“What was she doing?”
I pressed my palms together and twisted them. My gaze shifted out toward the dead trees, unable to meet his. “Uh…smiling.”
“Can you tell me what she looks like?”
Aiden’s features gave none of his thoughts away. Maybe he believed me. Or, possibly, he was gathering evidence of insanity for Ian. Hesitating, I tapped the side of my leg before pulling a piece of paper from my pocket: a sketch of the girl. I handed it to him.
A line creased between his brows. “Where did you get this?”
I sighed. “I couldn’t fall back asleep this morning…I was bored.”
He studied the paper with something that looked a little like astonishment, but I couldn’t be sure. “You drew this?”
“Sarcasm isn’t my only talent.”
Aiden folded the paper up and handed it back to me. “With this, she shouldn’t be too hard to find.”
“You really think she lives around here?”
“You saw her running through these woods. It only makes sense.” He tucked his hands into his pockets, leaned against a tree and waited silently as I studied the forest.
Nothing odd had happened here; well, except me throwing myself around in the dirt. Maybe I was crazy. No. I refused to believe that. I was positive I hadn’t overlooked a single thing. “Let’s go to those houses now.”
He pushed away from the trunk and silently followed. When we reached our house, we climbed in the truck and once again depended on Aiden’s innate sense of direction to get us where we needed to be.
It didn’t take us long to find out no one lived in the first home. A big red “for sale” sign stood in the overgrown grass and a window in the front revealed lack of furniture and life.
Aiden straightened in his seat and motioned toward the little yellow house. “No one lives here.”
I rolled my eyes. “Thank you, Captain Obvious.”
He switched the gear into drive and peeled out of the driveway.
I kept waiting for the truck to gain its usual illegal speed and blur out our surroundings. It didn’t. I figured it had something to do with the winding, dirt roads and cliffs. I should be grateful. It was just that something about the world rushing by helped me feel alive. Slumping back, I pulled my knees to my chest. “Are we there yet?”
He pointed off into the distance. “See the little log cabin?”
I strained my eyes. “All I see are big, fat trees.”
“Give it a moment. You’ll see.”
“Does it get annoying?” The words slipped out before I even knew they were coming. I pursed my lips, hoping he wasn’t getting the impression of small talk.
He glanced at me and, for a second, I could’ve sworn he looked a little taken aback. “Does what?”
“Uh, your gift.”
Aiden righted a strand of hair from his eyes with a quick shake of his head. His hesitance made me think he didn’t talk—especially about himself—much. “No. It’s saved my life on numerous occasions.”
“I just figured it may be a little weird…”
“I was born with it. I’ve never known anything different.”
Not only did I wish I would’ve been born a Kember—so I could kick major ass—their gifts were a lot easier to adapt to. Sure some Kembers would accidentally light things on fire, but after a few short weeks they gained complete control of their physical energy. My mental gift took me years to nail. Sometimes I still had problems with it. “See. I didn’t know that. I woke up one morning and could control minds. I wasn’t sure how it worked with anyone else.”
“I think most Dreas’ abilities surface like yours did.”
As far as I knew, they did. The first time mine emerged, I was in class getting lectured by this prick teacher. The next thing I knew, he was blurting every profanity I thought. I passed out, and he got fired. After that, it took weeks before I could start to even recognize the hum of my ability. Skyler and a few of my other friends all went through the same thing. All around the time of puberty. After a couple years, when a Drea’s gift is fully developed and accessible, the Authority assigns a Kember.
Of course, I was the exception to this. The Authority felt the need for a Kember to raise me. No one knew when a Drea’s gift would first surface or how. Sometimes it came in the heat of rage, danger or frustration. The Authority discovered negative events usually spiked mental energies.
My eyes burned thinking back to those simpler, better, times.
The truck slowed and a little log…cabin? Was that the word Aiden used? How could he call this a cabin? To me, the place resembled more of a boarded-up shack; a place where crazy hermits lived. Broken down vehicles, and what looked like some of their parts, lay scattered across the weeds and dead grass. Animal carcasses and skins—which I didn’t dare try to put a name to—hung from the trees.
