by Jami Gray
“True.” Raine met his gaze. “Whoever is doing this would need someplace well hidden, well insulated, and they’d need the right tools. Not to mention they would have to have a strong control of dark magic, otherwise it could turn on them.”
Tala made a choking sound, bringing both of their attention back to her. Something that sounded like a cross between a sob and dry laugh escaped. “Those were just the physical signs. There was more.”
Picking up the reluctance in her voice, Gavin’s green eyes sharpened. “What do you mean, ‘more’?”
Faint color dusked her cheeks. “I needed answers, so I brought in a necromancer.”
Raine hid her shock. Bringing in a necromancer meant Tala had been desperate. Most witches stayed as far away from what was considered dark magic as they could. The whole three-fold law tended to be a karmic bitch. The belief that what you did would come back to you threefold put a damper on how far most witches were willing to go to achieve desired results. Which was why they left the darker territory to the wizards, or so she had been told.
“A necromancer would cost you,” Gavin said.
A mocking smile touched Tala’s mouth. “Everything costs, witch. Even you know that.” Arrogance tightened her face. “I did what I felt was needed.”
Raine tried to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. “Was the information worth it?” At Tala’s furious look Raine figured she hadn’t succeeded.
“If Mulcahy hadn’t vouched for you both, I would send you back. You forget who you are.”
Before Raine could rip her a new one for her snide comment, Xander’s calm voice cut through the charged silence. “Tala, Mulcahy sent us because we’re the ones who will stand before what is hunting your House. It’s what we’re trained to do.”
Tala sneered. “Perhaps he should have sent someone more capable of doing their job.” Her brown eyes raked over Raine. “Someone who could actually protect Cheveyo.”
Raine took the well-deserved hit, but it didn’t put a damper on her mouth. “Maybe he would have made a better decision, if he had known what exactly he was sending his chief magi into.”
Tala’s face colored with fury. “If I knew what we were facing, I wouldn’t have called Cheveyo in, you bitch.”
“But you did.” Gavin’s hard voice jerked Tala’s focus to him. “What did the necromancer find out?”
“Nothing!” she hissed. “Not a damn thing!”
Tala’s answer rang false to Raine. “What do you mean nothing? Shouldn’t Daniel’s spirit have been able to give you something?”
Tala rubbed her face with a shaky hand. “There was no spirit left.”
Coldness settled into Raine’s bones. That was impossible. There had to be traces, especially with such a horrific death. Sometimes a spirit wouldn’t remember the whole traumatic death experience, but small pieces, enough so those left behind could find justice for them.
Xander broke through Raine’s thoughts. “What do you mean?”
The witch’s brittle laugh was short and cutting. “There was no soul, no spirit, no magic left in Daniel. Whatever butchered him managed to eradicate his very essence. Power like that belongs to one monster. “ She visibly swallowed. “It’s called Nomȃhtsé’héōò Adanata.”
“Soul Stealer,” Gavin’s translation carried an aching hollowness.
Tala flinched as if slapped. Even Xander shivered.
Raine reeled in shock. “What in the hell is going on here? Why would anyone in your area raise a Stealer?”
“Why else?” Tala slumped forward, her anger draining away, leaving her face lined with stress and fear. “Revenge.”
Chapter Four
The next morning, dressed in another oversized T-shirt, Raine huddled under a woven blanket while her toes curled against the wooden deck. Ducking her head, she drew the lingering scent of wild forests and something unique to its owner deep inside, finding comfort.
The sound of the sliding patio door opening was followed by a stronger version of the tantalizing scent as Gavin joined her. She watched warily as he leaned against the railing, crossing his arms over his broad chest. Sighing, she tried to stop her shiver as his heat curled around her. He faced her with serious, but watchful eyes.
Looking out to the yard, she avoided his penetrating stare and tried to ignore the feelings ricocheting inside her. She hated indulging in emotions, but this man tripped her every switch. The roiling mass caused a familiar confusion—something she wasn’t ready to deal with. She felt weak, physically and emotionally. A dangerous combination with an even high price tag, one she wasn’t willing to pay.
