by Kelly Hall
“I don’t even understand it,” said Hemp. “Whatever was going on with the guy, it was like something had overcome him, something dark and evil.” He offered his phone to Brock. “You better call the Huntress and tell her about this. Other camps could be at risk. Even the academies.”
“I will,” said Brock, taking the phone. “But I think this was personal.” Whatever had taken Grady could have led him far away. Instead, it had led him back to the camp and tried to take him and his men out. If he hadn’t been on the mission to find the lone wolf, he could be lying in his own blood too. He looked down at the victim. His hands and boots were soaked through, and his skin looked like it had been ripped open. Large holes punctured the center of his palms, and a grisly wound had been carved in an angry line around his head.
It was similar to the wolf’s injuries.
He looked up and saw that Trillion had left the wolf and Grady’s friend’s body lying in plastic in the center of the yard to tend to their friends. He walked over and threw open the tarp, seeing the young man had similar wounds.
“Rebekah fought something like this,” he mumbled. Then he looked down at his phone and realized his battery was dead. He walked over to Hemp, took his phone, and dialed Jarreth’s number.
With Ignis having showed up at the naiads’ bayou, Rebekah insisted that Jarreth and Canter get something to eat and return the SUV to Dixon. Aziel opted to stay and spend more time with Tula.
“I still think we should have eaten at the diner,” said Jarreth. “This grease is dripping all over.” His bacon double cheeseburger was so soggy, he could barely eat it and drive. He slowed the SUV and pulled into the gates of the academy, which opened right up for them.
“Rebekah said she’d pay for the cleaning. Do you think we should have gotten some cash?” Canter didn’t want Dixon to try and collect from them and hoped he wouldn’t flip out on them for how trashed the car was.
“I’m not paying him,” said Jarreth. “Let the Church pay up for a change.” He pulled to a stop at the garage and realized his phone was vibrating in his pocket. By the time he pulled it out, it stopped, and before he could answer it, Dixon walked up to the car. He glanced at the number but didn’t recognize it.
Jarreth put down his driver’s side window and stuffed his greasy burger into the cupholder in the console.
“Are you eating in the car?” Dixon looked at him like he had just thrown a pile of garbage in the vehicle.
Jarreth shrugged. “We stopped and got something on the way.”
Dixon reached in and wiped the drop of grease from the steering wheel. Then he caught a whiff of the smell. He held his nose. “Dear God. Did you get the woman back home? Is she going to make it?” The car smelled like she’d died in it.
“Rebekah is with her. She wanted us to get the car back and wait for her to call. She thought you might want to clean it.”
“Oh, it’s getting cleaned up all right. I think you two gentlemen can take care of it while you wait. The cleaning supplies are in the garage. You can’t miss them.” Dixon slapped the side of the car and walked away.
“Do you think he’s serious?” asked Jarreth.
Canter nodded. “He is our superior, like it or not. I think we have to do it.”
Jarreth groaned. “Fuck. Not fair.” He got out of the car, and Canter joined him as he crossed the garage.
“Let’s just get this shit over with. When Rebekah calls, we have to have Dixon go with us to pick her up, and I don’t want him bitching about the lousy job we did.” He found the cabinet of supplies and opened the door, hoping they’d have everything they needed.
“He’ll do that anyway,” said Jarreth, looking across the huge, open garage to see a gorgeous girl waxing one of the other vans. He nudged Canter. “At least we get to look at that while we do it. Holy Huntress, she’s hot.”
“Delilah would cut off your balls if she saw you drooling like that.” He handed Jarreth a rag. “Use that to wipe the car and your chin. You got a little something there.” He brushed his chin.
“I can look, man.” Jarreth stared at her ass as she bent across the hood.
“Yeah, I just don’t know how you can. I mean, she’s hot, but she’s not Katie. And she’s not Delilah, who we both know is too good for your sorry ass.”
“That’s why she still hasn’t accepted my proposal, I guess.” Jarreth pushed the thought out of his mind, not wanting to deal with those emotions. He looked back at the huntress and licked his lips. Looking and imagining was all so very innocent. He’d never lay a finger on the girl.
