I wasn’t worried about being identified as Charlie Cuvier. We carried fake IDs I’d purchased anonymously online, the site recommended by a couple of werewolves who were friends of my cousin Sammy. Mine was under Charles Crawford, my mom’s maiden name and Jay’s was Jason Daro, Kyle’s last name. Jay usually went by Jason Bain. Hopefully our safety shouldn’t be an issue since Finvarra, the ruler of all of Faerie, was my grandfather. Unless this fae female was crazy or had a death wish, she wouldn’t try to hurt us.
What shocked the hell out of me was that she was dressed as a park ranger. She had the usual tan short-sleeved shirt, green pants, and Smokey the Bear hat. Probably not her best look.
“Why hello, Miss Ranger, what can we do for you?” Jay stood on his rock and faced her. He was in full flirt mode, not an embarrassed bone in his body. He had no clue she was fae, although it probably wouldn’t have made any difference to Jay. Female was female.
Her expression was amused. “I could fine you boys for public nudity.”
“I don’t see any public around, do you?” He turned in place, pretending to search, giving her another good view.
She didn’t seem too impressed with either of us, but then I’d never been great at reading females. “You boys seen a grizzly around here?’
“Why as a matter of fact, we have not.” Jay answered, not taking her sarcastic crack seriously. He was a guy who saw the glass as half full, especially when it came to girls. Until they slapped him or threw a glass of liquid in his face, he was still hopeful.
“The ranger removed her overly large hat, hanging it on the saddle and smoothing down her hair “That so? There are tourists, hikers and photographers around every bend. One of them thought he saw a grizzly take down a large elk last night. You shifters should be more careful.
Jay frowned. “How’d ya know?”
“No clothes. No gear. And grizzlies are not common in these parts.”
“Oh.”
She surveyed the clearing. “Where did you leave your gear?”
“About five miles up that path.” Jay pointed.
“That’s a steep trek in human form. You doing it naked?” She lifted her eyebrows, obviously enjoying herself.
“We’re going to shift again.” I said. I’d actually planned on taking us back through the lines. A shifter wouldn’t be able to pull off a trip through the ley lines. She’d know right away I was part fae if I mentioned it.
“You’re not shifting again. You’re walking back in human form. I can’t have a panic starting.”
Jay smiled, all teeth and shining eyes. “You wanna watch?”
“Not particularly, but I don’t have a choice. Those photographers are still out looking for the bear. You don’t want to be on social media in your animal form, scaring all the tourists do you? Good thing no one can hunt in this area. You’d make a lovely rug, boy.”
“You’d look good stretched out on a rug, Miss Ranger.”
She laughed out loud, glancing at me. “You a bear, too?”
“Leopard.”
Now that her attention was off of Jay and on me, her eyes narrowed. I felt a soft wash of magic, probably her checking out my aura, but my walls were steel and my magic was stronger. Unless the ranger was as old as some of the oldest fae, she couldn’t know I was anything other than leopard. Nope, no secrets here, lady. You can be on your way now.
“You two are an unlikely pair. How old are you?” she asked.
“Twenty.” Jay responded. That was the truth. He was a few years older than me, although sometimes he acted like a junior high student.
“Eighteen.” I echoed. Although my real age, seventeen, was considered adult by supernatural standards, I’d added a year to the fake drivers license in case we ran into some human cops.
“I’ll have to make sure you get back to your campsite in one piece—maybe see some ID. I don’t want to find out you two are lying about your ages. Runaways are more frequent then you might think.”
“The campsite’s a long walk away.”
“Then lets get started.” She turned back toward her horse.
“Guess you’re watching us walk after all.” Jay grinned, pleased by the opportunity to spend time with the hot female ranger. “You’re lucky ‘cause I’m great from every angle.”
I frowned, looking up the hill in the direction of camp. That was going to be one hell of a walk, especially barefoot. The ground was rough, but if I used any magic to protect our bare feet, she’d know right away. Good thing shifters healed quickly. I tried another tactic, “Aren’t you afraid some hiker’s gonna freak when they see us nude?” And if she let us shift, I’d be shifting to leopard this time around.
