“Yes, sir?” His voice was light but gravelly, with a faint Texas twang.
“Take over for me. I’m going back to HQ to look into some other leads on this sick bitch.”
“Yes, sir. You found out it was a woman?” Jeffries asked.
“Yep.” I answered for Gunnar.
Jeffries shot me an appraising glance. “You must be Nate-,” He corrected himself. “Master Temple.” It wasn’t mocking, merely obliging a deluded person their wishes. I nodded, maintaining eye contact with my face still grim from the crime scene. He studied me harder. “How are you possibly going to help us catch this… bitch? Pay her off?”
I smiled back darkly. “Kill her, maybe. But definitely not catch.”
He looked surprised, turning from me to Gunnar. “Pardon?”
Gunnar maintained his poker face, but I knew he was just as surprised, so I elaborated. “I assume that your men have an idea what we are dealing with? The real story, not the politically correct report? And also about my… specialty?”
Gunnar nodded. “They saw the video with the tail, and were briefed last night. They don’t know about your specialty though.” Gunnar grinned. “But word circulated pretty fast about how my boyfriend bought me a new car.” Jeffries smiled.
I chuckled. “Okay. Catching her will be impossible. She breeds fear into all of those near her. This crime scene is more than twelve hours old, and when I touched the body I simply collapsed, overwhelmed with panic. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you this, but make sure you have gloves in there, or else things could be difficult.”
“Why in the hell did you touch the body? You could have ruined crucial evidence!” Jeffries said, furious.
I waved a hand dismissively. “The dragon that attacked here was silver. Not grey as in color, but silver, as in the precious metal.”
“Okay. How does a civilian possibly expect to help us catch a…” he paused, as if not believing he was about to say it out loud. “Silver dragon?” I couldn’t blame him. I mean, dragons, come on!
I waggled my fingers dramatically. “Remember, kill not catch. It’s my forte.” Doubt was still apparent on his face, so I glanced around me, judging the proximity of the other policemen. “You trust him for a little show and tell, Gunnar?”
Gunnar smiled with amusement. “Light petting only.”
I could have called a ball of fire. I could have summoned a miniature whirlwind. I could have made him freezing cold. I could have done so many things, but not many knew my secret, and with the cops, that was a cover I hoped to maintain as long as possible. I merely trapped him in icy wires that none around us could see. I extended my hand, offering for him to shake it. Jeffries couldn’t move, his eyes wide. “My, my, such a lack of courtesy among men these days. Really, Agent Jeffries, it’s considered the height of impropriety not to shake an offered hand.”
The tough man’s eyes widened further. To me, it looked like when you went out and bought a Christmas tree, and they wrap it up nice and tight in that plastic net so that you can fit the monstrosity on top of your car, but I was the only one who could see the fine threads of barbwire-like cords. His mouth opened and closed wordlessly as he struggled for a few more seconds before giving up. “You… you’re a-” he glanced about cautiously to make sure we were alone. Point for him. “Wizard,” he whispered finally.
I let him go, nodding as if he had commented on the weather.
He shivered again, but his composure wasn’t broken. “So the stories are all true. If you can do that without even trying, then I am not ashamed to say that the idea of this… dragon’s magic overpowering you scares me shitless.”
“I play for keeps, Agent Jeffries. Which means I am not going to risk a capture. I will just make sure this bitch dies quick, if I have any say about it.”
Jeffries nodded, but glanced to his superior. “He’s obviously got… secrets, but he’s still a civilian. How are we going to describe the outcome if we end up… killing her? I don’t think there are even rules about this kind of thing…”
“Statistically speaking, you can get away with murder.” I said quietly. They both stared at me, slightly horrified. I shrugged.
Gunnar finally spoke, pointing a thumb at me. “He’s one scary fuck, that’s for sure. But you leave me to handle Agent Reinhardt. This is the whole point of our new team. We must step out of the lines… but only when we have to. I’d like to keep my conscience as clear as possible.” He turned a decisive eye to me. “We are not assassins.”