Creepy. It reminded me of a movie Skyler and I watched a few months back about some hillbillies who hunted people because they were bored with animals. I shuddered and glanced around. No power tools hung anywhere; then again, the forest was dense—how psychos liked it.
Aiden stared a moment before he put the truck in park and cut the ignition. “Let me do all the talking.”
“Aye, aye, Captain.” Shoving the door open, I jumped down from the huge truck and walked around to the front, meeting Aiden.
Two shaggy masses of fur came sprinting toward us, howling like sick seals. Before I could even start to panic, a grizzled toothpick of a man emerged from behind a tree, yelling profanities and zipping up the fly on his pants. The dogs—as I took them to be—dropped to the ground whimpering.
“What dun brung ya to my neck of the woods?” The man ran a hand through his greasy brown mullet.
Oh. My. Hell.
Aiden remained completely expressionless. “We’re trying to find someone.”
Oh no—please no! This deranged mountain man couldn’t be the source of help Aiden and I were in search of.
“I’d be happy tuh help. I’m Herman Vale.” The mountain man extended his hand.
Aiden’s hesitation was barely enough for me to notice as he stepped forward and took it. “Aiden Oltman.”
Herman smiled, showing all six of his yellowed teeth. “Well, good tuh meecha.” He turned his wide, grey eyes on me, moving them up and down my figure. “An’ who mightya be?”
I crossed my arms over my chest and opened my mouth to say “take a cold shower” when Aiden spoke. “This is Taylee.”
My eyes narrowed. Apparently, when he said no speaking, he meant it.
Herman took a few steps forward and held a dirty hand out to me. “A pleasure.”
I stared at his long, thick fingernails, picturing them cutting into my flesh and giving me some kind of rabid mountain man disease. I almost gagged. For all I knew, it could’ve been the one he just used to go to the bathroom. Yeah, I’m pretty sure I’d rather die.
Herman dropped his hand and chuckled. “That’s all right iffin yur shy.” He turned back to Aiden. “Who can I help ya find?”
Aiden reached toward me. “The drawing.”
I scowled and gave it to him. Herman took a few steps and stood at Aiden’s side.
Aiden watched the mountain man study the sketch, looking like he might decapitate him—or worse—if the man made the slightest wrong move.
Cringing, I wondered how he could stand that close to the man. I smelled the mixture of raw meat and BO from here.
Herman smoothed down his red and black flannel shirt and shook his head. “Never seen ’er.”
Aiden scrutinized him. “Never?”
Herman stroked his beard and took another peek. “Nope. An’ I know evuryone ’round here.”
I didn’t dare look at Aiden. I wasn’t crazy. This chick had to be real.
“Also,” Aiden hesitated. “There’s this man. He wears a long black cloak—”
“He’s about as tall as Aiden and works with a few Ry—” I covered my slip quickly. “Guys w
ith tattoos on their faces…” Rygons weren’t exactly dinner-table-talk to the Norms. Neither were Kembers and Dreas. The Authority highly discouraged them knowing about us. I guess they thought we’d become a mad scientist’s next victim or something.
The color drained from Herman’s face. His eyes flitted across the property, like he feared someone listening.
Aiden glanced around, too. “You know him?”
Herman didn’t respond right away. “W-we best talk ‘bout this inside,” he whispered and motioned them to follow him.
Chapter 9
The stench of wet dog and BO radiated through the air as we walked into Mountain Man’s house. I cupped my hands over my nose and mouth, trying to stop the foul odor from invading my senses. Barely breathing, I followed Aiden and Herman single-file through the closet-like entryway and into the front room.
Aiden reached around and pulled up the back of his shirt. I blinked and then stared at his smooth, tan skin. His fingers ran ever so slowly over the pistol tucked in his pants before he gripped the handle. Two clips sat on either side of the gun: one equipped with titanium bullets for Rygons and regular bullets for, well, anyone else. Kembers were required to carry both. I diverted my gaze; a flush spread over my cheeks. He’s reaching for his weapon not giving me a peep show!