“You’re not all that scary and it’s better than running into a bear and a big cat.” She fished in her saddlebags, drawing out two towels and tossing us one each. “Wrap these around yourselves.”
I knotted it at my waist and Jay cracked up, adding an accent. “Aye, laddie, you’re lookin’ a fine sight, tis true. But your tartan seems to have faded in the wash.”
“This is serious.” I hissed, annoyed that we’d gotten ourselves in this ridiculous predicament. Thank the gods Sash and Rick weren’t around. I’d never live this down.
As I struggled to secure the knot so the towel wouldn’t slip off my hips, I stole another glance at the female. If she’d been any other species I would have heard her coming, but because she’d taken the lines, she’d appeared without warning. I should’ve been prepared for something like this.
Jay got my attention when he slapped at his hips. “This is all muscle, me lad.”
“Good thing, ‘cause walking up that hill barefoot isn’t going to be easy.” Samson began barking at the horse, making an enormous racket. I whispered, happy that Samson had given me the opportunity to speak privately. “You’re coming onto a fae.”
“Holy crap. Dangerous?”
“I’m pretty sure she’s full blood, but she doesn’t seem dangerous. It’s just so weird to see her working as a ranger. The fae don’t usually take jobs in the human world. Maybe she owes a debt. Or maybe she is half fae and likes living here.”
Jay handled the situation in his usual way. “Your lead,” meaning he’d follow mine. Although he was more than capable of thinking on his feet, Jay would always defer to me when there were other supernaturals involved. I had a lot more experience with different races, having spent time in both Faerie and the Demon Realm.
But here was a fae who didn’t advertise the fact, even though she knew we were shifters and not human. She remounted her horse, soothing him with a few gentle words. Her movements were graceful, but her manner was more American girl than Fae lady. Maybe she’d left her sidhe to explore the human world and had been gone a very long time. There was no way to tell how old she was by looking at her, which was the case with all the supernatural races I’d come in contact with.
I had an idea that would save all of us a whole lot of time. She’d be surprised, but too bad. “You could take us back through the lines.”
Realizing she’d been outed, she looked uncomfortable, almost nervous. “I’d rather make you walk.”
“Why? Your magic not up to snuff?” Jay teased.
“Shut up and start walking.” Whoa. That sure didn’t sound anything like a Fae lady. Jay managed to push her buttons without much effort. I noticed her palming her revolver and suddenly she was no longer the friendly park ranger looking out for our best interests. This female was dangerous. If only I could talk to Jay mind to mind.
Icy fingers clawed their way up my back. Had she been looking for me or did she just stumble upon us like she said? Her aura was fluxing all over the place, a sign of emotional distress and also a great indicator that someone wasn’t telling the truth. She might be working for someone else. Naberia? No. It wasn’t likely that a fae would work for a demon.
“Are we really walking back to camp?” Jay asked. I nodded. He mouthed a few curses.
“Yeah,” I muttered. �
�Stay close in case.”
He gave me a subtle thumbs-up, understanding exactly what I meant. If she threatened us, I’d get us back to the camp via the lines and we’d take off, then come back for Samson, who was perfectly able to take care of himself. In fact he’d probably be able to find us no problem.
Because the trail was steep, it took two hours. We stopped once, Samson, Jay and me jumping under a waterfall to cool off and ease our aching, bloody feet. It was at least eighty degrees when you came out from under the trees, and the sun was strong. We’d end up sunburned as well as sore-footed.
The ranger and her horse led our expedition up the trail while Samson brought up the rear, burying any stray drops of my blood as soon as they hit the ground. Before I’d left home I’d changed my look, my scent, even my aura, but my blood was my blood: irrefutable evidence that I’d passed this way. I was beginning to think that Sinlae must’ve seen how some of Samson’s more practical talents would come in handy. I patted his head and promised him he’d get a fish of his own for dinner. His rear end wiggled.
