by Leela Ash
But what did that have to do with Griffin? “That’s different. You don’t possess people.”
Unfortunately he’d seen her flinch, spotted that tiny moment of hesitation. “Does it matter? I take their forms. When things like me exist in the world, no one can be sure of the people around them. You’ll find people don’t take that well.”
“Okay, so it might make them uncomfortable. The bottom line, though, is that no one’s going to kill you.”
“No, the bottom line is that they do! There used to be more of us. Now there’s just me – because of Shifters.”
“Because of the Fangs of Apophis!” Why, why, why couldn’t he see the difference?
“I don’t know who murdered all of my Kind and I’m not willing to gamble that all the blame falls on the Fangs. End of discussion.” He rose to his feet, cutting off the debate with a savage chop of his hand.
Angry and baffled, she gaped at him. Not a shred remained of last night’s love and wonder. “So what now?” No way in hell she was going to stay in this back water!
Griffin shoved his hands in his pockets. “Can you make a quick list of the things you need to permanently close this portal?”
“Are you kidding? I have no idea what’s going on here!”
“Fine,” he grumbled. “I can make two trips then. Look, I’ll be gone a couple of hours. I need to get someplace with cell phone coverage so I can make a call. You use that time to figure out what you’ll need.”
“What I need is to consult with more experienced Witches! Let me go with you and…”
“No.” Another infuriating hand chop. “I don’t trust you not to give this place away. You’re not a particularly good liar.”
“Oh, that’s rich!” Maddie snapped. “You don’t trust me! I’m not the kidnapper here, buddy!”
For a moment he stared into the distance, bleak and angry. “I’m doing what I have to do.”
“No, you’re being paranoid.”
“Paranoia is what’s kept me alive,” he snapped back.
Both of them glared, neither one willing to budge.
In the end it was Griffin who turned his back. “Two hours. We’ll talk more when I return.”
Chapter 7.
Why did Maddie have to be so unreasonable?
This ought to be the best day of his life. Griffin had never even heard of a Chimera with a Mate. The Rite of Claiming was the stuff of fairy tales, a miracle that no real, living person ever achieved.
Until last night. By all rights, he should be in heaven right now. Not bouncing along this pitted hellhole of a ‘road’, grinding his teeth with fury. Because of her.
Mates are supposed to be the missing parts of your soul. Why does my soul need someone who can’t see the obvious facts?
Chimeras who went public, died. End of story. No one – Shifter or mortal – trusted a person who could steal anyone’s face. Somehow, somewhere, his Kind always ended up dead. His father, his mentors… all dead. Hell, even that Chimera he bumped into in Los Angeles ended up in a dumpster.
Why couldn’t she understand? To be a Chimera’s Mate was to accept a life in the shadows. A life on the run, as unstable and fluid as a Chimera himself. That was the only way to survive.
He could see his Shifter soul now, a winged, gold lion trotting beside the car as it bumped its way towards civilization. Only here in the desert – alone, miles away from any paved road – could he relax and let it free. Shifters saw each other’s spirits and so his life demanded never-ending vigilance. To hide his Chimera took an act of will. Any lapse, any slip, and a passing Shifter might spot his true self. Even a tiny mistake like that would lead to his death. It had taken years of training to develop that focus, that unthinking, unwavering control.
Eyes like liquid gold peered into the car at him.
Give our Mate time, his spirit urged. She will come to understand.
Eh, good point. How many years had it taken before he truly grasped the need for eternal secrecy? How many deaths?
Besides, abduction was a rough start to a relationship. Even he had to admit that.
Maybe he’d pick up some flowers while he was out here.
Because nothing says ‘I’m sorry I kidnapped you’ like a dozen red roses?
He and his Chimera both snorted with laughter. Roses might not make up for what he’d done – but they were a good start.
Sunlight glinted off metal ahead as a car whizzed by on the highway. Roads meant people… which in turn meant danger. With a silent apology, Griffin banished his Chimera. Taking up, yet again, the eternal secrecy his life demanded.