If this wasn’t the house of a serial killer, I didn’t know what was. Dead animal hides, antlers and what looked like ancient battle weapons covered every inch of the walls.
“Where’s the torture chamber?” I muttered.
Herman sat on a rocking chair with a missing arm and rested his elbow on the half-chewed one. He motioned to a dingy orange couch coated in a thin layer of black hair. “Have a sit.”
Aiden did as he was told. I, on the other hand, wanted to run screaming out of the disgusting hellhole. I held my ground. And Ian said self-control was impossible for me. Huffing, I walked toward Aiden and sat on the armrest next to him.
Seconds later, Herman’s furry dogs rushed into the living room, each carrying what I took to be part of the smell. I gagged and turned my attention toward Herman, but he definitely didn’t lessen my urge to puke.
Herman leaned forward in his chair. In an almost unintelligible voice he said, “You best be steerin’ clear of them gents. They be bad news.”
Aiden’s curiosity mirrored my own. He shifted in his seat. “What do you mean?”
Mountain Man swallowed. “They come here from time to time, lurkin’ through them woods and such.”
“Do you know what they’re doing?”
“No idea. I just notice folks come up missin’ whenever they be ’round.”
Rygons did tend to suck energy from Norms and Kembers, but it didn’t kill them or take a Kember’s abilities like it did us Dreas. It simply weakened them and made them vulnerable. Rygons usually murdered them for sport. Sucking so much negative energy twisted their minds and souls. Aside from their addiction to us, the amount of energy in one Drea equaled the same as ten Norms. Another reason they preferred us.
“Will you tell me what you know?” Aiden asked.
“I dunno much. The leader’s name’s…Gage—Sable Gage. ‘E gots ’bout fifty men at ’is beck’n call—the ones with them gang lookin’ tattoos on their faces. He owns some club up in Portland.”
Aiden studied Herman and waited. “Is that it?”
Beads of sweat formed on Herman’s forehead. “I’ve heard rumors…rumors of witchcraft. They say this Sable can—can torture som’one just by looking at ’em.” He inhaled a shaky breath. “They say ’e summons the Devil—controls ’m to do ’is biddin’.”
Witch craft? Summons the Devil? Even I knew it wasn’t likely someone was controlling the Devil, even if he was real. I scoffed. People really knew how to blow things out of proportion. Though, I guess the good—yet slightly off-balanced—people of Oakridge wouldn’t know how else to justify what they’d seen.
Aiden spoke, his voice completely unemotional. “I’m sure they’re rumors. We think he’s after a young woman.”
Herman shook his head, eyes wide. “She probably owes ’im money, or has somethin’ ’e wants. There’s always the chance she caught ’im doin’ somthin’ he ain’t supposed tuh. He don’t bother ya, if ya mind yur own.”
Finally, not able to take the lack of answers anymore, I removed my hands from my face. “The girl lives around here. You have to have seen her.” Herman and Aiden both turned toward me like they’d forgotten my existence.
Herman’s brow furrowed. “Like I said, I ain’t seen ’er.”
I stared off. The girl really wasn’t here…Perhaps the vision I saw was some sort of premonition. The one house was for sale. Was it possible she’d move there then everything would unravel? Or did I start us on a dead end hunt? I shook my head, willing myself to get back into the conversation.
My body stiffened, and my lungs stopped working.
A huge dog—no, more like a rabid Sasquatch on four legs—sat at my feet, its face inches from my knee. Even though its matted black hair covered its eyes, something told me they were set on me. Two long strings of saliva hung from its mouth, as if it had swallowed a shoe and saved the laces for later. The mop’s spotted tongue pulsed from its mouth, causing its breath to hit me like a tidal wave.
Slowly, and oh so carefully, I slid down the armrest. If that dog drooled on me, which was no doubt his plan, this mountain man would have one more skin on his wall.
Aiden coughed when my butt hit his leg and quickly scooted over. His quizzical gaze shifted to me then the dog. Apparently realizing the reason for my closeness, he continued talking.
