by Bianca D'Arc
Though Fred seemed surprised by what Evie told him, he was more than willing to help and agreed to come right out and meet them at the snowmobiles. Evie was able to give him directions of a sort, using rock formations and other landmarks to help guide him to the general area. After that, he’d easily spot them in the open terrain.
Ray had been tinkering with the machines while she’d been on the phone. “Fred’s on his way. He’ll be here in about ten minutes. Luckily, he was already on this side of the res.”
“Good,” Ray replied in a somewhat absent tone.
She recognized that particular tone from her son, when he was fascinated by some machine or other. Apparently, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Josh had been motorcycle mad for a number of years, and he’d worn that same expression on his face when contemplating the inner workings of his Harley.
Evie was still a little on edge after the battle. Fighting people lobbing around evil magic wasn’t something she did every day. The activity of tracking their trail to the snowmobiles had helped her wind down a bit, but she needed more activity before she would be able to truly regain her normal calm.
Her inner wolf was smugly satisfied at the result of the day’s work. It saw things in black and white, good and evil. It was proud to have been part of ending a being of evil, though Evie’s human conscience twinged a bit at the idea that she’d killed a man today. She’d never killed a human before, though she knew in her heart there had been no other way.
She’d been defending her home and her mate. Defending one’s territory and especially one’s mate was paramount in her world. She hadn’t really known she’d had it in her until it had happened, and she wasn’t exactly sure how she felt about it all. No doubt, it would take some time to sort out her feelings on what had happened today.
For now, though, she was content to be with her mate. Both safe. Both sound. Both living and able to fight another day. That was something. A definite score for the good guys.
Ray must’ve sensed the turmoil of her thoughts because he gave up his minute inspection of the snowmobiles to come over and wrap his arms around her. How she needed his touch! She snuggled into his warm embrace, inhaling his delicious scent and reveling in the love she could feel in his every touch.
“Tough morning, eh?” he murmured, just holding her close.
“You can say that again.”
They stood there, hugging, for long minutes, saying nothing more. It was enough to just be together.
When Fred arrived a short time later, they were still standing there, in each other’s arms. They broke apart as Fred approached. He was in grizzly bear form, holding a canvas knapsack in his teeth, of all things.
“Looks like he came prepared,” Evie said with a chuckle.
Sometimes, being naked after a shift was really inconvenient, and in populated areas, a supposedly wild animal couldn’t really carry a purse with all the necessities, though Evie had often wished she could. Out here, though…in the middle of nowhere…she supposed a giant bear like Fred could do whatever the hell he damned well pleased, and there would be nobody to say anything about it.
“I haven’t seen a bear that large in many years,” Ray commented, watching Fred approach on massive, lethally clawed paws. The snow wasn’t giving him too much trouble since it was relatively thin in spots, where the wind had swept it into drifts and valleys.
“You’ve known other bear shifters?” Evie asked, looking up at her mate.
It always surprised her when he talked about things that had happened decades or even centuries before she’d been born. Mating with an immortal fey was a bit of a mind-bender at times. It could also lead to tragedy—for him, most likely—but the heart knew only love, and the mating would not be denied. No matter what heartache might come down the road.
“I fought alongside shifters and bloodletters in the battle against the Destroyer. I knew many of your kind, once upon a time.” He tapped her nose with his forefinger, his mood lighter than she’d expected for such serious words.
Ray let her go and walked forward to meet the bear who was almost upon them. He held up one hand, palm outward in greeting. Fred came to a stop in front of Ray, nodded his shaggy head once, then dropped the knapsack on the ground. He set off slowly, nose to the ground, scouting the area around the snowmobiles in minute detail for a few minutes before returning to where he’d dropped his bag.
His shift was a rainbow of magical dust motes, swirling around his bear form in a blinding light show. Evie had never seen any other shifter give off quite that effect, which had to mean something about Fred’s particular brand of magic and level of power. She thought it probably had something to do with the fact that he was a shaman. He’d sworn his life to the Light and to helping people. And bears were reputed to be among the most magically gifted of all shifters.
One minute, the massive bear was standing there on all fours. The next, Fred was straightening to his full human height, naked as the day he was born. Nakedness didn’t much bother shifters. Even in human form, they had some natural protection from the elements. The spirit of their animals kept them warm in situations where regular folk would have been freezing. Still, there was a lot of snow on the ground, and a chill wind blowing.
Plus, if they were going to be driving these snowmobiles anywhere, it was probably best done wearing pants, at the very least. Fred didn’t say anything at first, just retrieved a pair of well-worn jeans from his pack, and put them on. He nodded at Ray again.
“Glad to see you both in one piece. I felt an echo of the magic that must have been flying around you earlier, and it was pretty intense,” Fred revealed.
Ray nodded. “The battle took place within the perimeter of the outermost and center wards. That probably kept the majority of it contained, but I thought there might be some leakage, considering how hastily we put up those circles.”