We froze when we entered the site we’d chosen. None of our stuff was there. I gestured to Samson, who sniffed around then took off in a sprint, running over to a trio of large bushes hidden behind a boulder. All of our stuff had been tucked away.
I glanced at the female. “Did you move it?”
She lifted her chin the way Sinlae did when she was going to lecture me. “It’s not wise to leave your camp unattended. I was teaching you a lesson.” A lie. She knew who I was. Holy crap.
“Did you look thru our stuff?” Jay asked. My dad’s note was there. Our cash cards, both sets of IDs, our phones…
“No.” Major flux in her aura—another lie.
Jay didn’t know she was lying. “Well, here’s your towel back, honey.” Jay tossed it to her, but she ducked and it overshot the mark.
“It’s yours now, bear.” She smiled a fake smile, dropping the fish we’d caught on the ground. At least she’d been willing to carry them back for us.
“I’m Jay. You?” He stretched out his hand and waited.
“Celine.” She didn’t take Jay’s hand, so he shrugged and dropped it. Fae were picky about who they touched.
She glanced at me, questioning. “Charles Crawford” I said.
“Join us for lunch? We’ve got plenty,” Jay offered, glancing my way. I nodded. Maybe we could find out what sidhe she called home. Samson whined behind me, afraid he’d lost dibs on a whole fish.
“You can have some of mine, you big pig.” I rubbed his head, keeping him close.
“Sorry. I have to check in. We’ll meet again, boys.” She turned her horse north, Jay shouting out, “I’m twenty!” He frowned when she didn’t respond, shouting even louder. “You didn’t look at our IDs.”
Celine twisted in the saddle, her smile reminding me too much of the former Queen of Faerie, Fionna, my creep of an aunt. The hair on my arms stood on end.
She’d said she was reporting to someone and that she’d be back. This wasn’t good.
As Celine and her horse disappeared around a bend in the road, Jay and I looked at each other with the same worried expressions. We washed off in the river, changed into jeans and tee shirts, eating our lunches in silence. Only Samson looked happy.
“She went through our stuff, right?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“Do you think she figured out who you are?”
“We can’t take any chances. My dad’s note was there.” It might give her too many clues.
“Burn it,” Jay said. My head snapped around. “You said we can’t take chances,” Jay added.
Frowning, I pulled the note out of the pack, reading it one last time and tossing it into the small fire we’d built to cook our fish. I stared at the fire for the few seconds it took to shrivel and turn to ash. The words would stick with me no matter what. We packed up quickly and took the lines to our next destination.
CHAPTER FIVE
“Are you kiddin’ me?”
“What?” We’d appeared in the middle of a small stream. My bad.
“The water’s over my ankles. My boots are soaked.” He lifted one foot, watching the muddy water drain out over the top of the hiking boot.
“The boots we bought don’t fall apart when they get wet.”
“Yeah, but they’re gonna be effing uncomfortable.” He started walking toward the right bank of the stream.
“So we’ll hang out until they dry off.” I followed, catching up.
Jay looked around at the dry landscape. “Why’d you put us here?”
“I checked the coordinates and the view on Google Earth. It looked pretty secluded. The streambed had been dry in the picture.”
“When was that?”
“A few days before we left Crescent City.”
“That was over two weeks ago. Where are we?”
“Near Napa.”
“Oh yeah?” His mood had brightened. “We’re in the land of wine and grapevines and wine?”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re still twenty.”
“Why didn’t you make us older on those IDs? I would’ve enjoyed a glass of honey wine.”
“Honey wine is made by the demi-fey and used in Faerie. This is the land of cabernet and chardonnay.”
“How do you know about those wines?”
“My dad drinks wine from all over the world.”
“And blood,” Jay teased.
“Only from my mom.”
“That’s what he tells her.”
