Split at the Seams

by Yolanda Sfetsos

  “I’m aware of that,” Oren said. “But I’ve already got everything I need.”

  “Tell me it’s all in your deep pockets,” I said.

  “I’m afraid it’s not.”

  I turned to look at Papan. “Either way, you can’t come. You’ll be out running in the wild, enjoying the moon and avoiding a fever.”

  “Shit,” he said, hitting his knuckles against the table. Had he forgotten? “I’ll skip it.”

  “I don’t think so,” I said, shaking my head. I wasn’t going to be responsible for him ruining his monthly schedule. “I’ll have Oren and Conrad with me. You don’t have to worry, okay?”

  “I’m coming too.”

  We all turned to find the owner of the scratchy voice limping into the kitchen. Vixen didn’t look well. Her skin had a sick pallor to it, sweat coated her face, and the bandage we’d applied was stained red.

  “Anna, you shouldn’t be walking around yet,” Oren snapped.

  “How would you know?” Good to see she hadn’t lost the edge of annoyance she usually exuded.

  Conrad rolled his eyes and made his way to her side. She tried to push him away but he tangled his arms around her long enough to help guide her into the chair he’d vacated. “Don’t be a bitch, and accept help when you need it.”

  “Are you expecting me to thank you for saving my life?” She glared at Conrad and he took a step back. “I’m not going to thank you for condemning me to this.”

  “I wasn’t going to let you die,” Conrad said, with a shake of his head. “And I don’t want your gratitude, either.”

  “If you hadn’t broken the protection spells around my house, none of this would’ve happened.” I could feel the anger rising within me, and didn’t care about her earlier claims of not being responsible for removing the spells. Not only had she screwed everything up, but now she was shooting accusations at us. “You had to pursue an innocent man—”

  Vixen turned a hateful glare toward Papan. “He’s not a man. He’s an animal who preys on people.”

  “And because of your stupidity, you might become one too!” I shouted back. That shut her up and had her lowering her head, staring at the floor.

  “It’s not all about eating people, you know,” Papan said, in a soft tone. “Being a wolf is a blessing I’ve carried since birth and have never despised.”

  “That’s because you’re a killer,” she spat.

  Papan shrugged. “I’m not completely innocent, but I never kill without being provoked. All kills require a justification. We have laws.” He flashed me a quick glance, and I couldn’t help but remember the night in the cemetery when he’d killed the bitch who’d shot Oren and was going to do the same to me.

  Vixen’s hateful glare didn’t leave her eyes.

  “You might be overreacting, anyway.” Conrad took the seat beside her. “Just because you were bitten, it doesn’t mean you’ll turn into a monster.”

  “Easy for you to say. You weren’t the one who had a chunk taken out of them.”

  “No, maybe he didn’t, but I did.” I pulled the high neck of my tank top down enough for her to see the bandage, before covering myself up again. I was pretty sure the bite mark didn’t need protecting any longer, but I also knew the black tinge was still there. I didn’t want to see it or let anyone else see it, either.

  For just a moment, all the hate and anger left her face as she looked at me. She seemed younger, kinder, but it didn’t take long for her usual mask to take a hold of her face.

  “I didn’t break the wards,” she whispered.

  “They’re right, you know.” Oren called from the other side of the kitchen. “No one knows what will happen until the next full moon. We don’t know enough about the creature that attacked you. There’s no guarantee that you’ll turn, so how about you head back to bed and get some rest?”

  “I don’t care what happens now or later, I’m still going on this suicide mission,” she spat. “Besides, I’m not going to let you accuse me of doing something I didn’t do. The wards were down when I arrived. How do you think it was so easy to figure out the wolf was here?”

  “This has nothing to do with you,” I said, because I suspected she wanted to come along in the hope that she wouldn’t live past the incident. “Besides, you’re injured and will probably get in the way.”

  “I don’t need permission from you. Ebony’s my friend.”

  Had I been too quick to assume she was ready to throw her life away just because she might become what she hated the most in this world?