He had to drive halfway to St. George before coverage kicked in. Once his phone finally had bars, he pulled off the side of the road and looked up a number. One he always kept with him – and hated to use.
One ring. Then a rich baritone voice answered. “Griffin Davis. What’s it been? Three years?”
The sound of that voice – so familiar, yet so unwelcome – roused a growl from his invisible Chimera. Griffin agreed with it. He’d ‘known’ this man for forty years. A lifetime, for a mortal. But he still didn’t know his true name or what he was. ‘Nemo’, he called himself. ‘No One’, in Latin. Had to be a Shifter; he was ancient, even by their standards. Despite his best efforts, however, Griffin couldn’t say much more than that.
“Hello Nemo. I need some information.”
“Of course. It was that or money. Those are the only reasons you ever call.”
Yeah, it wasn’t like they were friends or anything. “Does the name ‘Nemagorix’ mean anything to you?”
“It does.”
That agreement brought bitter resignation, not happiness. Nemo didn’t hand out knowledge for free – and he wouldn’t be paid in cash. No, he demanded favors. Favors that always dragged the Chimera into some terrible mess. He’d robbed, cheated, and beat people up for this jerk over the years. Another debt was a bitter pill to swallow.
But what choice did he have? Stillwater was the closest thing to a home he’d ever known.
“I’m willing to pay for that information.”
A pause… and then a soft sigh. “I adore being able to claim a favor from you. You’re an extremely useful man. Unfortunately, if you know this creature’s name, you probably know as much about it as I do.”
That was freakishly honest of Nemo. Almost out of character… Griffin’s eyes narrowed. “Seriously? You don’t know anything except its name?”
“I didn’t say that.” Listening to the amusement in Nemo’s voice was like having your fur petted backwards. He could feel his Chimera’s deep growls, rumbling in his bones. “I said we’re on equal footing. You know about the Darkborn, yes?”
“Malevolent spirits from the Other Side that can possess people.”
“You know what they’re doing?”
“Infiltrating the Fangs of Apophis. Maybe other Shifter groups as well. Seems like they want to bring this thing into our world.”
“That’s my assumption too. And, lastly, you know what they’re doing at Stillwater, yes?”
Rage flared inside him and his Chimera snarled, raking at the soil with its sharp claws. “You knew what it did – and you didn’t warn me?”
“Calm down. I only heard last night. You let a couple of people live.”
Slowly his anger faded, though his Chimera continued to pace, wary. “The people who attacked the village – they were Fangs, right?”
“I’ll give you that one for free. Yes, Fangs. And they thought you were Darkborn.”
Which meant he was safe… for the moment. The Fangs would return, however. A couple dead mercenaries wouldn’t slow them down.
As if he could read Griffin’s mind, Nemo added, “They’ll be back, you know. They won’t give up.”
“I’ll deal with that when it happens. What else can you tell me about Nemagorix?”
“That’s it. I told you, we’re in the same boat.”
Well, shit. So much for his secret source of
knowledge. “Can you at least tell me what I need to lock it out of this world permanently?”
“Normally I’d tell you to ask a Warren of Hares for help…”
“Har har.”
“In this case, though, I don’t think that’ll be enough.” That made the Chimera sit up. “There are rumblings among the Fangs that normal wards won’t keep it penned up.”
“Why not?”
“No idea.” The polite polish of Nemo’s voice frayed with annoyance. “I get rumors, Davis. Not full reports.”
This could be a trick. But if he was right, if this was something Maddie couldn’t do alone… Griffin didn’t want to follow that line of thought.
Nemo’s oily tones wormed their way back into his ear. “There is, of course, another option. Let me handle this. I’ve got the resources.”
“No.”
“Why not? Last I heard, your Kind doesn’t have any particular magical gifts.”
“I said no.”
A gloating note entered his contact’s words. “Interesting. Why would Stillwater matter to you? Is it home?”