Agent Jeffries glanced from Gunnar back to me, studying me curiously. “How have you kept it a secret for so long? You are famous. Does anyone else know?”
“Several people, but if anyone finds out prematurely, let me just say that I will know exactly who leaked the information. And what I just did was only… foreplay.”
He blinked. “Are you threatening a federal agent?”
I touched my chest innocently. “Who, me?” I made my glare heat his face. Literally. To him, it must have felt like an oven door opening from inches away. He staggered back with a surprised grunt. My smile never wavered.
“Okay, okay. I’ll play nice. As long as you do too.” I nodded. I didn’t know what steps I could or could not take without ruining things, so I merely trusted Gunnar to keep me out of the frying pan when it came to the red tape.
“Just make sure I toe the line according to your procedures. I wouldn’t want to mess anything up. You trust me to be scary, and I’ll trust you to make sure I’m as… bureaucratic as possible.” The word tasted foul on my tongue.
“Bureaucratic is not a word you are familiar with. Not at all.”
I motioned for them to follow me over to Gunnar’s car. Jeffries spoke up once we were out of earshot of the other cops. “Why don’t you tell me what your attacker looked like so we can put out a description to the local law enforcement?” Wise advice, but totally impossible for me to reveal since we had killed her. We had to keep that secret or face jail time, or at least a trial, and I didn’t want to air out my dirty laundry to these pristine officers. I also didn’t want to go to jail, or see Peter go to jail for simply protecting Gunnar.
With magic.
Fuck. This was getting complicated. Withholding information while trying to pass out crumbs to help them. I wanted to help, but I was just out of my depth. I was not a team player. At least not as big of a team player as you had to be to be a part of the varying police branches. But I had to say something.
“We won’t be seeing her any time soon. She jumped a boat out of town after our encounter and said that her sisters would finish off what she had started.” There, all true statements, sandwiched between a fuck-load of emptiness.
Agent Jeffries watched me with cop eyes. I fought not to look guilty, opening up my power to calm me, slow my pulse, and ease my breathing. “Just tell him, Agent Jeffries. He won’t shut up if you don’t, and it would just be more embarrassing for him.”
“Gee, thanks, Gunnar.” I had no idea what was going on, so I waited.
Agent Jeffries’ eyes were harder than before. Like brittle diamonds. “Sugar-coated lies. My favorite.” He said. I blinked.
“Pardon?” I asked. “You would fucking dare to-”
Gunnar laid a hand on my arm, smiling. “Wait, Nate. Just hear him out.”
I folded my arms across my chest, checking my power so that I wouldn’t blow Agent Jeffries across the parking lot. “Okay, what’s so funny, Gunnar?” I finally asked.
“Tell him the color of the car is black.” I frowned, but complied.
“Lie.” Agent Jeffries said softly.
“So his IQ is around a 24.” I spat.
Gunnar sighed. “Say anything then, true or false, and hear what Jeffries has to say. Tell me if he’s right or wrong.”
Okay, I’d bite. I had a killer poker face. “I just inherited seven billion dollars.”
Agent Jeffries didn’t even hesitate. “Lie.”
> Gunnar looked startled at my statement, but arched an eyebrow in question.
“He’s right. It was eight.” They both stared back, dumbfounded. “Let me try again.” I said, determined.
“Wait a minute. You inherited eight billion dollars last night?” Gunnar whispered violently. I just nodded, trying harder to trip up Agent Jeffries. He leaned back on the hood, concentrating.
“I’ve been in an orgy.”
Agent Jeffries immediately grinned, impressed. “True.” Gunnar choked on something, starting a violent coughing fit.
Damn. “I voted for Obama.”
“Definitely a lie.”
I dug deeper. “My parents were murdered.”
Agent Jeffries stared back. “You aren’t sure.”
Was this a power or was he just damn good at reading people? I opened my mouth for one more, but Gunnar had regained his composure, and interrupted me. “He can sense lies.” I started to protest, but Gunnar held up one big Viking hand. “I’ll prove it.” I grumbled, leaning back on the car too. Gunnar was silent for a time, but when he spoke, it was a doozie. “I am a werewolf.” He said, smiling as if it were a game.