  “She’s my friend too, Fox.” Papan surprised me. I hadn’t expected him to hit me below the belt.

  “I know she is…but, Papan, you need to do what’s in your nature first.” I pleaded silently, hoping my eyes would make him see just how serious I was about this. As much as having a wolf on the inside might help us against whatever numbers were inside the Council, I also knew he would only be concerned with taking Mace down. He’d been there last month and probably heard everything Mace said to me beside Roger Hocking’s gravesite.

  “I need to be there.”

  I leaned across the table and took his hand, squeezing his fingers. “You need to take care of your wolf. You did plenty tonight. If it wasn’t for you, I’m pretty sure I’d be dead right now. Well, Vixen, Conrad and I would all be dead.”

  “That doesn’t make me feel any better about not knowing whether or not you’re going to come out of that building alive.” He shook his head. “I’ve told you they’ve started asking questions again. Those people won’t stop until they get their hands on you and use you up.”

  “By the way, do any of you happen to know why they want Sierra so badly? It sounds to me like they’ve got a real hard-on for her,” Conrad asked, still tapping one end of the cigarette before flipping it over.

  I sucked in a breath and released it slowly. “Mace probably wants to drain all my power so the Council can finish whatever it is they’re trying to do inside that place.”

  “Wow, someone’s got tickets on themselves,” Vixen said with a snort of sarcastic laughter. “You really do think you’re the center of the universe, don’t you?”

  I narrowed my eyes at her, biting my tongue so I wouldn’t get into another verbal fight with her. My concern right now was getting Papan to pay attention to his wolf, and then getting to Ebony.

  He entwined his fingers around mine. “You had to go and be some big and powerful spook catcher everyone else wants as much as me, huh?”

  Conrad coughed a few times then made a puking sound. “If this gets any mushier, I’m going to have to step outside.”

  Papan kicked his chair and sent him screeching several centimeters back. “Shut your mouth, or I’ll shut it for you. I’m sure you’d be saying the same thing to Ebony if she were here with you right now.”

  That shut him up, and a muscle in his jaw clenched tight. “Okay, okay, you’ve made your point, Lover Boy.”

  Oren pressed back against the kitchen cabinets and seemed amused by our exchange. He either thought of us as entertainment, liked the fact we could still muck around during such serious circumstances, or was convinced we were kids behaving like idiots.

  Papan looked at Oren. “Do you have any idea why they really want Fox? You told me you’d look into it.”

  I wondered when they’d had this discussion but didn’t voice it.

  “I’ve indeed looked into it and even discussed a few possibilities with Sierra.” He glanced my way for a second. “And I agree with her. I’m convinced they want to harness her power and use it the same way they’ve been doing with the other girls in that institution.”

  “What have they been doing to the other girls?” Conrad asked.

  “Some of them have disappeared,” I answered. “One died last month, and another’s currently in a coma. Except, she’s in some sort of freaky-induced coma that forced her spirit to split from her body and she has no way of putting them back together. She’s in the hospital sucking i
n every patient that dies like some sort of magnet, or vortex.” I exhaled. “I won’t let them do the same to Ebony.”

  “If he touches her, I’ll kill that asshole myself,” Conrad said through gritted teeth.

  I prayed Mace hadn’t already done the same to Ebony. The thought of her ending up like Mara made me sick to the stomach. As much as I’d promised I would help her, I’d subconsciously known it would be to assist her in finding peace—as a spirit moving into the afterlife. I refused to put Ebony in the same category.

  “But it’s what they’ll end up doing to you?” Papan released my hand. “With or without a cloaking spell, you can’t go into that place.”

  “What do you expect me to do, then? Let Eb fade away to nothing? What about the other girls? They’ve got a bunch of catchers inside that place, and most of them probably don’t stand a chance of getting out of there alive.” I stopped to take a breath. The thought of how many spook catchers were being kept under house arrest made my blood boil. “If I stay away to save my own skin and don’t do anything, what about them? Who’s going to help them?”

