《Of Monsters & Nothing》


 January 2015 - Scottsburg Town, Virginia

    My mother tried to get me to start keeping a journal almost as soon as I could write; according to her, all Soul Collectors keep journals or records of some sort. I was too young at the time to understand what she was talking about, but just shy of a decade after they died, I met someone in Scotland who could answer all of my questions. She saved what was left of my life, taught me about the monsters people had branded me as insane for seeing and how to kill them if needed; she gave me a work that, for me, became an escape¡ªan obsession.


    Then she had to vanish.


    I made my way back to the states five years ago and occasionally, I hear whispers of her amongst those of ¡®the Bloody Red Queen of the East¡¯, but they¡¯re told as fairy tales, like the bogeyman meant to scare children into behaving.


    No one remembers.


    This particular journal was a gift from Michael in honor of my surviving a full decade as a hunter and right now, it¡¯s clean and smells of new paper and leather, but by the time I¡¯ve filled it, the edges will be frayed and the scent of blood will cling to it just like the others in my library. With any luck though, it¡¯ll remain free of the inevitable bloodstains for some time. I¡¯m leaving tomorrow morning for its christening hunt in Scottsburg Town, Virginia; one of Michael¡¯s contacts called it in, he said there¡¯d been a series of murders where all that was left of the victims were their mangled corpses short their hearts. I could list at least a dozen different possible perpetrators just off the top of my head that any other hunter could¡¯ve handled, but there was one in particular that made them call me¡ªone that remained unspoken during the call


    because they¡¯re my kin:


    An Alcaimynder.


    By the time I got to Scottsburg Town, the body count was up to ten, though the most recent one wouldn¡¯t be discovered until later that day. I started the case just like I did just about every case I worked: with research. I realize it sounds boring, but it¡¯s important and there¡¯s never a dull moment when breaking into police stations. Their files didn¡¯t tell me much, they had them listed as animal attacks despite the pattern and the missing hearts, but at least I had a pretty good idea of where the creature¡¯s hunting grounds were based on where the bodies had turned up. I paused to study the coroner¡¯s reports, noting the varying degrees of defensive wounds mixed in with other injuries, but most importantly the massive, ¡°unidentified¡± bite marks on the back of the neck. I flipped through the accompanying pictures, studying the injuries and trying to narrow down what exactly I was hunting, but the image of the chest cavity made me stop. The cause was easily identifiable for me, but then I was probably more familiar with the exacting of this particular wound than most. I swallowed the rising sense of dread and took a deep breath as I closed my eyes, trying to shake the image in my head of my own stained fingers holding a nearly human heart as the blood dripped down my wrist and arm.


    It took the sound of a nearby door opening to really shake me free of the hallucination and I hurriedly replaced the files before bolting back out one of the windows.


    I¡¯ll be honest, I hadn¡¯t intended to be anywhere near where the tenth body turned up, but the call came over the police scanner while I was pulled over on the side of the road and lo and behold it was only a couple miles from me. I scrambled to put the notes I¡¯d been going through away and started my Jeep before pulling back onto the road. It didn¡¯t take long to find the crime scene, the flashing lights made it stand out quite a bit. I pulled to a stop a few paces from the other cars, turning off my engine and slipping out the driver¡¯s side door, pausing only briefly to tie my wild red hair up in a loose bun and make myself look somewhat professional. I started to approach one of the detectives, but stopped short; he was human, as was his partner, so what was I going to tell them. I hesitated a moment before opening my Jeep again and leaning across to rifle through my glovebox.


    ¡°Here we go,¡± I murmured to myself as I found what I was looking for, tucking the fake badge into an inside pocket of my jacket. One of the perks of being all too familiar with law enforcement was that I¡¯d picked up enough, impersonating them was pretty easy. Fancy suits helped, but really it¡¯s all in the body language; lengthen the stride, carry yourself with a sense of purpose, act like you run the place even if you don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. ¡°Good afternoon Detective,¡± I ducked under the tape ignoring the officer that tried to stop me and reaching in my coat for the badge.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you can¡¯t¡ª¡± I showed the detective my fake badge and he waved off the officer.


    ¡°The FBI¡¯s takin¡¯ an interest? Things must be slow for you guys.¡± I smirked as I returned the badge to the inside pocket of my coat.


    ¡°Yeah, something like that. They send me when they catch wind of stuff that¡¯s too¡­ weird to ignore.¡± The detective laughed.


    ¡°You mean like the X-Files? Should I be calling you Fox?¡± I suppressed a chill at the name, covering it up with a charming smile.


    ¡°Mulder is fine.¡± I turned my attention to the body, ¡°Mind if I take a look?¡± The Detective shrugged.