I jumped up. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Sounds like Gunnar lost his fucking mind there for a second. Excuse us, Agent Jeffries, but I think we’ll be leaving now.”
Agent Jeffries slowly turned to Gunnar, face serious, not hearing me. Was Gunnar trying to lose his job? I didn’t know anyone who had blatantly outed themselves like this before. I know some had been caught shifting on video, but this was a first for damn sure. “True.” Agent Jeffries finally whispered.
I looked from one to the other, wondering if I had just become Gunnar’s new source of income. He was fucked. No one would keep a known werewolf on the books. The first admitted werewolf in the government, at that. Gunnar took a step towards Agent Jeffries. “Trade for trade. You told me your secret, so I told you mine. Only fair.” Gunnar said calmly. “And there is a group of crazy bitches hurting innocent people in our town. But now, more importantly, do you still trust me?” He set his shoulders, and used a hand to lift Agent Jeffries’ jaw so they locked eyes. What would Gunnar do if things went wrong? I didn’t even know what the FBI would do when they found out. Would they just fire him, or hunt him down like a criminal… like an animal?
“You don’t even have to ask the question, Randulf. Of course I won’t tell. You’ve saved my ass more than a few times, and I would never forget that.”
“That might be enough for Gunnar, but not enough for me.” I said protectively.
Jeffries abruptly drew a knife and sliced his finger before I could even react. Then he did the impossible. I felt the hum of power instantly surround him in a small circle. He knelt with one knee up, touched his forehead with the bloody finger, and then licked it clean. “I swear that I will never betray you, Gunnar Randulf, or Nate Temple.”
Shit. He knew more than just how to sense lies. He knew a bit of arcane ritualistic magic. The circle snapped shut like a rubber band, and I knew that he would never be able to break his oath.
Over time, people had begun to assume that the ritual Jeffries had just performed was merely a formality, and had decided to simply trust another man’s word, his honor. But it had begun here, with this ritual, when one literally swore an oath that could not be broken. Gunnar arched a brow at me, surprised himself. I nodded back. “He’s telling the truth. He literally cannot betray either of us now. No matter what.” My voice sounded surprised, and I didn’t even care to hide it.
Gunnar smiled down at him. “Thank you, Jeffries, but it really wasn’t necessary.”
Jeffries nodded. “It was for him.” He pointed a thumb back at me as he stood, tucking the blade away into a pocket.
“Well, he does know how to make a fucking point. I can do nothing but trust him on this now, because there’s no way for him to renege on his oath. Where did you learn that, Jeffries?”
“My parents,” was all he said. Looking to Gunnar, he continued. “All this time I thought I was the only freak around… It’s good to know that I’m not alone. I can’t wait to work with you two, even thought he’s a civ.” Jeffries said with a grin at me.
“A civ who can kick some serious ass when necessary,” I argued.
He nodded back. An agent was walking our way now, obviously intent on interrupting us. Jeffries spoke. “I need to get back to the scene.”
Gunnar nodded back. “You do that. I’ll be on my cell. Get back to me as soon as you hear something. We’ll chat later.” Jeffries turned to intercept the agent.
Gunnar looked at me and shrugged at the look on my face. I silently climbed into the car, saying nothing. He started the car and began to pull out from the curb, heading deeper into the seedy warehouse district. We drove in silence for a time.
Then the skin between my shoulders began to itch as if I were being watched. I glanced out the window, but blew it off as simple weirdness from the conversation I had just experienced, and the brief attack by the gargoyles. Gunnar finally broke the silence. “Did you really inherit that much money?”
I turned to him, thinking. “What time is it?” I asked.
He glanced at the dash and told me. “It’s increased by about half a million by now, then.” Gunnar stared at me, eyes lifted in confusion. “Interest,” I added as I looked back out the window. Gunnar was silent for a time.