  “Shit, Fox, you’re not responsible for everyone!” Papan ran a hand through his hair. “These people want to kill you, and your biggest concern is saving the other catchers.”

  I shook my head. “I have to be honest…my biggest concern is saving Ebony. I’m not going in there with selfless motivation. I want Ebony away from those creeps as much as I want them out of my life.” I folded my hands in my lap, looking down at them and suddenly feeling very cold even if it was still summer. “Making sure the other girls are okay is an added perk.”

  “Not to mention stopping whatever crazy thing they’re doing,” Oren added. “We can’t let them continue to do this.”

  “He’s right,” I said. “What they’re doing inside that building is making ghosts fade away. If I’m right, they’re using the girls as some sort of energy net and then the spook to power whatever those assholes are experimenting on.”

  Papan peered at Oren. “So you think this is okay?”

  “Of course I don’t!” Oren raised his voice. “And suggesting any of us do is ludicrous. We simply must put an end to this. It’s already gone too far.”

  My thoughts exactly, but I decided to wait for Papan’s response. I didn’t particularly want to get into a fight over this. Not when I was putting my life on the line and didn’t know how it would all turn out. I didn’t want our last interaction to be a heated fight.

  “Okay then, so this is happening,” Conrad stated. “Let’s get a move on with that cloaking spell thingy you need to get, old man. The sooner we do this, the better.”

  I nodded in agreement. Good to see he wanted to get the ball rolling as much as I did.

  “I’m in,” Vixen added. She winced and pressed a hand to her neck. “Did you at least kill that fucking wolf?”

  “It wasn’t a wolf,” I said.

  “Whatever it was…is it dead?”

  “I think so,” Conrad answered.

  I didn’t tell them he’d disappeared, because I was starting to wonder if maybe I’d imagined it.

  Oren pushed off the kitchen cabinets and rubbed his hands together. “Sierra, I need to duck home to get the spell prepared. I’ll be back in twenty minutes or so.”

  “Make it ten,” I said, standing up. “I’ll even let you borrow my car so you can get back quickly.” I usually didn’t let anyone drive my grandfather’s vehicle and didn’t know where Oren lived, but we had to get a move on.

  “Fifteen,” he said.

  “Just be quick.” I followed him into the hallway, with Papan close behind. We didn’t say anything until we reached the front door and I handed Oren my car keys.

  “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he said, his light eyes hard. “We can’t afford to waste too much time.”

  “No, we can’t.” I looked at him. “Do you think Ebony’s still alive?” My stomach cramped as I asked the question.

  Oren avoided my eyes. “I wish I could say yes for certain, that we’ll find her in one piece and unharmed, but…” He sighed, looking up. “I don’t want to upset you, but I have a feeling we might find Ebony in a similar position to Mara.”

  I nodded, because he was probably right. “Take care of the car, and please hurry back.”

  Oren turned away and hurried toward the car. He climbed inside, but only got as far as switching the ignition on before he headed back to the front door. “Put this away in a safe place, Sierra. You shouldn’t leave it in the car.”

  I took the leather case from him and set it on the hall table. “Thanks, I was in a hurry.” I’d forgotten about it, just as easily as I had about the dagger still in my pocket.

  Oren raced back to the car and we watched him back out. He beeped once before driving away.

  “He better make it back soon,” I whispered, staring at the wet road. Both the rain and the storm seemed to have passed for now.

  “I should get going too.” Papan grabbed my hand and I turned to face him.

  I stood across from him and couldn’t help glancing longingly at the stairs leading to my room, wishing we were going up there instead of into battle. I didn’t even have anything naughty in mind, actually enjoyed sleeping beside him and hoped to do it more often.

  He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed my knuckles. “You know everything I said in there is because I care about you, right?”

  I nodded, feeling an overwhelming and strong sensation flow through me.

