The Kala Trilogy: An Urban Fantasy Box Set

by Teagan Kearney

“If you’re looking for the sheriff, he’s at the end of the corridor, been promoted to the corner office,” said the officer with a grin.

  Tatya’s stomach flipped a few times as walked toward Corwin’s new location. Was Vanse here already? She wanted to open the link but thought better of it. She needed to focus on whatever Bill wanted her to do, which would be challenging if her attention lay elsewhere. But when she entered the room, Vanse was there, waiting and expecting her. The hairs stood up on the back of her neck. What did he once say? They were simultaneously one and different when the link was fully open. But whether open or closed, they were always aware of each other, and the bond couldn’t be removed except when one died—and that might well result in the death of the other.

  “Ah, Tatya. Glad you made it. We’re about to begin.” Sheriff Corwin indicated an empty seat next to him. “Have you met Forked Lightning? He’s here instead of Changing Sky, his new deputy or something.”

  “Yes, we’ve met.” Forked Lightning’s expression was closed, his lips pursed and shoulders stiff as he acknowledged Tatya.

  So Changing Sky was handing over his duties already. Tatya pushed aside everything that implied. This was work, and Bill depended on her. She glanced around the room, nodding at Branton, Smith, and Burton, the other officers present, as she made her way to the top of the table. Except for Forked Lightning, they’d been part of a team the sheriff had assembled the previous autumn. Corwin valued their input, and they’d proved themselves. After fighting demons, vampires, and any other number of hellish creatures out of the worst nightmare, they weren’t the least bit fazed by sitting down with a couple of supernaturals.

  Vanse nodded at her as she walked to her seat. Things between them had changed since last year. He wasn’t just some old vamp anymore. She’d given her heart to him and she’d give the rest as soon as circumstances allowed. She pushed those thoughts aside as she caught the hint of a smirk on Vanse’s face as she sat. Shooting him a glance that let him know she no longer wanted to reject him, she caught her breath, a shiver of pleasure as the bond ignited, then gasped as he cut the connection, and turned back to study a large map pinned to the board occupying the wall behind the sheriff.

  Corwin had seated the vampire master on the opposite side of the table from the werewolf—who looked as if he was about to explode as he gripped his hands together and glowered around the room.

  “Everybody knows everybody. Let’s get on with it.” Corwin moved over to the map. “Here and here,” he stabbed the two places marked with X, “are where the bodies were found. Vanse tells me it’s none of his people.”

  “How can we trust a vampire to tell the truth? If the killer is one of his, do you think he’ll give him up?” The challenge in Forked Lightning’s voice was clear.

  Vanse didn’t bother to look at the were, but the temperature dropped as everyone waited for his reaction.

  Corwin was well-known for his abrupt way of dealing with others, especially anyone who was shortsighted enough to display a narrow-minded, inexperienced attitude. “Another word from you, and I’ll escort you back to Changing Sky myself, in handcuffs, and let him teach you how to behave as a representative of your people.”

  Forked Lightning’s color heightened, and he had the grace to look abashed. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled.

  “What was that?” Corwin’s tone said he’d better not repeat his mistake.

  Forked Lightning cleared his throat. “I apologize.” Not a trace of resentment in his voice. He understood submission.

  “Good. Now where was I?” Corwin turned back to the map, which was covered with half a dozen small pinned photographs spread out in a spiral with Orleton at the center. “DNA tests show beyond doubt it is a vampire, and if it’s not a local vamp, then someone is going to a lot of trouble to throw the blame on our local vampire community. We’ve another piece of information that is not to go beyond this room.” He glared at everyone, making eye contact with each individual. “Both of the women from Orleton were members of Forked Lightning’s werewolf pack. The FBI supernatural squad informs me all the women murdered in this fashion found in nearby counties were also members of werewolf packs. It’s clear the vamp killing these women is targeting werewolves and attempting to throw suspicion on our local vampires, aiming to stir up animosity between the two groups.”

