl snapped back into place. Shaken and unsure what else to do, he turned and stalked from the room.

  In the room, Legion smiled at the CEO before being ordered, “Follow Ms. Sambrano back to the kitchen. Make sure she gets there safely.”

  Abandoning his station, RedKnife followed discreetly behind Cindy until he scented Legion behind him in the hall. A shame. He’d wanted to study the woman to determine whether she’d been trying to offend him with her touch or if she simply didn’t know that no one touched him without his permission. Maybe she truly didn’t know. He hadn’t scented hatred or evil intent. Still, the instant her skin had touched his, awareness had shot through him so quickly that he felt something shift within him. His eyes narrowed on her retreating form. Why wasn’t she afraid of him like every other female on the Estate?

  His head tilted as he watched from the darkened doorway while she entered the glass elevator and hit a button. The car seamlessly glided upward and he wondered what she was thinking about when she sighed deeply and crossed her arms over her chest to stare unseeingly out at the darkened estate. She seemed…sad.

  Without having to look, RedKnife knew snow had started falling outside. It called to him, but he couldn’t seem to tear his eyes from Cindy.

  At the top floor, the elevator car eased to a halt, and RedKnife realized he was still watching it even though he could no longer see its occupant.

  His brows speared down. She was different than most women he’d seen coming and going from the Estate. The others had long flowing hair and dressed more professionally. Cindy’s hair was… He didn’t know what it was. Her sides where shaved closed to her head and the top was longer, but the satiny dark locks were combed neatly in a sweeping fall to the side. It was unruly yet elegant at the same time. Unlike the other women, Cindy wore faded jeans with holes up high, flashing just a hint of her thigh. A t-shirt that looked like it’d been washed a thousand times was stretched tight across her chest. Her make-up was applied as expertly as King’s Lilly liked to wear hers. A corner of RedKnife’s mouth lifted. Unruly, yet elegant.

  He tensed when Legion approached and wondered if the Sentry was watching Cindy or him. The thought of Legion ogling the female sent a bolt of anger shooting through him. He tamped it down and turned to scowl at the Walker.

  “Easy.” Legion held up his hands. “Just making sure you didn’t devour little Ms. Sambrano.”

  Ms. Sambrano? Cindy Sambrano. He blinked and his scowl deepened before he stepped forward, forcing Legion to jump out of his way as he stalked wordlessly back to his post in the infirmary.

  King arrived shortly thereafter to relieve him, and RedKnife left the Estate and, hopefully, his thoughts of Cindy Sambrano behind.

  Chapter 2

  RedKnife sat on the mountainside overlooking StoneCrow Estates and watched the sleeping community. Curling tighter into his wolf form, he wrapped his tail over his dark fur as he settled in for the night. Though he had been assigned a suite within the manor, he preferred solitude. Once he realized that RedKnife wasn’t using his suite, Monroe had him reassigned to a more secluded cabin, but still RedKnife preferred to sleep in wolf form under the stars. It was how he was raised, how he’d spent the better portion of his life. As an animal.

  Sighing, he eyed the manor, wondering if he had made the right choice by coming to the here, aligning himself with StoneCrow. He’d known for some time that Monroe’s plan was to build a community for their kind. He just wasn’t sure he wanted to be a part of it. He’d left his beloved desert to trek to Montana, and luckily his beasts took to the colder climate.

  Closing his eyes, he focused on his body, on the beasts within. He listened to the whoosh of blood in his ears and concentrated on forcing the poison out of him. Whatever it was Jenny had injected him with was stalling out vital portions of his abilities. He was enraged, but at least his heightened senses allowed him to know what she’d done. All of the other Walkers were clearly oblivious.

  Inhaling slowly, RedKnife centered on the elements in his blood he knew didn’t belong and tensed to force them out. He’d been performing the ritual nightly, ever since he’d received his inoculation. Only small amounts were excreted in the form of sweat during each session, but it was worth it. He’d have the shit out his system before any of the other Walkers, and then he’d find out what it was and why they’d been injected.

  Fighting to concentrate, he kept losing his focus as his thoughts kept straying to Cindy and her touch. The last time a female touched him had been when Jenny had given him the shot, and it had been brief and impersonal. Before that he couldn’t remember a female’s hands ever being on him.

  Raised by his grandfather, he’d never known his mother or met any other female relation. Perhaps that was why he had no real skill in communicating with females. Hell, who was he kidding? He had no real skill communicating with anyone. Perhaps it was for the best. Perhaps, because of what he was, who he was, he wasn’t meant to be like everyone else or to be with everyone else. His Grandfather had said as much.

  ‘Never forget, Sha, we aren’t like everyone else. The Creator relies on us to carry on the ways of our ancestors, and we must do so at all costs.’ He still remembered how mournful his Grandfather’s gaze had become. ‘Even if it means foregoing our own happiness. Betraying our own heart.’

  At the time, the words inspired fear. The thought of spending a life in servitude to an undefined cause was terrifying to a mere boy. Now, RedKnife understood what his Grandfather had been getting at, but he wasn’t sure he believed in it wholeheartedly. Would the Creator demand such sacrifice without any hope for the reward of love? He prayed not. He hoped the Creator would one day bless him with the gift he’d given so many other Walkers…an angel.

  A dark shadow stepping from the tree line just inside the Estate drew his attention a
nd had him sitting up.

  Eyes narrowing, he let his nostrils flare as he scented the wind. Blood. And lots of it, but it was familiar. He’d scented it on King yesterday when he’d delivered his “gift” to Lilly. King had killed her attacker and, as she’d demanded in her agony, suffering no only from excruciating pain but the loss of her ability to have children due to her wounds, King had brought her Richard Jamison’s heart.

  Now, as RedKnife watched King slink back onto the Estate under the cover of night, he knew his friend had finished disposing of the body. He’d offered to do it, but King had been adamant that no one else be tied to the deed. It was a foolish call. King had Lilly now, and RedKnife had nothing…no one to lose.

  ***

  Cindy entered her dumpy little apartment and cringed at the overwhelming scent of mothballs and old paint. Depositing her keys on the table by the door, she stripped out of her coat and hung it on the back of a chair before crossing to the thermostat and cranking it, then hurrying to her small kitchenette and pulling a box of incense from the drawer. It was a habit now. Before anything else, she’d light incense in hopes of disguising the wretched scent. She was of a mind that, just because life stunk, it didn’t mean her crappy apartment had to as well.

  Waving the now smoking wand of incense about the room, she jabbed it into the soil of a plant and set about washing her hands.

  Dinnertime. She hated eating alone. She hated living alone. She shivered in her chilly apartment, as much from the silence as from the temperature. She hated the silence, the yawning void of quiet that proved once again there was no one who cared how her day had gone, what small things had made her smile. Placing her hands on the sink, she let the warm water seep into her bones. It felt good, and she considered for a moment foregoing dinner for a hot bath. Oh yeah. Her shithole apartment didn’t have a tub.