“Nate?” I heard him ask.
“Yeah?”
He was silent for a few seconds. “You said there were nicer cars than this…”
I rounded on him, blinking in disbelief. “Are you really about to bitch about not getting a nicer car?” I bellowed. We were about a mile away from the scene in a deserted stretch of vacated warehouses, probably converted to crack houses now.
He shook his head and opened his mouth to answer, but the back of the car suddenly shuddered, and the whole back windshield blew into the car, raining pebbles of glass over both of us as the car began to skid, the sound of screeching tires mingling with the tinkling of broken glass. When Gunnar and I had stopped screaming and he had regained control of the car, I turned back to see what had hit us. Gunnar merely gunned it, screaming, “No fucking way!”
A silver dragon was chasing us down the street, long neck stretching her beautiful chrome head no further than a yard away as she kept up with us going sixty miles an hour. Her silver scales slid and writhed against each other like a computer technicians wet dream. “Hello, boys… I think you might know where to find a book I was hoping to peruse.” She purred, not even out of breath.
“Deceptacon!” I yelled, frantically saying the first thing that came to mind.
She let out an erotically sensual peal of laughter that tightened my pants with the thrill of dark sex. Fantasy dark sex. The kind that only belongs in the back of the mind where one knows they will never actually act upon it. The thrill and danger of pleasurable pain.
I was too startled to break her wave of fear and power. She had caught me off guard, and now I felt like I was drowning in that dark pleasure-pain. Nothing I could do but ride it. Gunnar and I had already lost. She was just too powerful. Then Gunnar snapped me out of it with another strong Viking slap to the face. His eyes were wide as I came back to myself. “Do something, Nate!” Gunnar bellowed, panicked afresh at my choice of words combined with the mountain of werewolf kryptonite on our bumper.
I was our only hope, as long as Gunnar could keep us away from her claws and jaws, I was free to battle this legend in the seedy warehouse district in which we were racing.
Chapter 21
T wo times in two hours was simply not acceptable. I had had enough near-death experiences in my life to know that I didn’t particularly enjoy them. Now, having overcome all those past scenarios was definitely preferable, but it was getting ridiculous how many times I found myself in them. And the baddies always got bigger, stronger, and meaner while I seemed to remain the same.
Totally unfai
r.
Her power swamped me like a lead blanket, making me shake and break out into a cold sweat as I struggled to grasp hold of my own power that was screaming defiantly deep inside my core. She was simply too strong to battle solely within the mind. I idly wondered how old she was, and how many decades or centuries she had to perfect her talents. How many centuries I have been alone, her thoughts invaded my own, meshing together seamlessly. It’s helpless. Just give in. I can take away all the pain in the world, so that you only have to live with me. No more responsibilities, no more fear of death, no more stress. I will protect you. Why would you want to fight someone who only wanted to help you? Another slap from Gunnar snapped me out of it, almost unhinging my jaw.
I reacted instantly, using my fear and the pain to do something, anything that would help get us out of here. I whipped up a wall of razor-thin air, hoping to slice her ankles off, or at least trip her up so that maybe she ran into a building. I cast it out the rear windshield like a trip wire, about a foot off the ground. It caught her immediately, and she let out a very human shriek of pain and rage, momentarily shattering her onslaught of mind magic.
My magic cut into her huge reptilian feet, tripping her up expertly, but after her first roll over a random parked car — squashing it beyond oblivion — her wings caught air and she gracefully regained control. She landed back on her feet easily and resumed her pursuit; yards further back from us, but still too close for comfort. At least she had a slight limp. She let out a roar that shattered windows in the blur of warehouses. Car alarms began squawking within a full block. We had to be going eighty miles an hour, but she was still keeping pace. I had to think of something. I extended my shield of power over both Gunnar and I, hoping to protect us from her magic before it caught hold.
Using magic to protect myself like I had with the stone griffins wouldn’t keep Gunnar safe, and I was reasonably sure it wouldn’t do much to impede her anyway, so I had to think outside the box.
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