    ¡°We¡¯re still waitin¡¯ on the coroner so don¡¯t move anything, but you¡¯re welcome to it.¡± I peered down the hill into the muddy ravine where a biker had found the body. It looked like a typical animal kill to me, like whatever had killed him had wanted to be able to come back for seconds. I hesitated, checking the mud for tracks before carefully climbing down to get a closer look at the body.


    ¡°You guys get pictures already?¡± I called back up the hill, glancing up in time to see the detective nod before I crouched down. I moved the branches carefully aside, scanning them for fur or blood that wasn¡¯t the victim¡¯s, but no such luck. I pulled a pair of gloves from my pocket to lift and examine the man¡¯s arms, studying the defensive wounds and trying to gauge the size of the beast¡¯s claws. A quick check and I found that once again the killing blow had been a bone-crushing bite at the neck along with signs of a hole in the chest. I didn¡¯t want to roll him over, didn¡¯t want to disturb the body that much before their coroner came and besides, I had what I needed. I stepped away from the body, stepping carefully through the mud as I looked for tracks and pausing occasionally to check for a scent I could follow.


    ¡°Find anything interesting?¡± The detective called down to me as the coroner¡¯s van pulled up and I started to reply, but¡­ there, I caught wind of something inhuman.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°Yes, but nothing new,¡± I called back as I cataloged the scent in my head, I didn¡¯t recognize it, but I sure as hell recognized the scent of death that clung to it. I started back up the hill, pulling a business card from one of my pockets, ¡°I have a lead to chase down, but give me a call if anything new turns up.¡± I finished jotting down my cell number on the back and the detective took the card, glancing down at it briefly before looking up to question why the card was for Dogwood Apothecary back in Pembroke, Maine, but I was already halfway back to my Jeep.


    In the confines of a small hotel room, I¡¯d spread out my notes and a map of the local hiking trails much in the same way I sometimes would in my library. The papers had taken over the bed, marks written on the map triangulating the most likely area to search for the beast. I¡¯d done all I could from here, now it was just a matter of heading out to the woods. I shrugged my kevlar lined leather jacket back on over my tank top and double checked the silver rounds I¡¯d loaded in my pistol before tucking it into the shoulder holster under my jacket. I tucked one of my mother¡¯s old silver hunting knives into the sheath on my hip before grabbing my keys and heading out the door.


    It didn¡¯t take long for me to find the part of a local hiking trail the most recent victim had been taken from. It was oddly quiet and whatever I was hunting didn¡¯t seem to care that it left a pretty obvious trail; having no real predators will do that to you, I suppose, or going feral. I followed it a few hundred meters north of Gibson Creek before it finally lost me and it was getting later than I liked while standing in the thick of this thing¡¯s hunting grounds. Part of me, the arguably feral part of me in all honesty, kept walking while hoping it targeted me; Virginia is part of my territory, after all, and I don¡¯t tend to play well with others. Then I stopped, catching the scent of relatively fresh blood in the air mixed with the strange animal scent I¡¯d picked up around the body earlier and sending out yet another prayer that I wouldn¡¯t find a fellow Owhi at the source. I followed it to a den in amongst the roots of one of the older trees, hesitating long enough to listen for movement in the silence, but all I could hear was two faint heartbeats from deep inside. Almost on reflex I pulled the silver blade from my hip and crept closer to the entrance, pausing again to listen for any warnings of attack before I ducked inside. My eyes adjusted quickly to the dark and I wrinkled my nose at the overpowering scent of old blood that hung thick in the air. By some stroke of luck, it wasn¡¯t another corpse I found, but a pair of Adlet pups. I exhaled slowly as the unconscious relief that it wasn¡¯t an Owhi problem settled over me and I smiled softly as I crouched to examine the little ones. They were still blind from what I could tell as I stroked their heads and they didn¡¯t shy away from my touch when I reached out to them; I could thank my faither¡¯s canine blood for that. It made sense really, a new Adlet mother in the area explained the attacks around town if she hadn¡¯t been able to find enough food by other means. My smile slipped away and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end when I heard an angry snarl from the entrance and felt the mother¡¯s hot breath on my skin. I turned slowly, adjusting my grip on the knife in my hand and repressing the urge to bare my own teeth in response as I met her amber eyes in the dark; I wasn¡¯t going to simply offer myself for attack. She pounced, knocking me to the floor of the den and pinning my arm down with sharp-clawed fingers digging in and making me thankful for my leather jacket. The scent of blood was stronger laying in the permanently stained earth; it was intoxicating¡ªdisorienting¡ªit filled my mind with what my mentor had once called ¡°the wild hunt¡±, but I fought it off as I tried to slip my arm free from the Adlet¡¯s grip.


    Of course, my luck never does hold out for long and it all went downhill from there.


