Deadly Attraction

by Calista Fox

  “You’d have to look close enough at the right location to know it’s camouflage,” the general said.

  “Send a patrol from our region to join the others. Three hundred, Morgan. I want them found before they strike again.”

  “That might not be possible, considering the distance between us and them.”

  “Then ride hard.”

  “Yes, my Lord.”

  Darien’s mind whirled as Morgan stood and collected his map. As his general strode toward the door, Darien called out, “Wait.”

  He gently patted Jade on the behind and she stood.

  To Morgan, he said, “I’m going with you.”

  Jade gaped.

  “Of course,” the other man said. “I’ll make the necessary preparations. Good evening, Jade.”

  “Good night, Morgan.” Her voice was a wispy breath.

  When Darien glanced down at her, he found the color had drained from her face.

  “You’re not really going, are you?”

  He nodded. “They must be stopped. And I’m the one advocating peace, so I’m the one who needs to lead the charge against them.”

  Concern flashed in her eyes. “You’ll be gone for a very long time. I won’t have any way to know if you’re okay.”

  “I’ll send word.”

  She stared at him. “Are you sure you’re not going because I told you we couldn’t get married?”

  The corner of his mouth lifted. “We’re not finished with that conversation yet.”

  “Darien—”

  “Shh,” he said before he kissed her. “No more on the subject until I return.”

  Following him into the bedroom as he retrieved his shirt and boots, she told him, “You’ll have to find some way to alert me of your status frequently, otherwise I’ll go crazy obsessing over what’s going on down south with you and the villages.”

  Once dressed, he said, “No, you won’t. You’ll stay calm and you’ll do what you always do. Keep your friends and neighbors informed of what you know, but let the slayers do their jobs. That means continuing to allow them to escort you to and from the cottage. I don’t want you roaming the woods by yourself, even if it’s during the day.” He gave her a pointed look. “Don’t make me worry about you.”

  “I’ll try to behave.”

  He chuckled, despite the tension in the room. “That’s probably the best I can hope for when it comes to you.”

  Pulling her into his arms, he gave her a long kiss that left him agonizing over leaving her. But he had business to tend to.

  “Be safe,” he told her.

  “You too.”

  He lifted her hand to his mouth and brushed his lips over the backs of her fingers. “I love you.”

  “And I love you.”

  He lingered a moment longer. Then he turned and walked out.

  * * * * *

  “Jade, you’re running over,” Michael said.

  Her gaze snapped from the window at the front of the tavern to the beer mug in her hand. “Damn.” She closed the tap and handed the drink to Len Bartel, who owned the general store.

  Michael regarded her thoughtfully, then said, “You’ve been distracted for weeks. What’s going on?”

  The slayers had held a community meeting the day after Christmas, and now everyone knew about the decimated villages in the south. They also knew the king had sent an army to deal with the rogue demons, but they didn’t know Darien had gone with that patrol. She assumed he and his advisors had thought it best to maintain the illusion he was still at the castle, so Jade perpetuated the guise. It was too bad it wasn’t true, because she missed him. And wondered constantly if he was okay.

  “I’m just thinking about those people down south,” she told her friend. “Hoping no others have suffered.”

  Luckily, she had almost daily training and workouts with Tanner to help occupy her mind, or she really would go crazy. Her body had changed dramatically with the weight loss and the intense exercise and she felt stronger than ever before. So much so, Tanner had stepped up the pace on their footwork and their sword fighting. Jade almost matched his expertise.

  No one knew of their time together, which made her feel slightly guilty. Michael had tried to engage her in activities when the tavern wasn’t open, but she was always busy.

  His shoulder had healed and he’d wanted to go riding, but Jade had turned him down on several occasions. She did not want to mislead him, nor did she want word to spread if they spent time together. Romantically, her loyalty was to Darien. She even wore his ring, though on her right hand and with the marking turned downward, so no one could see it.