“I’ve been thinking about me and Katie. You know we’re pretty serious now.”
“Yeah, so what are you thinking? Next level? Sex with your pants all the way off? In the daylight? Or maybe you’ll try taking it to the shower?”
Canter could handle a little ribbing about his being a late bloomer, but he wasn’t that bad. “Very funny. It’s new, but I know what I’m doing, and I haven’t had any complaints.”
“What have you been thinking about?” Jarreth stopped to lean against the counter.
Canter took a deep breath, imagining his whole life and knowing he didn’t want to face it without Katie by his side. “Next level for sure. But I was thinking of maybe buying a ring.”
Jarreth nodded. “That’s smart. I didn’t have a ring, you know? I just blurted it out like an asshole does a fart. I should have prepared or put some thought into it.”
Canter chuckled. “I don’t think you did that bad. I mean, I’m sure it was special in the moment. She just wasn’t ready.”
“She said no, regardless. So, brace yourself. If Delilah could say no to me, then it could happen to anyone.” He didn’t want his buddy to go through the same heartbreak that he did. Of course, Katie would be lucky to have him and would probably jump at the chance.
“I have played it over and over in my head a million times. I just don’t know if it’s too soon.”
“I can’t tell you that, man. But I know if you love her, you should go for it.” Jarreth glanced over at the girl across the room. “You better look while you can, man.” When the girl turned where he could get a better look, he realized he knew her. “Crap. That’s Aziel’s girl, Cleo.”
“I heard that things didn’t work out with them,” said Canter, taking out the window cleaner and passing it to Jarreth.
“She’s got the bod and the brains then.” Jarreth turned his attention to the supply closet for a moment and found a bucket and a large sponge.
“Aziel’s a good guy,” said Canter, taking the sponge and pointing to the sink.
Jarreth took the cleaning bucket to the sink and turned on the cold tap. “He’s getting over it. God knows what him and Tula have been up to.”
Canter chuckled. “Let’s hope for the angel’s sake that God doesn’t know.”
They both chuckled until they realized that Cleo had finished waxing the car and was headed over to put away her supplies. She gave them a stern look as she approached, especially Jarreth who couldn’t be any more obvious staring at her rack. “Here, you might need this,” she said, passing him the bucket.
“Thanks,” said Jarreth. “It’s Cleo, right?”
“Right. And you are that blonde egomaniac from the Nevada Academy. Aziel told me all about you the last time you were here. You’re Delilah’s boyfriend, right?”
“Yeah,” said Jarreth as she totally turned away from him and looked Canter up and down like he was fresh meat.
“You, I don’t remember.” She held out her hand, and Canter wiped his on his pants before taking it.
“I’m Canter Jackson. It’s nice to meet you.”
Cleo smiled at Canter. “You have a nice smile.”
Jarreth shook his head and laughed to himself, wondering how Mr. Katie Kelly would handle this one.
“Thank you. I’ve heard a lot about you. Aziel is a good friend of mine.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah,” said Canter. “I’l
l tell him you said hello.”
“Don’t bother,” said the angel. “We don’t talk anymore.”
“I heard you dumped him.”
She raised her chin to look down her nose at them. “I only date other honorable Warriors.”
Canter could tell by Cleo’s attitude that Aziel dodged a bullet with her prissy ass. “He’s one of the most honorable angels I know.”
“Yeah, he was, but then he got too close to his assignment. He’s not a Warrior anymore, so…” She shrugged like it was common knowledge.
The words baffled Jarreth. “Wait. You’re saying that Aziel is not with the Warrior program anymore?”
“Yeah, as far as I heard, he’s been officially reassigned and demoted. I broke things off before they really got off the ground. I have my own reputation to protect.” With that, she turned and stepped away, looking back over her shoulder. “Make sure you don’t forget the wax. Dixon is a stickler for details.”
She strutted away, and Canter and Jarreth exchanged a look.