  Ah, thought Tatya. That explained Forked Lightning’s tension. He wasn’t just nervous because this was his first occasion representing his people on the reservation, he was here as the leader of his werewolf pack.

  A knock on the door interrupted the sheriff, and a young woman entered. She clearly knew Corwin hated any disruption to his meetings, because she thrust a piece of paper into his hand, muttered an apology and hurried out of the room.

  Corwin read the note and sighed, his careworn face darkening with regret. “I’m moving this meeting to another location. Tat, you’re with Vanse. Smith and Burton, you take your vehicle. Branton, Forked Lightning, you’re with me.” He waved the note at them. “I regret to report that another girl has been found.”

  Forked Lightning exploded to his feet, and his chair crashed to the floor, but before he could move, four guns were out of their holsters and trained on him.

  “Listen up, young man.” Corwin pitched his voice low, but there was no doubting his authority. “I’m asking you to come with us because there’s a possibility, and at this point, I’m stressing the word possibility, that you may be able to confirm the girl’s identity if she’s a member of your group. Now, if you don’t think you can manage this in a civilized manner, I’ll leave you here and we’ll do this without you.”

  The conflict between controlling himself and rushing to defend his own faded. Everyone in the room gave a quiet sigh of relief. “My apologies, once again, Sheriff.”

  “That’s okay. This isn’t going to be easy for anyone.”

  It had been a while since Tatya had been in the vampmobile.

  Vanse’s sleek black Cadillac XTS waited in the car park, gleaming in the sun, not a mark on its perfect bodywork. He opened the passenger door for her, something that once would have annoyed her intensely.

  These days she accepted his old-fashioned courtesies with more grace, glad to have more alone time with him, despite the grim circumstances.

  The convoy, the sheriff first, Vanse second, with the rest of the team last, pulled out into the main road. It was a beautiful spring day, sun shining out of a pure blue sky, making the situation even more incongruous as they merged with the traffic.

  “No bodyguards?”

  Vanse always traveled with bodyguards. “No. The Sheriff requested I come alone to prevent antagonizing the wolf. So, no. No bodyguards.”

  As Vanse seemed tense, Tatya sent a few tendrils along the link, but he cut her off. She looked at him. “Is everything okay?” She wanted to reach out, put her arms around him and comfort him.

  “No.”

  “Have you had any more dreams?”

  “Look, Tatya, I’ve got a great deal on my mind, and I’m not in the mood for talking.”

  Wow. He’d never once spoken to her with such, well, rudeness. Wasn’t this typical of the two steps forward and one step back dance that went on between them? He chased her. She rejected him. But then when she decided she wanted him, he did the ‘I’m unavailable’ bit. She remembered lying in his arms, in his bed, offering herself to him. Back then he’d told her the time wasn’t right. The other night he’d practically said the same thing. “You know, in my book, a relationship between two people is an equal partnership. There’s no boss, and no servant.” She stared out of the window, infuriated, breathing deeply, reining in her gut reaction. Forked Lightning wasn’t the only person who had trouble hiding his emotions.

  By the time they followed Corwin into the Kimimela Woods parking lot opposite St. Raphael’s, the term hell could freeze over was flashing in neon lights across her brain. She was out of the car, slamming the door, striding toward the sheriff before Van
se had the key out of the ignition.

  Corwin threw a glance at her. “You okay to do this?”

  “Yep. Everything is hunky dory.”

  “If you say so.”

  Like air whooshing out of a balloon, her irritation deflated. “Sorry, Bill.” She’d have said more, but Vanse was suddenly standing behind her, and this was between them. She wouldn’t distract Corwin with a petty squabble when he needed to focus. It would only amp up the friction between the three of them because she knew the sheriff would take her side. This thing with Vanse was just between the two of them.

  “Lead on, Deputy.” Corwin followed the officer waiting for them, leading the group down the track that was now becoming too familiar for the wrong reason. They didn’t have far to walk. The girl’s body had been placed in a position where the first person to enter the woods would find it, though most people had stayed away since news of the murders, finding other places to exercise themselves and their pets.