The silence stretched, tightened. He finally spoke. “Cassandra sends her regards.”
White-knuckling the blanket, she nodded stiffly. “How’s she doing?” It came out husky and she winced at the stupidity of her lame question. “Look, Gavin—”
He didn’t let her finish. “You want to explain where you’ve been, Raine?” His voice was level, no accusations, just a simple question.
Too bad she didn’t have a simple answer.
She shrugged, trying to release the tension riding her shoulders. “Finally took that vacation everyone kept saying I needed.”
“Vacation?” A world of disbelief echoed in his voice.
“Yeah, you know those things we get four weeks each year for? One of those.”
His derisive snort almost brought a smile to her lips. “You don’t do vacations. That would be like a shifter going vegetarian.” His dry humor had her looking at him. His arms dropped to rest on the porch railing. His intense stare belied his casual pose. “Xander told me what happened with Alexi. I’m sorry.”
She felt her face smooth out as memories crashed through her—the feel of soft skin giving beneath raking claws, the need for blood, and snippets of searing pain made her breath catch in her chest. Alexi, a psychotic demon halfling, had teamed up with an equally self-absorbed mad scientist in an attempt to take out those she held responsible for her lover’s death. Too bad Gavin ended up paying the price for Raine’s misdeeds.
“I’m not.” She forced herself to meet his gaze and say the words she should have had the balls to say weeks earlier. “If anyone should apologize it should be me. I’m sorry. More than you’ll ever know, I’m sorry you paid the price.”
One dark eyebrow arched. “You’re apologizing? Raine McCord? Thought the word didn’t exist in your vocabulary?”
His sarcasm set her teeth on edge, but she took the deserved hit. “Yeah, I am. If I had paid attention, I would have stopped her before she turned you over to Lawson. If I had told you everything, instead of hiding it, maybe I’d have put the pieces together faster.” Months of guilt tore its way to the surface. Why did it seem that everyone else paid for her mistakes? “If I had hit the lab earlier instead of waiting, I could have stopped what she did to you.”
His harsh laugh was as good as a physical slap. “Good gods, Raine, you have the biggest ego ever.”
Reeling from his accusation, her confusion morphed into a safer emotion, anger. Her eyes narrowed, fury overriding her lingering guilt. “Don’t you dare call me egotistical!”
In a blink he went from an angry man to a silent predator, invading her space as he stalked her into a corner. Trapping her between his body, the railing and the cabin wall, he loomed over her.
Lowering his head until his auburn strands tangled with her black hair, he stared into her eyes from inches away. “It’s not all about you, Raine.” His nearness triggered an internal earthquake. “You did your job. The demon bitch’s lover was a traitor, and you followed orders. A lover you didn’t even know about. Best friend or not, you aren’t responsible for her state of mind. You didn’t introduce her to Lawson and make them the fucked up duo they became.” Hard hands grasped her shoulders giving her a short, frustrated shake. “It wasn’t your hand shooting some trippy ass drug into my bloody veins. It’s not your mind trying to figure out what the hell they unlocked!”
“I’m s
orry!” The ragged words were torn from her throat, her heart.
Suddenly she was jerked up, his low growl rumbling through his chest just before his lips closed over hers. The blowtorch of heat seared through her. Her hands released their death grip on the blanket to latch on to his shoulders. The contrast of the cold air against her over-heated skin sent shivers coursing over her body.
Her low moan broke free. Need had her dragging him closer, trying to crawl inside the man she should know better than to hold on to. All the promises she made herself in the past couple of months flew by the wayside. The flaring inferno erupting deep within drowned the quiet voice of sanity.
He dragged her closer, bringing her to her tiptoes. Her body begged for his touch, and she struggled to press herself against every inch of him. As her lips parted under his teasing tongue, he delved in, sparking wildfires in the lower half of her body. Losing herself in the kiss, she couldn’t stop her tongue from dueling with his, revealing her unrelenting desire for control, even here.