A shock ran through Griffin, like biting tin foil. This was why he hated to talk to Nemo. The man was wickedly clever. The slightest slip and you handed him precious knowledge.
“Look.” Nemo’s voice dropped to a soft, cajoling croon. “I can take care of this. I can also ensure that the people in Stillwater aren’t harmed.”
As if he’d trust him! “No. I’ll do that on my own.”
“Against the Fangs of Apophis?”
“If I have to.”
“How will you close the gate? What are you going to do when this creature, this Nemagorix, breaks through?”
Griffin scowled at the cars whipping by, caught in silent, impotent rage.
“Let me handle this,” Nemo urged. “I’ve got the resources and…”
“Screw you!” the Chimera barked. “I’ll let the whole damned world burn to the ground before I abandon Stillwater to you!”
Not true – but it shut the other man up.
Silence then, broken only by the whoosh of cars speeding by. At length, Nemo sighed dramatically. “Your choice. I won’t get involved without your permission.”
Of course you won’t, you SOB. You know I’m a fantastic assassin. You’re not going to waste your assets. Or risk that ‘your asset’ will come gunning for you if you seriously piss him off.
“However I do know one thing that might help you.”
Laughter, dark and hard, bubbled inside of Griffin. How typical for Nemo! ‘Oh I don’t know anything… except this one critically important piece of data…’ Yet he couldn’t resist the bait, even when the trap was obvious. “And that is?”
“There’s a Shifter coalition forming in the Four Corners area. The Sand Pack, the Sedona Warren, the Flight of the Snows, and the First Flight are all involved. A bunch of random Shifters too.”
A Wolf Pack, a Hare Warren, and two feuding Flights of Dragons… working together? That was impressive. Particularly the Dragons. Dragons had long memories and weren’t inclined to forget ‘slights.’
“This coalition found some magical artifact called the ‘Aegis’. Looks like a little shield, from what I’ve heard. They believe it can be used to defend against Nemagorix.”
Griffin blinked, grateful that Nemo couldn’t see the look on his face. That was one hell of a tidbit to ‘forget’ to mention! “How?”
“No idea. I’m a gossip, remember? I just get rumors.”
Very secret, very important rumors. “Where would I find this Aegis?”
“I hear that a Lone Wolf named Lucas Clay currently has it. Hangs out in Sedona a lot. His girlfriend is the daughter of one of the Witches there.”
With a start, the Chimera realized he knew them. “Ash Anderson.”
“Friend of yours?” That was Nemo, always fishing for more information.
“No.”
He hadn’t learned her name until he began spying on Sedona, in preparation for kidnapping Maddie. But he’d met her once before, at a diner.
There was a Wolf with her, too. I bet that’s Clay.
When no further information came, Nemo sighed. “That’s it, then. If you change your mind about accepting my aid, let me know. Preferably before the End of the World.”
“Sure. I’ve got your number.”
With that, Griffin hung up and stared blankly at the traffic.
Nemo gave me a piece of extremely valuable information – for free.
That only meant one thing.
He wants me to steal this Aegis.
Why? Either he didn’t want those Shifters to have it…
…or he planned to steal it from Griffin, once he’d snatched it away.
That makes more sense.
Wary and unhappy, his Chimera waited for his decision. And it didn’t have to wait long.
He’d steal this Aegis. Seventeen lives, people close to his heart, depended on it.
And if Nemo decided to double-cross him, he’d teach the rumor-monger what the cost of treachery was.
Chapter 8.
Watching her from a distance, Griffin decided that Ash Anderson was perfect.
Not physically. Oh, she was a beautiful woman. A little on the short side, with a kind, oval face ringed by gentle brown curls. She was the quintessential Girl Next Door and, no doubt, drew men’s gaze wherever she went. Honestly, though, Maddie was more his style. Tall and leggy, sharp cheeks and full lips, and with that mane of fierce red hair that hinted at a wild, magical soul.
But Ash was perfect – for his job.
