"I notice this scent as well," Gavin said softly.
"Something’s not right," Trajan said. He and Hank came to stand beside us.
"Yeah," I agreed. My skin had begun to tingle and prescience kicked in. Gathering all the live bodies to me, I turned them to mist and hauled them from the scene, which exploded in a fireball behind us.
* * *
Gavin placed compulsion on six officers, who didn’t need to remember that they’d been floating invisibly for a few moments, instead of getting blown to bits in a Dallas alley.
Fire crews were on the scene and one of the buildings was still on fire—we watched a live feed on television while Gavin did his trick with unsuspecting human officers.
"Daddy?" A little girl, clutching a stuffed toy in her arms crept into Winkler’s study, where we’d gathered to discuss what had happened—and what had almost happened—to us.
"Baby, did we wake you?" Winkler held out his arms and four-year-old Wynter ran toward him.
"I had a bad dream, Daddy," she burrowed into his arms.
"Who’s that?" she pointed to me. "I want to see her, Daddy."
"That’s Breanne," Winkler soothed.
"Hey," I walked over to Winkler and smoothed dark hair away from Wynter’s face. "You’re too pretty to have bad dreams."
She smiled and hid her face against Winkler’s shoulder.
"Come on, let’s get you back in bed," Winkler said and walked out of his office. Wynter shyly waved at me as he carried her away.
"You said you noticed a smell when we arrived?" Bill said. He’d just gotten off the phone with the Dallas FBI office.
"Yeah, but it wasn’t something I recognized," I said. I’d Looked, too, and the cause of the smell—and the explosion—was blocked.
"Same here," Trajan agreed. "Nothing I’ve ever smelled before."
"I didn’t smell anything," Jayson said.
"You’re human," Trace and Trajan said at the same time.
"What about you, Hank? How’s your sense of smell?"
"Chimera shapeshifter," Hank growled. "Fire breather. Not native to this world, and supposedly extinct."
"What the hell?" Jayson had pulled up information on his cell and stared at an image of a chimera—according to Wikipedia.
"They don’t look like that—I just said they’re not native here," Hank said. "They have an ugly head that looks like a lion and a pug got friendly, and there are horns growing out of its spine, similar to those of a goat. Its tail does have a false head, to lure prey to it, looking for an easy meal."
"Does it cook before it eats?" Trace asked.
"Yes. It likes things crispy," Hank nodded.
"Do they fly?" I asked. "Do you think one of those things burned down Jayson’s house?"
"Could be. Their fire continues to burn—you can’t put it out with water," Hank explained. "They don’t fly, though. They walk or run, like most animals. Remember, this is a shapeshifter, so he or she will appear human most of the time. Their scent may give them away, unless they’re shielded."
"So we may have more than one of those things, then, unless somebody is transporting them around," I said.
"Possibly, but we have to ask how an extinct species is here to start with," Hank pointed out.
"Same thing with the Sirenali," I nodded. "They’re supposed to be extinct, too."
"Where can we start looking? There aren’t any witnesses, and the bodies we went to examine are nothing but ash."
"Why isn’t there more information on the vehicle registration?" Gavin asked as he shouldered his way into the room. "There should be an address, at least."
"We feel the information was removed afterward, and was likely false to begin with. It was designed to worry us," Trajan said. "The clerk was interviewed, and she doesn’t recall the registration."
"Security cameras?" Jayson asked.
"Went fuzzy," Winkler walked back in the room. "Same thing with the cameras on a building outside the tag agency."
"Previous owner?"
"Found dead in his garage—some kind of poisonous snake bite, but there’s no information on the type of snake responsible. They only found the bite marks. He died quickly, according to the M.E." Bill was worried, I could tell. I didn’t want to worry him further, but if we had a lion snake shapeshifter in addition to a chimera, a Sirenali and who knew what else, we could be in a lot of trouble.
"Have they isolated the poison yet?" Trajan asked.
"Having trouble identifying it," Bill said.
"The snake may not have been local," I sighed.
"What do you mean?" Bill and Winkler both turned to me, but Bill was the one speaking.