Herman interrupted Aiden and motioned to the creature. “’E ain’t gonna hurt ya. ’E wants ya to scratch ’is head.”
A shudder shook my body. No way.
Herman stood and booted the dog with his foot. “Come on. Git outside.”
The dog jumped up and followed him back toward the doorway.
“Portland,” Aiden mused under his breath. He leaned back on the couch and pulled out his phone.
I scooted back to the other end of the sofa. “Are we going?”
“No.”
“What? Why not?”
“I won’t put you in danger for something as measly as curiosity. Plus it’s a club. You’re not twenty-one.”
“So, get me a fake ID.” I jumped to my feet. “That Sable Gage guy could be the one who killed—” A sharp pain shot through my heart. “We’ve gotta do something,” I choked out.
“No.” His voice stayed level. “I’ll pass the information on to Ian. He’ll make sure it’s checked out.”
“We don’t even know all the details. Can’t we go up there—like undercover—figure out what’s going on, then tell Ian?”
Aiden shifted forward on the couch, staring at me intently. “You know how dangerous that’d be? If all this is correct, there’d be dozens of Rygons waiting for his command. They could easily find you.”
“Is that supposed to scare me? Don’t you think there are more important things going on right now than my life? There’s a girl out there—somewhere—that we need to find. Don’t you think, because we have a lead on the other end, we should go and try to prevent this?”
His eyes widened. For a minute, I actually thought he’d consider. “No. I’ll make sure the Authority sends someone.”
“Yeah, and while you’re at it, why don’t you broadcast it on the news? What you’re planning is painfully obvious. Rygons’ll keep hidden if they know Kembers are around, especially a lot.”
“Ian knows that.”
“No—!”
Herman returned, cutting off further argument. “You kids want somethin’ to eat?”
I shook my head vigorously, all the while glaring at Aiden. Who knew what kind of “something to eat” Herman had in mind: Mice, squirrels, road kill…the dog he took out back?
Aiden stood. “No, thank you. We should be going.” His eyes met mine and, with a jerk of his head, motioned for me
to follow Herman toward the exit. Too angry to be relieved we were finally leaving, I spun on my heel and followed.
Right before Herman pulled open the door, Aiden said, “Do you go to Portland often?”
Herman shrugged. “I’m wanderin’ up that way next week tuh do some huntin’.”
Aiden measured the man for a few moments. “While you’re up there, would you mind talking to some of the locals? Maybe figure out which club Sable Gage owns and have a drink.” Aiden pulled a wad of cash from his wallet.
In an attempt to fight my anger, I bit the inside of my cheek. Did he really think sending Herman would shut me up?
Herman’s breath caught. “Y-yeah, I could do that fur ya. I’ll be down thur anyway.”
Aiden nodded and handed him the money. “Be discreet. Leave us out of it. If everything goes smoothly and you manage to scrape up some good information, I’ll give you the other half when you get back.” He pulled some random business card from his wallet and scribbled down his phone number.
Herman took a step back and wiped the sweat off his forehead, looking like he might pass out. “Got it. Notta word ’bout either of ya. It’ll take me a few weeks—if that’s all right.”
Aiden reached toward the door and pulled it open. “That’s fine. We’re not in too big of a hurry.”
I scowled and pushed by them to get some fresh air. “Nope, not at all.”
As soon as my butt hit the passenger seat, I slammed the truck door closed, fury building with every breath. “Are you freakin’ kidding me?”
Aiden winced, but not at my anger. “Don’t slam the door.”
“How old are you—ninety?”
“Don’t slam it.”
“Yes, Grandpa.”
Aiden stared at me without blinking. “Are we going to have a conversation or play your game?”
I felt a foot shorter, looking into those overwhelmingly stern eyes. It was too much to even sit under. “I—I…um…” I stammered like a damn fool, all the while wanting to crawl in a hole. Taking a silent, deep breath, my adrenaline and anger diminished. “Why’d you ask the deranged mountain man to go? We won’t know anything for weeks.”
Darlings of Paranormal Romance (Anthology) Page 143