  Of course, Michael had noticed the new piece of jewelry. But rather than pick another fight with her, he’d shaken his head and had wandered off. It seemed avoidance was the best way to keep the peace between them.

  The night progressed with her maintaining one eye on the window, hoping for Morgan or one of his messengers to bring word of the patrol. Or for Darien to ride by. Neither happened, though Tanner came through the door just before eleven o’clock.

  “Jade,” he called out unceremoniously. “I need to speak with you.”

  This created a buzz of curiosity in the tavern, so she smiled nonchalantly to set everyone’s mind at ease. “Probably just needs to rearrange my escort home.”

  She grabbed her jacket, since Tanner headed back out the door without even waiting for her. Hurrying to catch up, she followed him down the walkway. As they approached the medical clinic, she noticed Walker’s horse next to Tanner’s and the one designated for the physician. Beside the animals sat the long, narrow cart used to transport injured patients to the clinic.

  Unfortunately, Tanner stopped in front of Dr. Schaeffer’s building.

  “What happened?” she demanded before they entered.

  “Walker was attacked on his watch. Shifter.” He pushed open the door and she walked briskly behind him.

  “Jade,” the physician said. “I’m glad to see you’re well.”

  She’d visited him once she was fully healed to thank him for his help, but the uncertainty she’d seen in his eyes had told her he was wary about her—or for her. No doubt because he’d learned of her association with the Demon King. And her self-healing abilities.

  “Thank you,” she said. She might appear to be okay, but this new incident rattled her. “How’s Walker?”

  The doctor seemed agitated. “Not so good, I’m afraid. We just brought him in. I need to stitch him up.”

  She heard the slayer’s groans from behind the white curtain drawn to separate the examination stations.

  “I’ve sedated him, but he’s in a lot of pain,” Schaeffer explained. “When I’m done, I’ll need to medically induce a coma so he can recover.” The grave expression on the older man’s face, however, indicated he wasn’t convinced Walker would survive.

  “My God,” she murmured at the prognosis. She pulled back the drape and gasped.

  Vicious slashes across the slayer’s face and chest instantly brought back images and memories Jade had buried long ago. The bile rose in her throat as visions of her parents, mauled at first—as Walker had been—flashed in her mind. Later, they’d been dismembered and decapitated to ensure they were dead.

  Her eyes widened and she clamped a hand over her mouth. Schaeffer directed her toward another exam area and held a bucket out for her. She vomited into it as her stomach roiled.

  She grabbed the container from him. “Do what you have to do for Walker.”

  Leaving the clinic, she set the pail on the ground. She sank to her haunches and sucked in some much-needed oxygen. Tanner joined her and handed over a wet towel. She pressed the material against her mouth for a minute or so, finding it—and the crisp air—refreshing.

  Finally, she said, “That is horrific.”

  “Yes. You didn’t have to look.”

  “Actually, I did.” A peculiar sensation seeped through her veins. “I needed the reminder. As much as I’d like to th
ink I’m under protection from you and the king, that’s not true. For any of us. Random attacks still occur. I can’t give in to false security.”

  A rude awakening, yes. But a necessary one, she realized.

  Immediately, the remainder of what had been brewing inside her the past few months clicked into place. She’d avoided her true destiny for far too long. It was time for her to take action, especially now that the village was minus a slayer—and at a critical point in time when rogue demons were attacking.

  She stood and her gaze locked with Tanner’s. “Swear me in.”

  His eyes bulged. “What?”

  “Do it,” she insisted. “Swear me in as a slayer. I’ll take the oath.”

  “No,” he said as he shook his head, almost violently. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “Tanner.” Irritation—and anxiety over the danger that lingered too close to them all—tinged her voice. “I know exactly what I’m talking about. No, my father was not a demon slayer, but he was leader of this village. You’re not interested in the daily politics, but I’m basically a liaison to the castle. And you can’t patrol alone. Ryleigh has always had two slayers, even before you became one.”