“It’s the truth, dumbass.” Garrett had fallen hard for my mom before I was born. They were good for each other.
“But Garrett has donors, right?”
“He takes their energy, not their blood.”
His brow wrinkled up. “Can you take energy from people? Have you tried with me?”
“I’m not a vampire.” I batted at a persistent fly, irritated that he’d even ask. “Have you ever felt me draining your energy? Jeez, Jay. I’m not some leech.”
“The queen drained her people’s magic.”
“You’ve become some kind of expert?”
“Well, she did, right?”
“Well…yeah. She blocked their access to the lines then…”
“Then?”
“Drained away some of their magic.”
He nodded, looking way too smug. “And you’re also part demon.”
“So?”
“Isaiah can sap some energy.”
“How do you know that?”
“He told me.”
“He’d never drain someone unless he had no choice.”
I fisted my hand, hiding the scar on my palm. Jay was one of the few people who knew how I got it. A few months ago my mom sent me to the DR to protect me from Fionna. Isaiah was training me, working me hard, physically and mentally. I was angry because I’d wanted to be included in the group that was going to Faerie to rescue my dad, Garrett, so I figured I’d run a little experiment. My birth father, Kennet, had used his mind to force people to do what he wanted them to, so I tried it on Isaiah, encouraging him to let me go to Faerie. He flipped out and gave me a taste of my own medicine, taking over my mind and forcing me to place my palm on a hot grill. It was a lesson I’d never forget.
I hadn’t healed the scar on purpose. The ugly lines had become my personal firewall against using the magic I’d inherited from Kennet without first thinking about the consequences.
Jay and I made our way up the sloping bank of the small stream just south of Santa Rosa, throwing down our packs and sprawling on the dry grass. Samson continued to splash in the water, chasing the occasional dragonfly.
“Char, I don’t know half of what you can do. I’ve watched you practicing when you thought I was sleeping. It’s spooky.”
“I was just playing around with fae light.” I pulled off my boots. “I can always tell when you’re awake. Your breathing changes.” I lifted up on one elbow and looked at my friend. “I’m not trying to hi
de anything. Night is quiet and I can concentrate better.” I got that he was worried about me and felt powerless to help me. But coming on this trip, making me laugh, keeping me fed—all of that was a huge help.
“Yeah, but if the shit hits the fan, you’re gonna have to use your magic in the daytime. You should be practicing more often.” He took off his boots, scowling as he wrung the water out of his socks. Then he grunted and gave me one of those looks that usually meant he was overthinking things.
“What?” I asked.
“If you do need to drain my energy in order to save our lives, I’d be cool with it as long as you gave me a heads up or somethin’. Maybe a code word?”
I laughed. “I’d never…” But I had practiced mind control using Jay as a guinea pig, Linn too. Isaiah had suggested it and they’d both agreed. I’d been very careful, only asking them to take a few steps or pick up an object. Isaiah believed that I should be proficient in using every bit of my magical arsenal, especially since my bloodline was ancient and unique. As far as anyone knew, demon, fae and shapeshifter had never been combined in one creature before.
I nodded, admiring my pal’s quick thinking. “Maybe a code word’s a good idea.”
“Cool. I’ll come up with something.”
“Something clean and normal. It wouldn’t help if you suddenly shouted out the name of some obscure video game character.”
“What, you wouldn’t recognize Manny Calavera as a code word?”
I threw a small rock at his foot. “No.”
“Fine. But don’t expect something like ketchup or mustard. Even I have my limits.” Jay dug in his pack, throwing me a couple of energy bars. I needed to eat often to replenish my reserves when I used magic. Since Jay was always hungry, he made sure I ate too.
“You, know, a code word won’t help us if we have a lot of info that has to be conveyed privately.”
“Mmph.” Jay had stuffed a whole bar in his mouth and was furiously chewing.
“Can I try something?””
He swallowed the glob. “Sure. Whatcha need me to do?”
“Relax and drop your shields.”
Breaking Out Page 3