He answered her demands with a series of sharp nips that stoked her needs even higher. Her body arched against his, searching for something just out of reach. His fingers tangled in her hair, the sharp tug adding another layer of need as he tilted her head back for better access. Just as she managed to free her own hands in retaliation, the sound of a discreet cough dropped like snow down her spine.
Stiffening, she tried to step back, but was locked into place by Gavin’s hand in her hair. Her fist curled against his chest as he kept her head immobile, locking their gazes together.
“Yeah, Xander?” Gavin’s voice rumbled in his chest, making it vibrate.
Raine’s body’s answering reaction set her teeth on edge.
“When you two are done with your discussion, we need to plan.” The underlying laughter in the other woman’s voice made Raine glare at the man holding her captive.
He kept his mesmerizing gaze on her face. “We’re almost done.”
A small snicker and a muttered, “Take your time,” was quickly followed by the sound of the sliding door closing.
A taunt silence wrapped around them. She couldn’t read his face but his intense regard made her uncomfortable. Tilting her head to the side, she pulled against his grip. A small flash of what could have been humor raced across his face. His very tempting lips twitched. Maybe she had a head injury? It would explain why her hormones decided to pick now for a full-on riot.
Giving a soft sigh, he let her step back, her hair unraveling from his hand.
Unable to think, much less come up with something cutting or witty, she bent down and picked up the fallen blanket. Wrapping it around her shoulders she tried to step around him, only to be stopped by his hand curling around her arm.
“You and I, Raine, we’re not done with our discussion.” His clear intent scared her more than any words he could have said.
Chapter Five
Tala navigated the unpaved roads as she drove them to the scene of the attack. Raine knew finding something Xander missed was a long shot, but Raine wanted to come back. Correction, she didn’t want to come back, but the dread reducing her muscles to jelly meant sucking it up and doing her job.
Dressed in Gavin’s T-shirt and her own jeans, Raine almost felt back to normal. Her leather jacket concealed the two wrist blades, and the knives tucked inside her boots were better than a security blanket. Their reassuring presence eased the small ball of fear generated by her impending return to the scene of the crime.
In the back, Tala’s wolf forced Raine and Xander to share half the back seat so he could stick his head out the window. The open window allowed crisp, cold air to drift through the car, even as the heater valiantly tried to fight back.
Shoving a wall of fur out of her face, Raine asked, “What’s his name?”
Tala shot her a look through the rearview mirror, eyebrows raised.
Raine tilted her head at the shaggy passenger. “Your wolf?”
“Ash.” Tala’s attention went back to the road. “His name is Ash, and he doesn’t belong to me.”
“Just doggy sitting, then?”
“Ash belongs to himself.” Another quick glance in the mirror. “Like any wild thing, he chooses who to be with.”
Ash turned his head. Meeting the unspoken challenge in his amber gaze, Raine’s dormant wildness rose to answer. She held his stare, fighting the urge to bear her teeth. After a few tense moments, Ash huffed. It sounded suspiciously like a laugh. Before she realized what was happening, he leaned in and licked her from chin to forehead before hanging his head back out the window.
“What the hell?” She used her sleeve to wipe the dampness from her face.
Chuckling, Xander shook her head. “He thinks you’re a pup.”
“I so don’t understand furry dynamics,” Raine groused. “Pup I’m not.”
Xander snorted. “Ain’t that the truth, kitty cat.”
This time, Raine didn’t stop her frustrated growl.
Xander’s hazel eyes were more gold than normal. “It’s a dominance thing, McCord, a question of who’ll back down first. In this case, Ash just has better control.” She scratched behind the wolf’s ear. “Besides, you’re not a wolf.”
“Or a shifter.” Gavin joined the conversation from the front passenger seat even as he kept his attention on the road ahead.
Xander caught Raine’s flinch and lifted her eyebrows in silent question.