  “Jade, it takes years of training. I practically started when I could walk, since my uncle knew I would someday replace him. You’ve only recently been at it.”

  “That’s not true,” she rushed on. “I learned to fight when I was a kid too. And you can’t tell me that all the training we’ve done lately hasn’t made me good enough to take Walker’s assignment.”

  “I won’t dispute that.” He rubbed his temple as though a headache had suddenly set in. “But you still don’t know how to kill demons.”

  “Show me.”

  He looked ill. “Jade, this isn’t something you just suddenly decide to do. It’s a life choice. Once you’re a slayer, you’re always a slayer. Until you die.”

  “I understand that. And it’s not an arbitrary thought, Tanner. I’ve wondered for a long time if this was the path I was meant to take. I believe it is. There’s no one else in our village to rise up and partner with you. I’m your only choice. And I’m a damn good one at that.”

  “Holy Christ.” He appeared to need the bucket as well, but held back. “When the king finds out… Jade, he’ll never stand for this. I’ve seen his horse outside your cottage. I know he visits you and that there’s something between you two. He won’t approve of this. Hell, that’s a monumental understatement. He’ll be furious.”

  “I take complete responsibility for my actions.” Though she knew Tanner was right. And the fallout would, no doubt, be hellacious. But just thinking of Walker lying in the clinic made her bound and determined. “You’re the only one now who can make me a slayer. Do it, Tanner. You know it’s the right thing for this village.”

  He let out a low grunt. “I will never hear the end of it if I do.” Then he grumbled, “I’ll never hear the end of it if I don’t. Goddamn it, Jade. You are such a pain in the ass.”

  “I’m sure you’re not the first one to notice.”

  He harumphed. “It won’t do us any favors to have me on the king’s shit list.”

  “I’ll deal with him later. Let’s go.”

  She headed toward the town hall with Tanner stomping along beside her, complaining and continuing to shake his head. He found the official registry information and completed the paperwork to record the new addition to the world of slayers. Then she took her oath to sacrifice her own life in order to protect human lives against demon attacks.

  Not once did she delude herself into believing Darien would understand the decision she’d made to forego her own safety in lieu of others’. She’d broken her promise to him and had likely violated his trust. And though her heart constricted at the thought, her head told her she was doing what she’d been born to do.

  “Now,” she said to her new partner. “Teach me everything you know.”

  * * * * *

  While Walker fought for his life, Tanner introduced Jade to the very nasty reality of demon slaying. They started small, with the most basic and easiest principles and targets. Though, admittedly, killing vampires turned out to be more complex than she’d anticipated. They didn’t practice on real ones, obviously, but Tanner pinpointed the exact area of entry to the heart that would stake a vampire and she had to work endlessly on her aim.

  Tanner hung a burlap-encased dummy from a tree in the forest, and as it blew in the wind, it almost mimicked a body moving during a fight, surging forward or lunging to the left or right. Even retreating at times.

  Mostly, Tanner sighed and scowled at her.

  “You’re quicker than this, Jade. I’ve seen you move recently. But you’re holding back. You’re not focusing on the red ‘X’ I drew. Keep your eye on it at all times. Go for the kill.”

  Perhaps it was thoughts of Sheena that made it difficult to concentrate on slaying a vampire. She forced herself to rise above that notion. She wasn’t taking on Sheena. Her enemies would come from outside of the king’s alliance.

  After mastering her task many days later, Tanner taught her to do something similar with the horned demons. They also required a direct hit in a precise location, between their horns.

  “It’s a small, soft spot,” Tanner explained.

  He pressed a fingertip to her forehead to indicate the precise area.

  “Unlike with vampires, there’s no need to drive deep with your sword. The most effective way to kill vamps is to run them through and cut off their heads. With the horned demons, you just need to penetrate the skull an inch or so. It triggers a violent reaction that, for lack of a better descriptor, skews their brain cells and sends them into seizures. They also tend to spew yellow pus from just about every pore and orifice, so don’t stay too close after you’ve made your attack. It’s vile.”