  “A bunch of high school runners doing cross-country running practice spotted the body, sir. We took their statements, and the school has stepped in to offer counseling.”

  “Poor kids,” Corwin muttered more to himself than to anyone else. As the officers guarding the scene moved aside, he positioned himself between Forked Lightning and the dead girl. “You ready?”

  “Thank you, Sheriff Corwin, but I’ve seen dead people before. I won’t faint. Or throw up.”

  “And how many bodies of murdered young girls you may know have you seen?”

  “If she’s ours, I’ll cope.” For once Forked Lightning sounded mature. “But, again, thank you for your concern, Sheriff.”

  Tatya reinforced her shields as Corwin moved aside. You could never be too careful.

  The dead girl appeared younger than the other two. Wearing jeans and a red sweater, she’d been laid in the same position as the others, on her back, arms crossed, a peaceful expression on her face. Her dark brown hair was arranged loosely around her shoulders, and tucked behind one ear, leaving the bite marks visible.

  “We got to stop this bastard.” Corwin’s voice, bitter with frustration, broke the silence. “Do you know this girl?”

  Everyone looked at Forked Lightning.

  The werewolf pack leader’s eyes widened with horror, his jaw clamped tight, and he froze, unable to take his gaze away from the young girl’s body.

  “Breathe. Take a deep breath.” Corwin put a hand on his shoulder. Physical contact.

  Forked Lightning sucked in a deep shuddering breath. “I gave her a lift last night to her friend’s house, they were having a sleepover. The parents were there, and we sent half a dozen young men for extra protection.” He shook his head, trying to understand. “We took every precaution we could.”

  Tatya blinked as his alter ego, a powerful wolf with claws and teeth able to shred a soul from its body in a second, thick black and tan fur, and eyes fierce with fury, appeared behind his eyes. A second later and the creature had gone. She tightened her shields

  “This isn’t your fault.” Corwin’s hand still rested on the were leader’s shoulder.

  “No, it isn’t. But someone will pay.”

  Forked Lightning’s wildly flickering aura told her he was fighting to stay in human form, as rage threatened to sweep away his self-control. He shrugged off the sheriff’s restraining hand, shoved the deputies out of his way, and raced off into the woods.

  Chapter Eighteen: Departure

  Tatya sipped her latte on the back porch and sighed with satisfaction. The sun had cleared the distant early morning mist, and last night’s rain sparkled in the sunlight giving the world that freshly washed look. Sunday was supposed to be a day of rest, but not for her. First order of the day was the stock-taking and accounts. Her first week’s business was better than expected. Particularly seeing as how she’d been called away more than once, having to close and leave the shop.

  She wanted to visit Vanse and check that his headaches and fever hadn’t returned, something she’d been wanting to do the whole week, but somehow between Forked Lightning and working with Corwin, she’d hadn’t found the time. Plus, having finally accepted she wanted a serious relationship with Vanse, she was impatient at the pace of progress between them. Thinking of his deep brown eyes, broad chest and slender hips sent a delicious shiver up her spine. She tried to open the link, but nothing happened. Not too worrying in the face of his recent disclosure about his dreams, although it was unusual and it niggled her. Until recently, she’d blocked any thought of him, guarding herself, because the link sparked far too easily. Now it was the opposite. She smiled. She’d drop by in the evening. After all, a healer was allowed to check on her patient.

  Her thoughts turned to Changing Sky. She had known him since a teenager, when he’d taken under his wing, and guided her, showing her how to control her wayward powers and use them to help others. She’d never be able to repay the debt she owed him for the love and care he’d given her.

  Not that he asked for repayment. He’d once said that watching her talents develop, guiding, teaching, and seeing her use her abilities for good, was enough. The knowledge he possessed wasn’t for sale, only given and accepted freely.

  And now he was ill, and it ate at her that she couldn’t help. Aunt Lil had taught her people came first. Everything else could be done without or replaced. She decided the accounts weren’t going anywhere, and she’d go and see her mentor. She gulped the rest of her coffee, stuffed her phone in her back pocket, and grabbed her car keys. She’d just left town when her phone rang.