“News to me,” said Canter.
Jarreth tried to remember if the angel had said anything that he had ignored, which was a possibility. The very mention of Aziel’s name usually made Jarreth lose interest. “I wonder if this is part of his agreement to come along?”
“I don’t know, but it makes me want to ask what he’s still doing hanging around.” Canter gathered up a handful of supplies and walked them to the car.
“Maybe you’re not the only one with a secret mission.” Jarreth was about to grab the bucket he’d filled and join him when his phone buzzed, reminding him that it had before. He quickly took it out and looked at the number again and decided to answer just in case Rebekah had used a different phone to call him. “Hello?”
“Jarreth!” His father’s tone put him on alert.
“Dad?” He put the bucket down by the car and leaned against the front end.
“Listen to me, son. We’ve had a problem here at camp. I need to speak to Rebekah.” His dad was using his serious voice, which up until then Jarreth had only heard when he’d done something bad like wreck the car or refilled his dad’s favorite brand of vodka with water so he wouldn’t notice any of it missing from the bottle.
“She’s at the bayou. We’re in New Orleans on a personal mission. I could give her a message when she’s done.”
“Thank the Huntress.” Brock was glad to hear she was close, but he didn’t know how to explain the severity of all that had happened, and he hated to sound like he was asking the Huntress for help, even though it was more than welcome. “No, look, it’s very important. I need to talk to her about the stigmata.”
Jarreth grabbed his rag and dipped it in the water. “What about it? As far as I know, she killed it.”
Brock was quiet a moment.
“Dad?”
“I’ve had an attack on the camp, and I’m looking at over twenty dead, all bleeding from their hands and feet and head and from their sides. It looks like a fucking horror show. The survivors said it was Gimble. He was overtaken by some kind of dark shadow.”
“Jesus, Dad. Grady? Are you all right?” He looked at Canter, who had tossed his rag over his shoulder and stepped closer with a concerned look on his face.
“I’m fine, but only because I wasn’t at the camp. I need you to tell Rebekah.”
“I’ll head out and get her right now.”
“Have her call me at this number. I’m not asking her to come, and I understand if she doesn’t want to get involved, but I’ll need all the help I can get with this one.”
“Don’t worry, Dad. We’ll do all we can.”
“Thanks, son. I should go now. I need to tend to my dead.” With that, they said their goodbyes.
Jarreth hung up the phone. “We’ve got a problem.” He didn’t understand how it could be. They’d already defeated that enemy.
“You’re pale, brother. Is your dad okay?” Canter figured his father had a tough time on one of his hunts, but then Jarreth’s expression scared him.
“No, it’s worse.” Jarreth looked into Canter’s eyes with a lost expression. “From everything my father said, it’s the stigmata.”
“Shit. We have to call her.” Canter took out his phone and tried to dial, but it went right to voicemail. “She might have it turned off or not have a signal. I’ll try again in a few, but we have to tell her right away. Grady could have been looking for us, and if the stigmata is still out there, it could be using him to get to Rebekah.”
Jarreth reached in his pocket and held up the keys. “Should we tell Dixon?”
“Fuck it,” said Canter, shaking his head. “I don’t feel like hearing him bitch.”
Jarreth stepped over the supplies they’d laid out and hurried for the car. Canter jumped in while he started the engine, and Cleo screamed for them to stop as they peeled out of the garage. Jarreth wheeled the car around in reverse, and as he stopped to put it in drive, Dixon ran out to see what they were doing. He met Jarreth’s eyes. “Where do you think you’re going?” He ran for the car.
“Don’t tell him anything,” said Jarreth as Canter rolled down his window. “Rebekah might not want this getting out.”
Dixon threw his hands up and yelled. “What the fuck?”
Canter hung his head out the window. “Sorry, we have to get back to Rebekah.”
“Let me take you!” Dixon gave them a challenging look.
Jarreth shook his head when Canter looked at him and shrugged. “Sorry!” He put the car in gear and sped away, slowing down only enough for the gate to open.