“Not to worry,” Fred told them. “You may have noticed, there aren’t all that many people around here, and even fewer with magic of their own. I have my suspicions about those you fought today. I’ve believed, for some time now, that there was a mage—or perhaps a team of them—watching my territory. Too many of the people who should have been under my protection have gone missing or just left, leaving no word of where they were going. You may just have solved a big problem for me and the Others that live around here.”
Evie stepped forward. “The one I killed tasted of shifter magic. Many wolves. Others I couldn’t place.”
Fred’s expression darkened. “Was that the leader?”
“No.” Evie shook her head. “Ray took care of him. And one survived, already transported by an ally, to be questioned by the Lords and their people.”
Fred rocked back on his heels. “You two work fast. I’m impressed.”
“I can’t say for certain whether the red mage was preying on shifters, but he was definitely siphoning power from somewhere—or someone else. After we deal with the cleanup, we can try to backtrack the magical trail and see what we find,” Ray promised.
Fred nodded. “Sounds like a good plan. For now, I’d like to see the bodies first, before we do anything else.”
Ray agreed, and they each took a snowmobile.
“Ever driven one of these things before?” Evie asked her mate, who was looking both enthusiastic, and a tad apprehensive as he straddled the big machine.
“No, but there’s a first time for everything, and I’m usually a quick study. Just…don’t drive too close to me until I get the hang of this thing.” He gave a chuckle as he started the engine and the machine roared to life.
He was off a split second later, going a little too fast at first, but doing a big loop around Evie and Fred while learning the controls. Evie had to smile. Her mate was, indeed, a quick study and a man whose talents seemed to be endless. She started her own snowmobile, as did Fred, and they set off together—loosely spaced across the wide-open landscape.
Ray kept thinking one thought as they rode across
the snow field.
I have got to get me one of these machines.
The moment of enjoyment was unexpected after the rigors of the morning. There was no doubt about it. It felt good to be alive.
All too soon, the joy of this new experience was overshadowed by the memory of the battle that had come before, and the grisly after effects. Evie led them to her kill. Ray didn’t care what order they did this in, and in a way, it was probably better to get Evie’s part over with first. Perhaps that would help her put it behind her as quickly as possible. He’d have to sit her down later and try to get her to talk about her feelings. To his knowledge, she’d never had to kill a person before, and he didn’t want her to be traumatized by the day’s events.
He had to help her through it—if she needed it. He had to get her to understand that she’d had no other choice. And in this particular case, the only way forward had been to defeat the evil that faced them. She had done a good thing, but a woman like her, with a gentle heart and strong conscience, might have trouble getting to that place. He had to be her guide and her friend, in addition to being her lover. He would do anything for Evie, and it was important to him that this morning’s events not cause her any further pain.
The scene, when he finally got a close look at it, was both gruesome and impressive. She’d executed a clean kill. Her wolf had done excellent work, and it was clear to Ray that the mage had not suffered unduly. That sort of thing would be important for Evie to realize if she had trouble with her actions later.
There was a lot of blood, though. A lot of blood. More than any one person should have had, which made Ray’s hackles rise.
“I’ve seen this before,” he said, his voice grim in the cold air. “Blood path mages die like this,” he told them.
“Then, it is as I feared,” Fred said, bending down just outside the wide pool of bloody slush around the body. “This man, at least, was preying on shifters.”
“Definitely shifters,” Evie agreed. “But there were other magical varieties, too, that I didn’t recognize. He might easily have been preying on his fellow mages, or Others of different species. Is there any way you can tell, Fred?” she asked the shaman.
Ray tried to think of a way to get the answer that she sought, but there was no easy spell that he knew to identify traces of magic stolen from their rightful owners, so he stayed silent.
“I’ll have a think about it,” Fred promised. “For now, we can take the body away, but the blood…” He trailed off, seeming to think as he examined the blood-stained snow.
This one, Ray could answer. “I can purify it and send it to earth,” Ray told the shaman.
Ray was revealing something about his loyalties and his calling to Fred, but he didn’t think he was in any danger from the shaman. Fred’s purity of heart shone in his every move, his every breath. And the rainbow shift they’d witnessed only emphasized to Ray the true level of Fred’s commitment to the Light. Still, it was a big step for Ray, trusting someone he’d really only just met with even a tiny hint of his true allegiance.
Fred seemed to realize what Ray was saying. He met Ray’s gaze and spent a moment studying what he saw.
“It would take some time for me to prepare a ceremonial space to do what you suggest,” the bear shifter finally said.
Ray nodded, acknowledging Fred’s unspoken suspicions. “I can do it here and now. Once we move the bodies, I’ll do it fast, before we leave here, and before the magical disturbance in the area completely settles. That way, if these three had friends who might be watching for such things, it won’t be as easily noticed.”
“That’s why you had the survivor transported so quickly, eh?” Fred asked, a sly smile coming to his face.
Ray shrugged. “An opportunity arose. I simply took advantage of it.” He wasn’t about to discuss Duncan’s involvement. Some things would just have to be a mystery.
“I’ll take this one on my snowmobile,” Ray volunteered. He’d fought the red mage himself and already knew all he wanted to know about the man he’d killed. Fred could take that one on his machine, leaving Evie free to ride alone. Ray could protect her that much, at least.