Raine answered with a sharp shake of her head even as she snapped at Gavin, “You’re not the only one trying to handle new and improved skills.”
His shoulders tensed before he turned to pin her in place with a hard stare. Dark lenses hid his gaze, but something dangerous moved across his face.
Tala’s, “We’re here,” earned a silent sigh of relief from Raine even as she added another conversation to her ‘important things to talk about’ list for Gavin.
All four Kyn piled out of the truck, Ash happily following. Raine trailed the others into the clearing as she shifted into professional mode. All the messy emotional crap was shoved to the back burner.
She walked the scene, trying to superimpose her memories on her surroundings. The deer jumped out there. The car stopped about here. She and Cheveyo fought about here.
She stopped, and did a slow turn, analyzing attack and defense positions. Over there, between those two trees, the night shadows would successfully hide an unseen attacker. Especially if your victims were busy scanning their surroundings.
She eyed the trees, moving closer to the spot and idea blooming. Under Cheveyo’s relentless poking and prodding, she discovered a unique twist to her magic—an ability to track magical signatures. It wasn’t common among the Kyn, and he used some esoteric explanation on how her little quirk worked, but she likened it to visualizing a living tapestry. Every thread unique, each allowing her to trace it back to someone or something specific.
Here’s hoping the months of training with Cheveyo were about to pay off.
Lowering her mental shields enough to bring the tapestry to glowing life but not leave her vulnerable, she watched the signatures of her companions flare then settled into the overall undulating fabric of the world surrounding her.
Ash and Xander’s threads mixed easily with the natural world, most likely due to their animal natures. Tala’s held a bright gold hue, the color sharp and distinct. Witches, Raine discovered, straddled magic and nature instinctively, which accounted for the overall brightness of their colors.
Gavin’s signature told a different story. It wove through the whole, complete with the bright edge exclusive to witches, but the blue strands fluctuated with darker flecks. His magic created its own path, warping the power around him. The closest example of such weird phenomena was her own altered magic.
Shaking off her curiosity, she reached for her magic. Nothing answered. Her breath stalled. Clenching her fists, she tried again. Nothing. Narrowing her focus, she reached deeper. There! She gathered the fragile energy, a
nchoring it before spinning a tendril through her shield’s opening, searching for any residual traces of her attackers.
An unnatural, oily blackness clung close to the trees. Moving forward, she noticed the closer she got, the more the sense of wrongness grew. Intent on tracing it, she reached out with psychic fingers. Inky tendrils curled around her psychic touch leaving burning icy in its wake as it burrowed through her magic.
With an unexpected suddenness, her unruly magic raged to life. Her muscles locked as she fought for control even as she tried to fend off the faint traces of tainted power. A low, ache set up shop at her temples.
Before she could tighten her grip on her power, her memories rushed forward like a sucking wave, forcing air from her chest as debilitating fear found a foothold. Frantic, she reached for the protection of her magic only to have it slipped through her fingers like mist.
Her heart slammed against her chest. Reeling, she frantically tried again, desperate to find the magic needed to weave a defense. Through her rising panic, she caught a spark and snagged the delicate strand. It was so faint, but the effect was instantaneous.
Her power flared white hot, obliterating the black tendrils. Unfortunately, it also sliced her psychic probe short, sending a sharp pain ripping behind her eyes. When her vision cleared, the edges were white and blurry and where her magic once sat felt hollow. Clammy sweat coated her skin and her knees were weak. A firm grasp on her arm kept her from falling.
“Raine? What happened?” From Gavin’s tone, it wasn’t the first time he’d asked.
She shook her head. Something was wrong with her magic. The haunting memory of cold, painful fingers plucking her apart left nausea threatening to rise. Without her magic, going up against this thing was suicidal.
Unsettled, she wrenched away from Gavin and stumbled towards the car, her gaze darting around the clearing. Across from her, a rust colored stain about ten feet up a tree trunk snagged her attention. Memories collided with reality. Painful echoes of slamming into the tree left her cradling her still-sore ribs.