Dixon stomped his foot and balled his fists. “Fucking assholes.” Rebekah owed him big for this. Hopefully, none of the elders would show up and demand to know where the car was. They were always particular over such things, and he was in enough trouble as it was for defending Rebekah. You’re a damned fool for that woman, he thought, not sure if he was talking about the hunters or himself.
Chapter 14
Ignis leaned against the rickety railing of Talia’s paddleboat. “I’m telling you, I had nothing to do with Tia’s attack, and I’m insulted that you would for one moment think I did.” Ignis had spent a while reuniting with Talia and Tia and had finally gotten a moment alone with Rebekah on the top deck.
Rebekah looked out over the bayou to the cypress trees and the moss that draped from their branches into the water. “I’m just trying to get to the bottom of what happened. She claims she saw you. That you called her to the alley, and when she got there, you disappeared. She was afraid that you were captured or killed. That’s how certain she was.”
“Poor thing,” said Ignis. “I’d never lead her to harm. I’d die for that girl and any of her sisters, the same way I’d die for you and Talia. She must have been heartbroken not knowing what happened and what her sisters would think.”
“I know.” Rebekah thought it had to be terrifying for the naiad. “I’m just trying to figure it out. Why would she see you?”
“I don’t know. Perhaps it was a doppelganger or maybe an impostor?” He tried to rack his brain for a reason. Suddenly, it occurred to him.
Rebekah noticed the change in his expression. “What is it? Did you remember something?”
Ignis tried to act nonchalant, but it was too late. “No, I just thought that if the shifters had found a way to turn into me.” He shook his head. “It’s a silly thought.”
“I don’t think that’s possible.” Rebekah refused to believe that a shifter could change into a person. They only had one true human identity, and another person looking exactly like Ignis was an impossibility. Similar, maybe. But not enough for Tia to be mistaken.
Ignis shrugged. “Maybe she was on something, confused. I don’t know. I’ll try and get to the bottom of it.”
“When you head home, you mean?” She hoped he was headed back home immediately.
Ignis had meant to stay back at the castle, but his heart wouldn’t let him. “I’m going back as soon as possible. I o
nly made the trip because I was losing my mind with worry.” Ignis had misted all the way and would do the same until he returned home, once he was done with his visit.
“You’re going to be exhausted,” said Rebekah.
“It’s not as bad as all that. I’ll take a nap, pound an energy drink, and I’ll be as good as new.”
Rebekah frowned at his exaggeration as her phone vibrated in her pocket. “I told them I’d call them.” She took the phone out of her coat and looked at the name. Dixon. “Shit. I guess he saw the inside of the car.” She almost didn’t answer but then thought she ought to check on the guys’ status.
“Hi, Hoyt.” She tried to sound flirty but sucked at it. The tinny tone made her sound nervous instead, and she felt like a silly girl, weak and vulnerable over a crush, which Hoyt was not.
Ignis covered his mouth so she couldn’t see his grin.
“Your two jackasses showed up here and then left again,” said Dixon, his tone a bit too sharp for her liking.
Her tone changed as well, deepening with urgency. “They left again?”
“Yes, the young black man apologized, but I think they are trying to get out of washing my car!”
Rebekah sighed. “Canter. His name is Canter Jackson.” She tried to remember he didn’t know Canter as well as the others.
“It doesn’t matter. Him and that Jarreth fellow were supposed to be cleaning the car.”
“Look, Hoyt. I’m sure if they took the SUV, then they had a good reason to do so.”
“Well, if Elder Wick shows up and I’m a car short, I’m going to have to tell him where it is.”
“Is he due for a visit?” She didn’t remember him mentioning it.
Dixon’s blood was pumping, and he tried very hard to mind his tongue and his attitude. “That’s beside the point, Rebekah. If he does, or if any of my superiors show up, I’m in trouble. I should have sent that girl to Arcadius via protocol, and yet, I let you take her out of here and I trusted you to handle it. If one person who was on that mission runs their mouths about her, I’m screwed.”