Not even a Chimera could fake a Shifter soul… which meant he stood no chance of passing himself off as a Wolf or a Bear. Ash was Kin, however. Mortal. Once his Chimera faded in the Shadows, that was what he looked like. A plain, regular mortal man.
Or woman. From his car, parked across the street from Ash’s apartment, he watched her as she waited for a ride. Slowly Griffin’s own body melted, echoing hers. Morning beard faded into smooth, tan skin. He shrank, curves swelling along his body, hips and breasts. Another smaller rounding at his midriff. Ash was pregnant, and the baby grew with a Shifter’s swiftness. No nine-month delays for her!
To his relief, Ash’s aura was clean. A month ago he’d passed her in a diner. Didn’t know her at the time, but his Chimera spotted a sheen of corruption lingering about her and the baby. He’d warned her, despite the risk that always came with talking to Shifters and their Kin. Wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he didn’t.
Today no darkness touched Ash or the baby. Nice to have someone listen to him for once!
By the time that the Sedona town car picked the psychic up, her double sat in Griffin’s car. A perfect replica, from the shine of her brown hair to her conservative pink nail polish. Many people would be horrified to watch Griffin change so radically. He’d seen men who Shifted into Rats and Wolves squirm when he ‘lost’ his gender. It always cracked him up. Was a woman truly more ‘alien’ than a hare or a coyote? As a teen it disturbed him too, but these days Shifting – into anything – came as naturally to him as breathing.
Once Ash was gone, he hurried across the street. During his preparation for kidnapping Maddie, he’d done extensive research on the Sedona Warren. Ash Anderson’s address was part of that. Before he settled on the chauffeur, he’d considered taking her form.
But, well, she had a Mate, which could lead to some extremely awkward situations. Ones no straight man wanted to find himself in!
No sounds came from within the apartment, but as soon as he knocked, the door popped open to reveal a baffled man. Tall and lean, with the rough good looks that drove women crazy. Even if you couldn’t see his Shifter soul, you knew he was a Wolf.
Lucas Clay. The Mate.
Griffin shot him a pained smile. “Forgot my keys and papers. I don’t know what’s wrong with me this morning.”
With those few simple words, all worry and doubt faded away. “You need to slow down, babe.”<
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“Can’t! Car’s waiting for me!” The Wolf reached for ‘her.’ Griffin dodged around him before he could get pulled into a hug. Nothing lay on the coffee table, so… bedroom? That door was open and he trotted towards it.
With Lucas in his wake.
Well, crap. He couldn’t ransack the room with the Mate at his elbow. “Be a love and check the kitchen for me, would you? Maybe I left my keys by the coffee maker?”
“Sure.” Was that a hint of doubt in Clay’s voice? Maybe Ash never called him a ‘love’. Endearments were some of the hardest things to get right.
Speed was his friend, though. Make it quick, in and out.
The bed itself was a tangle of sheets and blankets, still unmade. Everything else was spotless – which made his survey quick and easy. A handful of papers lay on a bedside table. Griffin snapped them up. No sign of a wall safe… unless it was hidden behind a painting. A computer desk with more papers neatly stacked beside it.
And then he saw his goal, plain as day.
On those papers lay a small shield made of white leather, about the size of a dinner plate. Three images in stark black ink adorned its face: a Bear, a Wolf, and a horned Dragon.
The Aegis. It has to be.
A flash of bitterness shot through him at the sight, like biting tinfoil. How trusting these people were. How innocent. And he was going to…
…I’m going to save Stillwater. I’ll find a way to give this thing back to them once I’m done.
He felt like shit – but what else could he do? No one would just let him ‘borrow’ some world-saving relic. Yet without it, more innocent people would die. People who’d given him shelter and love when the whole world was against him.
Nope. I’m stealing the damned thing. Sorry, Mr. Clay, you’re sleeping on the couch tonight.
Only one problem: the Aegis wouldn’t fit in Ash’s purse.
“Any luck?” Clay called out.
“Found the papers. Did you check the floor in there? Maybe I dropped the keys.”