"She means the snake may be a shapeshifter as well, and there is one type so deadly, it will kill you in seconds," Hank said. "You don’t want to tangle with a lion snake shapeshifter."
"This just gets better and better," Trajan tossed up a hand in frustration. "What the hell do they want from all this?"
"They want everything," Hank said simply.
* * *
Lissa’s Journal
"Norian, when did I say you could come back?" I lifted my eyes to watch him as he stood in front of my desk.
"You didn’t. I need your help, breah-mul."
"With what?" Too many things made me grumpy of late, and Norian showing up unannounced and asking for help made it worse.
"You know I’ve kept tabs on Reedy all these years."
"Your murdering asshole brother, Yaredolak?" I asked sweetly.
"That’s the one," Norian said.
"What about him?" I went back to studying the comp-vid in my hand—or at least pretending to study it. "He hasn’t sold any more of his siblings, has he? Or his own kids, maybe?" I’d met Norian’s brother once. It was once too many, in my opinion.
"He’s disappeared. My parents contacted me three days ago, and said he met with two men he claimed were old friends a week before he disappeared. Everything seemed fine afterward, until he left for the fields one morning and never made it to the work site. His vehicle was found abandoned halfway there, and there’s no sign of a struggle."
"And they’re all missing the endearing little fucker, aren’t they?" I asked.
"They are. I’m just worried his old friends are the kind who kidnaps kids to sell or exploit," Norian snapped. "I’m worried that Reedy is getting his hands dirty again. I just can’t find any trace of him."
"I told you he’d never be anything other than a criminal," I said.
"Can you help me find him? What if heads of state start dropping dead? I wouldn’t put anything past my brother."
"Norian, I know you suspect that power has been employed somehow in his disappearance, so stop beating about the bush and just say so."
"Beating about the bush?"
"Never mind. Stop wasting our time and say what you really mean."
"I borrowed one of Gavril’s warlocks to investigate around the abandoned vehicle. Astralan said the place stinks with power, but it’s nothing he’s ever come in contact with before. I’m asking you as nicely as I can, and I’ll even grovel if you want me to, but you have to come look, Lissa. I don’t know who else to ask."
"Fine, Norian," I huffed. "Let me find Gavin or somebody else to go with us, and we’ll go."
"Thank you," Norian sounded relieved.
"Nori, there’s no guarantee I’ll have any better information than Astralan," I said.
"But I need to know that," Norian sighed. "If you can’t tell me, then we’ll know it’s worse than we thought."
"You think it’s worse already, don’t you?" I frowned at Norian.
"Like you don’t? Ildevar is practically jumping at shadows, and if he’s jumpy, then something big and dangerous is going on. Isn’t it?"
"Norian, this is complicated, and there’s no rule book for any of this," I said. "Honestly, the less most people know, the happier they’ll be."
"Lissa, you frighten me at times," Norian said.
"Most people don’t know when to be frightened," I snapped back.
* * *
"Bill, we have problems," Opal said, pulling back a curtain slightly with the barrel of her pistol and peering out a window of Kathleen’s Tahoe home. "There are three vehicles outside; they pulled up together and they’re just sitting there, now."
"What happened to the guards at the end of the drive?" Bill asked.
"I can’t reach them," Opal breathed. "I know they were there earlier—we checked in." Opal held her cell in one hand, the gun in the other. Kathleen and Trina were locked in an inside bathroom near the center of the house.
"Any movement from the vehicles?" Bill asked. "Bree is next door; we may be able to get her to," Bill began.
"Bill, we have movement, a door is opening. One man is getting out. He’s tall. Ugly. Wait, he’s changing. He’s a shifter, Bill! I’ve never seen anything like this."
Just before her phone went dead, Opal heard Bill shouting for Breanne.
* * *
Breanne’s Journal
Images blazed through my brain and I heard Bill shouting my name in a fog. He’d stepped into another room to take a call, and I knew now that Opal, Kathleen and Trina were in trouble.