But when Ray moved closer to lift the body off the ground, Fred stopped him. “Just a moment,” the shaman cautioned. “What’s that on his wrist?”
Ray looked, but he didn’t see… Wait a minute…
Evie stepped closer, looking over Ray’s shoulder. “I don’t see anything.”
Fred made a sign of protection then lifted the yellow mage’s arm, turning it over. And there was something there. Ray’s magical vision had never been his strong point, but he could detect the presence of hidden symbols, even if he couldn’t see them perfectly.
“Venifucus,” Fred spat. The ancient word hung in the air around them for long beats of their hearts. “This is worse than I thought.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
After that, they checked the other mage’s body, and sure enough, he had Venifucus markings too. The Venifucus were an ancient brotherhood of those who supported Elspeth, the Destroyer, and fought on the side of evil against the forces of Light. Until recently, it had been believed that the order had been wiped out in the last big battle, centuries ago, that had resulted in Elspeth’s banishment to the farthest realms.
More recently, it had been discovered that the order had not died out. In fact, they’d gone underground and were actively working to return their leader, to the mortal realm. They’d been gathering strength, and new followers, in secret all this time. They’d hunted and killed those who would have opposed them if the battle had been out in the open. They’d stolen magic from Others who would never have approved their power being used for evil. They’d done terrible things, all with the same goal—bringing Elspeth back.
There were rumors that they’d already succeeded, but nobody had any real proof. If Elspeth was already back in the mortal realm, she hadn’t shown herself yet. At least not to anyone who would mount a defense against her evil. No, if she was here, she was being stealthy about it, biding her time, building her strength for what could be a devastating strike.
It was one of Ray’s primary duties to fight evil wherever he found it. He would also be on the front lines of any battle against Elspeth, should it come to pass, as he’d been before.
“We’re going to have to take them someplace special to deal with this,” Fred said, interrupting Ray’s grim thoughts. “Can you still handle the residue?”
As with the yellow mage, there was an inordinate amount of blood under the red mage’s body. More than could be accounted for by his death alone. No, this was the blood of those he’d killed in pursuit of power. This was the blood that had powered his evil. Blood of innocents, for the most part, though he’d probably taken out more than a few of his rivals in his time. Blood path mages weren’t known for being nice guys.
“I can,” Ray answered Fred’s question. “It helps that the majority of those he preyed upon were innocent.”
Fred nodded and hefted the yellow mage’s body easily, placing it across the back of the snowmobile he’d driven. Neither of the bodies had a single drop of blood left in them—an after-effect when a blood path mage was killed. When one of them died, all the blood they’d taken through evil usually fled their body, taking their own blood with it. That was handy, Ray thought, since they’d have to transport the two bodies to Fred’s special place, and it wouldn’t do to leave a trail of any kind.
As Fred secured the body to the machine, he nodded grimly at Ray. “Do what you must, my friend, and let me know if I can help in any way.”
“Thanks, but I can manage.” Ray opened his hands, facing his palms toward the blood slush that had been under the red mage.
He called on the Goddess he served, sanctifying the area with the ritual words. As he spoke, he could feel the Light gathering to banish the remains of the dark. A current of power rushed through him when the blood of the innocents was freed from the small residual hold the red mage had on those
he’d killed, even though he was no more.
Ray felt it when the last of the red mage’s power disintegrated. Breaking that final bond allowed the blood to dissipate, melting into the ground, leaving no trace behind. A bare spot on the earth was left when all the blood had gone, the deep brown of the soil unmarred by red. And then, a sudden wind rose, and snow drifted to cover the spot, obliterating all evidence of the red mage’s passage. Not only the place in which he’d died was covered, but Ray knew all traces—footprints and even his snowmobile tracks—disappeared thanks to the Goddess’s blessing.
No one would know the red mage had passed this way. Should his allies come looking for him, they would find no trace. Ray nodded when it was done then walked back toward the place where the yellow mage had fallen to Evie’s claws and teeth. He did the same, erasing the yellow mage’s passage.
The smoke mage was a slightly different case, since she was still alive, but the Goddess was benevolent, and She gave Ray the power and skill to erase the third mage’s presence completely. The paths all three of the mages had taken could not be followed by anyone now. Nobody would link those three to Evie’s cabin, which was a relief to Ray’s mind. He’d protected his mate and hopefully confounded the servants of evil in the process. As humans would say, it was a win-win scenario.
When Ray returned to where they’d parked the snowmobiles, Evie was subdued, but her strength of spirit was not in doubt. She reached for his hand, squeezing his fingers in silent support.
Fred looked at him with a sort of respectful suspicion as Ray mounted his snowmobile, already laden with the yellow mage’s body. They would have to ride a bit slower and more carefully on this journey than they had coming here, but the sooner they properly disposed of the evidence, the better.
“You are a very interesting fellow, Sir Fey,” Fred said, one eyebrow raised as he started his snowmobile. “One day, you and I are going to have to sit down for a very long talk.”