  She spent another week learning to satisfactorily achieve her objective. Tanner seemed impressed.

  “It takes years to accomplish this,” he said, “but you’re a natural.”

  “I told you.”

  “Okay, smartass.” Mischief tinged his green eyes. “Let’s see how well you do with shapeshifters.”

  The next day, he showed up at the cottage with a crate. Inside was a live chicken.

  He set the slated box on the kitchen counter and said, “Shifters don’t die easily. It takes some effort.”

  As if the other species were so simple to slay…

  “You need to severely injure a shifter when it’s in animal form,” Tanner told her. “Stabbing one in the hindquarters will slow its movements. The chest and stomach are effective as well. If you can penetrate the nape of the neck, that’s a good spot too. Incapacitate the animal, roll it onto its back, place one foot against its chest with your weight pressing down and then…”

  She stared at him with bated breath. The clenching of her gut instinctively told her she was not going to like his next words.

  “Rip its throat out.”

  Jade jumped back. “What?”

  “You heard me.”

  “That’s repulsive.”

  “Yes. And you’re going to practice on the chicken.”

  “I most certainly am not.” Disgust roared through her, making her shudder.

  Tanner groaned. “Now is not the time to get squeamish, Jade.”

  She crossed her arms over her stomach as it revolted against the challenge. “I can’t even begin to imagine doing this, Tanner. It’s insane.”

  “Yes. But necessary. Now,” he continued, unfazed, “we’ve worked on grip strength with various exercises over the past few months. Having a steel cage for a hand helps you maintain your hold on a sword when you’re incurring forceful blows. But it will also assist you with ripping out a throat. It’s not easy and there are very few humans who can do it. You have to dig into the flesh with your nails and fingertips and secure the grip. Otherwise, you’ll just come away with a fistful of fur.”

  She turned away. “Th
ere is no way I’m doing this.”

  Tanner was quiet a few minutes, letting her digest the task. Finally, he said, “Clearly, Walker didn’t have it in him either. And your father, from what I’ve heard, was too preoccupied with trying to save your mother to do what had to be done to kill the wolves that attacked them.”

  Her teeth ground together. “Bad form, Tanner,” she said as she faced him.

  “Really?” His brow raised. “Because you have to be angry to do this. And in a real battle, you’ll be terrified for your life but will still need to be able to function.”

  Her laugh was a short, hollow one. “That sounds oh so doable.”

  “It is possible, Jade. I’ve done it before.”

  This brought her around. “With a shifter?”

  “No, a regular bobcat. I came across it when I was on a foot patrol years ago. It wasn’t inclined to let me leave its territory without a fight.”

  “Jesus, Tanner. I had no idea.”

  “I didn’t advertise it. But I do have the head mounted on my living room wall.”

  She whistled under her breath. “Impressive. So if I make this work, does that mean I get to hang the chicken in my kitchen?”

  “It means we’re going to move on to a bigger animal.”

  Jade glared at him. He didn’t balk. After all, she’d been the one to demand he teach her how to be a slayer.

  “I’m not so sure about this. I’m feeling queasy.”

  “Good,” he said. “You won’t be cavalier about it.”

  “No, but if I barf on your boots, you’ll only have yourself to blame, since I’ve forewarned you.”

  He grimaced. “Try to keep your bodily fluids to yourself. Now,” he said as he lifted the lid from the crate and the chicken scrambled about inside. “Palm on chest, fingers like this,” he demonstrated his cupped-hand technique, “and go for it.”

  “You’re an asshole, Tanner.”

  His grin was an impudent one. “And you call yourself a slayer.”

  The prodding pushed her buttons. Despite her reservations and anxiety, she settled the chicken on its back and held the squirming creature down, though it fought valiantly. Tanner had clearly picked a feisty one, probably as payback for making him travel this path with her when he was clearly still wary about having partnered with her.