Without wasting time, I gathered everybody into my mist and folded to Tahoe. We landed in a heap, almost, right behind Opal, who had a gun drawn while watching a creature approach the house. I could see him through the narrow space Opal allowed between curtain and window. I was thankful the sun had set already in Tahoe, or Gavin would have fried on the spot.
"Who do you suppose is still in those vehicles?" Bill went to stand beside Opal.
"No idea. What the hell is that thing?" Opal breathed.
"Chimera," Hank said matter-of-factly. He, Jayson, Gavin and Winkler gathered behind Bill and Opal to get a look. "They want to burn this house the same as Jayson’s in San Rafael. They’re looking for him. And for Breanne, most likely."
"How the hell did you get us here?" Trajan leaned down and whispered next to my ear.
"It’s called folding space," I whispered back.
"Pretty damn handy," he muttered.
"What are we going to do about that thing? It’s getting close to the house," Winkler pointed out. "I’m not in any mood to get barbecued, and Gavin sure as hell wouldn’t like it."
"I’ll take care of the chimera. The rest of you take care of what’s in those vehicles," Hank said.
I watched as guns were pulled out and checked. Jayson had a nine millimeter in the back waistband of his jeans, plus a Smith and Wesson revolver in a front pocket. Gavin released his claws and fangs. Trajan, Winkler, Weldon and Trace came out of clothing and became wolf. What the hell?
As if that weren’t enough, Hank became his smaller Thifilathi. Well, no fire would burn him like that. He looked like obsidian scales and death as he prepared to go outside and deal with a chimera.
"What do you want me to do?" I asked.
"Stay here. Guard Mom and Trina," Jayson muttered.
"Jayson, you’re fucking human. Those out there may not be. You could be road-kill in the next five minutes."
"They burned down my house, destroyed my cars, and they’re trying to kill my mom. What do you want me to do?"
"Let him do this, Breanne," Gavin said. "This involves his honor. If he falls, then one of us will avenge him."
Hear that? You must be special, dude. Gavin doesn’t avenge lightly, I sent to Jayson.
"I can skip us outside, but after that, you’re on your own." Hank’s Thifilathi spoke. Like that, his voice was lower. Almost guttural. Breanne, he sent, keep yourself safe. These do not need to see you. Understand?
I drew in a breath. Hank suspected something. Might someone else be watching if I came out of the house? I was beginning to worry, and fear made me tremble. Then make sure you stay safe, I said. The others, too.
Didn't he know that I was much better off doing something, instead of hiding and worrying? I watched as Hank skipped the others outside the house and all hell broke loose.
* * *
Lissa’s Journal
"Norian, Astralan understated the problem," I huffed. "This doesn’t just stink of power, it reeks. If evil has a smell, it might smell like this."
Drew, Norian and I stood on a narrow track shaped from years of vehicles driving through to waiting wheat fields. Tree branches hung over our heads as we examined the abandoned vehicle, last driven by Norian’s brother.
I’d sniffed inside it and detected Reedy’s scent, but that’s all there was of him. He’d been taken straight from the solar-truck and transported elsewhere by power so foul I wanted a bath, and it had been days since Reedy’s disappearance.
"Nori, maybe we should have hauled your brother out of here all those years ago. He might have caused less trouble that way."
"I agree with you," Norian replied grimly.
* * *
Breanne’s Journal
If I hadn’t done as Jayson asked, and gone to guard Trina and Kathleen, they’d have died.
The gunshots, howling, snarling and fighting outside was just a distraction to the real danger to those inside the house. I misted inside the locked bathroom, only to catch sight of the huge snake threatening Trina, who stood in front of a terrified Kathleen.
I recognized the type of snake immediately—its pattern was similar to the friendly snake on Le-Ath Veronis. This wasn’t my friendly snake, though. His pattern wasn’t as nice, and he was a few feet shorter. It didn’t matter, I relieved him of his head the moment he coiled to strike at Trina.
"Fuck that was close," I stared at the snake’s body, which still writhed on the bathroom floor. I watched in horror as the eyes glazed over, and without thinking, I dropped my shields to read him.
Gerilat Berandiff, lion snake shapeshifter that he'd been, lay in two pieces at my feet. He’d done murder too many times to count and he’d assassinated kings, queens, heads of state and anybody else he'd been paid or ordered to kill.