  “Changing Sky is asking for you. Come as soon as you can.” Forked Lightning ended the call without explanation or waiting for a response,

  His voice told her nothing. He’d spoken with clinical coldness, which indicated he’d gotten his emotions under control. But by the tone of his voice, they were locked down like a freeze over the Arctic. Something was wrong with Changing Sky. There was no other reason he’d give her such a cryptic message, and the image of the Magician, his hand held high, the symbol of eternity above his head rose before her inner eye. The old way is ending, and a new one begins. The king is dead. Long live the king. Tatya stepped on the gas and ten record breaking minutes later entered the rez at high-speed, a trail of red-brown dust billowing behind the truck as it skidded to a halt at the foot of the hill, inches from Forked Lightning’s feet.

  “Why didn’t you call me sooner?” She snapped, grabbing him by the arm. Tears spilled, and she dashed them away.

  “Look, I’ve been up the entire night, but not sitting by Changing Sky’s bedside. My mind’s been on other stuff. I called you as soon as I got the message to come to the cabin.”

  Then she remembered and flushed with guilt, taking in his red-rimmed eyelids, and traces of dark stubble lining his jaw. He already carried one leadership burden on his back and must have been with his pack dealing with their grief over the dead girls. Now he would take on caring for the tribe as well. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t take it out on you.”

  “The elders said he was fine yesterday evening, much the same as when you saw him last, but he’s gone downhill this morning. Come,” he took her hand in his, “Changing Sky needs us.”

  Tatya had always used anger to hide from fear, but Forked Lightning’s words, and the kindness of his touch cut through her defenses. The reality was she was about to lose another person she loved.

  A crowd had gathered outside Changing Sky’s cabin. Several drummers beat a quiet rhythm, while others chanted prayers. Most stood quietly. These were the people he’d spent a lifetime serving, and they were here to show respect. They parted to let her and Forked Lightning through. A few nodded at her. She’d met many of them at one time or another over the years when they’d come to Changing Sky for advice or healing or just to talk. They knew she was his pupil. More tribal elders, men, and women stood inside the kitchen. Changing Sky had needed their official approval before taking her on, and although none would have gone against his
wishes, not everyone had been in favor of sharing their knowledge with outsiders. As Changing Sky’s apprentice, she’d helped heal many of them over the years, and the looks they gave her as she hurried through the room, sympathy and compassion, confirmed her fears. As she entered the bedroom, Forked Lightning close behind, she prepared for the worst. Inside, the smell of sage soothed her nerves.

  Changing Sky lay on his back, his chest rising and falling with the soft breath of sleep. He was near the end.

  She breathed out in relief. At least she’d be able to say good-bye. Tears welled, blurring her vision. She blinked them away.

  Forked Lightning pointed to the empty chair on the left of the bed. Walking past, he took the chair on the far side and sat down facing her.

  For the first time, she saw how frail Changing Sky looked, wasted by the disease eating his life away. His skin was waxy pale and his eyes fluttered behind his eyelids.

  Tatya opened her shields and held her breath at the sight of Changing Sky’s aura. Normally the strong bright turquoise blue of intelligence, it now shone luminescent with radiant gold traceries spreading out from his skin.

  “Can you see his aura?” she whispered.

  Forked Lightning’s head jerked up. “No. What do you see?”

  But she didn’t have time to answer as Changing Sky’s opened his eyes. She gasped as the same gold color outlined his pupils.

  “Ah, Tatya. Good girl.” His gaze was as alert and intense as ever.

  She clenched her fists tight, digging her nails into her palms to control herself, but a wave of emotion built, closing her throat, suffocating and threatening to drown her. Her power responded, shivering through her body. She was losing control.

  “Celebrate my life and do not grieve for the loss you feel.”

  With one sentence, Changing Sky soothed away her pain, and she calmed. There’d be plenty of time for tears later.

  “When Death comes knocking, you have no choice but to open the door. Best to welcome him with open arms, for he is part of the great cycle of life. I have a final request to make of you.”