  “Fox, I’m really worried about this thing you want to do,” he continued, wrapping my hand between both of his. “I know you don’t want to interfere in my wolf schedule.” Papan paused to laugh. “But I’m going with you. I’ll take a quick run around the neighborhood to let the wolf go free for a bit, and then we’re going to get Ebony back. Whatever it takes to be by your side, I’m going to do it.”

  “That’s sweet, Papan, but you don’t have to—”

  “You’re right, I don’t have to, but with you, I really want to.” His lopsided grin made my heart skip a beat. “Let me be your knight in shining armor for one night.”

  “You know I don’t need saving.”

  “As strong and capable as I know you are, I still believe we all need saving sometimes,” he whispered, lowering his mouth to mine.

  I opened my mouth, intensifying the kiss by pulling my hand from his grasp and instead wrapping both around his neck. I let my fingers tangle in his soft hair and got onto my tiptoes so I could give myself better leverage. He enveloped me in his arms and pressed our bodies together while I got lost in the sensation. Having his mouth against mine and our tongues lapping at each other made a warm glow spread from my gut and settle between my thighs.

  Papan, you’re so amazing.

  When we drew apart we were both breathless, and walked out onto the front porch together.

  “Be careful,” I said with a small smile.

  He touched my face and I closed my eyes for just a second. “I’ll be back very soon.”

  Papan stepped back and jogged down the driveway. By the time he’d reached the other side of the road and strolled past the few cars parked there, he was already a gorgeous wolf running across my neighbor’s yard.

  I watched until he disappeared into the bushes across the street.

  After closing and locking the door, I couldn’t stifle a yawn. But I didn’t have time to be tired. There was still so much to do.

  I grabbed the leather case Oren had given me and headed for my bedroom. As I passed by, I could hear muffled conversation between Conrad and Vixen coming from the kitchen but didn’t feel much like hanging out with them. The last thing I wanted to do right now was engage in useless small talk with anyone. My nerves were so tightly wound I could hardly think straight. I had only one objective and every minute ticking by was making me feel worse. Yet, until both Oren and Papan returned I couldn’t do anything.

  Right now, I wasn’t going to be able to concentrate on much but
getting Ebony away from Mace.

  I headed up the stairs, every step making my mood a little bit darker. It took all the willpower I had to keep moving up and not heading for the front door so I could get this over and done with. Lending Oren the Fairlane had probably been a good idea, because if it was still sitting in the driveway right this minute, the temptation would’ve been too much and I might have done something rash.

  After closing myself inside my bedroom, I went to the top drawer of my dresser, where I’d stashed the athame, and tucked the leather case inside. I pulled the dagger and sheath out of the drawer and stared at the ornate covering.

  For a moment, I imagined using this silver blade on Mace. I wasn’t going to throw myself into the ensuing battle like some innocent little girl who didn’t know how much was at stake. A lot was depending on our simple plan, and I was determined to get Ebony out unscathed. If it meant using this dagger on Mace, did I really have it in me to kill a fellow human being?

  As I moved away from the dresser and strolled past one of the windows facing the street, something caught my eye. What the hell?

  With my stomach tangled up into knots and my heart racing, I stepped closer to the window. Between the vertical blinds I spotted the black dog staring right at me from across the road. He sat directly under the streetlight, his huge paws pressed against the wet footpath.

  “What do you want from me?” I whispered, tightening my grip around the leather sheath. My heart pounded a frantic beat, because I knew this beast wouldn’t stop haunting me until he got what he wanted.

  As if it heard my question, the dark dog shifted into an olive-skinned man. His skin was glossy, either from sweat or the rain, and he had a disgusting gaping hole in his shoulder and one in his midsection. I knew they were the places where he’d been shot, so the silver had obviously gone right through his body.

  I shivered at the sight, but was even more disturbed when both holes sealed right before my eyes. What was he going to do now?

  Standing naked under the light in the middle of the night probably wasn’t the best way to avoid attention. The street might be empty, but someone was bound to see him eventually.