"Where’s Jayson?" Kathleen’s hand shook as she reached out to me.
"Probably in the middle of the fight out front," I said, drawing her and Trina close. "They played the testosterone card and sent me to guard you."
"I’d rather have you in here," Trina stated flatly. "Those claws came in pretty handy."
"What kind of snake was that?" Kathleen’s voice trembled. I rubbed her back gently and shook my head.
"No ordinary snake. Lion snake shapeshifter. From a long way off. I hope he’s the only one they brought with them."
"You all right in there?" A knock sounded on the door. Jayson’s voice.
"Baby?" Kathleen rushed for the door.
"Mom?" Kathleen was in Jayson’s arms the moment the door opened.
"Honey, they said you looked different, but I don’t know what to think," Kathleen drew back and stared at Jayson. "I guess I’ll get used to it," she sighed. "Are you hurt?"
"Nah. I couldn’t get close enough to get hurt. Hank, Gavin, Opal and those werewolves ripped the others apart. I think they were expecting a chimera to protect them."
"They were expecting a big-ass snake to kill your mother, Mister," Trina’s fists went to her hips.
"Snake?"
"On the floor," I jerked my head toward the tile behind me. "I took care of him."
"Hank got the chimera," Jayson lifted an eyebrow as he studied the snake’s body. "You got the snake. The others were human."
"Was that all they were?" I asked.
"Why do you want to know?" Hank was back in human form, his arms crossed over his chest as he asked the question.
"Well, because there are some—uh—beings, that take over human bodies so they can—uh—avoid some of the rules," I quavered. How the hell could I explain to him that half a million rogue godlings had inhabited bodies from Evensun and then chased me through space and time, trying to kill me?
"Breanne," Hank took a step forward and wrapped me in his arms. "It’s all right, baby. Damn, di
d you kill that snake?"
* * *
"Well, I’m outed, now," Opal had dressed again and she, Trina and Kathleen packed bags before I transported everybody back to Dallas. Bill didn’t feel comfortable leaving them behind, and I felt the same way.
"We’ll move you into the house next door. I own it," Winkler informed Kathleen, once we landed inside his kitchen. Bill, Hank, Gavin and I were to stay in Winkler’s house while Jayson, Kathleen, Trina and Opal took the house next door.
"It’s good to see you again," I hugged Opal before she left Winkler’s kitchen for the house next door. Bill had finally seen the velociraptor, and I think the werewolves were more than impressed.
"Oh, I'll be back and forth," Opal eyed Hank suspiciously, as if she expected him to misbehave in the next five seconds.
"I've been good," Hank held up his hands, proclaiming innocence.
"Yeah, but your ex and that stupid reporter weren't. How the hell did you not know she was following you around? Now Jayson looks like God knows who, his house is charred wreckage, his cars are toast and all because your ex wanted to get back at you—and hurt Breanne—through him."
"I hear the reporter didn't live over it," Weldon Harper held a cup of coffee in his hand. I was learning he was addicted to the brew.
"I think those conspiracy theorists are behind this," Opal huffed. "We can't prove it yet, but this stinks of them. We have no idea who they may have allied with, either, because that pretty blonde bitch was strung all over her bedroom. Like spaghetti."
"Why would they kill her? She'd spewed everything she knew already." I felt ill at Opal's description of Colbi Wayde's remains.
"They may have wanted her for something else," Hank suggested. "And she may not have fit into their plans. I worry that Janine has disappeared, however."
"You don't think she's dead, just like the Wayde woman?" Winkler asked.
"I'm concerned that she may not be, and that doesn't bode well for me or for Breanne." Smoke curled from Hank's nostrils. How had he contained that all this time? With the way things were going, we might have to fight our way through clouds of smoke daily from now on.
"Honey, does that hurt when you do that?" I asked.
"Do what?"
"Blow smoke."
"Oh. No. I'm just allowing my feelings free rein, now, instead of holding them back, as I was before."
Blood Revolution (God Wars, #3) Page 18