    The Adlet closed strong jaws on the meat of my shoulder and I gasped in pain as I felt bones begin to crunch. Sheer stubbornness let me hold onto my fragile grip on self-control right up until her free clawed hand tore into my chest as it reached for my heart.


    I wished to God I¡¯d zipped up my jacket, because maybe then, the kevlar lining would¡¯ve at least slowed it down.


    It didn¡¯t matter though, because I couldn¡¯t fight the madness anymore.


    My world slipped.


    Reyna¡¯s exclamation of pain came out more like an angry snarl as her emerald eyes slipped into red tinged gold and her primary set of canines extended to their full length. She was running on a cocktail of adrenaline, instinct, muscle memory, and spite as she worked her pinned arm out of its socket and free of the sleeve of her jacket in order to transfer her knife to her uninjured side. Her heart was pounding in her head as she felt her ribs begin to crack under the Adlet¡¯s assault, but the beast let go of her shoulder at least and she took the opportunity to drive her silver knife up to the guard and through the beast¡¯s heart. The beast thrashed momentarily before collapsing on top of Reyna as her heart stopped. Reyna took a moment to steady her breathing before rolling the beast off of her, but she didn¡¯t sit up yet.


    Instead, she started laughing almost hysterically as the madness ran away with her.


    I came back to myself breathless and in pain about an hour after I¡¯d found the den according to my now broken watch. The Adlet mother was dead in the soft earth next to me, a bloody hole in her chest over the heart to match the blood-slick knife in my loose grip. I sat up with an involuntary groan, one of my bloody hands going to my dislocated shoulder and taking stock of the black and blue bruises already forming where the claws had been. I took a moment to relocate the shoulder and slip my arm back through my sleeve, exhaling through grit teeth before my attention turned back to the pups where they stayed, curled against the wall. I staggered to my feet, taking a moment to wipe the blade clean on my jeans before sheathing it and reaching out to the crying pups; they were scared and hungry. When they approached me, I lifted them into my good arm and climbed back out of the den into the fresh air. I took a deep breath once there as I tried to rid the blood tainted air from my lungs and glanced down at the pups again where they¡¯d settled comfortably against my chest; I couldn¡¯t bring myself to condemn the two to death simply based on their mother, but I still wished I hadn¡¯t had to kill her.


    I got us back to my Jeep and from there back to the hotel before settling the pups on my stomach and collapsing across the back seat; the adrenaline was wearing off and the pain was setting in. I dialed Michael almost entirely out of muscle memory, staying awake long enough to update him on what happened and ask him to come give us a lift home. I woke up only once on the drive back, long enough to inform him that I¡¯d nicknamed the pups Romulus and Remus in what apparently came across as a very sarcastic answer to his question about them, but I only remember waking up on the sofa at home still wearing my bloody clothes and still cradling the pups on my stomach.


    I was a bit disappointed to find I¡¯d already managed to get blood on this journal.

 February, 2015 - Pembroke, Maine

    I was taking inventory in Dogwood Apothecary while Michael worked on his latest commission in the back when the bell over the door rang quietly and I looked up from my notes. I have a reputation along the East Coast for being one of the most vicious hunters in the world thanks in part to my being half Soul Collector, even earned myself the nickname ¡°Bloody Red Queen of the East¡±, so normally the only new patrons that don¡¯t hesitate to enter the shop when they see me behind the counter are humans.


    This one¡¯s scent definitely wasn¡¯t human¡­


    ...and yet she didn¡¯t hesitate.


    Instead, she only glanced my way with a look of disdain I was more than familiar with, but no surprise and no fear.


    I watched in wary curiosity as she wandered the shelves, pausing occasionally to pick up a jar and study the handwritten label. Finally, with one of them in hand, she approached the counter I was leaning on, my hand instinctively moving to the silver knife I kept strapped to its underside. Her scent was stronger now that she was closer, a heady mix of nature, magic, and death that was oddly intoxicating.


    ¡°How can I help you?¡± I finally broke the silence after she¡¯d stood staring at the jar in her hand for a while. She looked up at the question with beautifully hypnotic eyes like liquid gold.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to purchase a portion of this.¡± She handed me the jar and I glanced down at it briefly before raising an eyebrow at her.


    ¡°How much?¡± I tried to force down my unease, I really did.


    ¡°One tablespoon should suffice.¡± I stared at her as my paranoia and uncertainty battled the haze in my mind.


    ¡°You know what this is, right? What this does?¡± She nodded, her gaze narrowing in disgust at my tone.


    ¡°I don¡¯t come here often,¡± somehow, her voice still looked and sounded like a song, though I got the distinct impression she hadn¡¯t meant Pembroke when she said here. I took a deep breath and looked back at the jar in my hand as I tried to rationalize the conversation with a head that felt unusually muddy and slow. I was still staring when she broke the silence again, ¡°whoever wrote that label has beautiful penmanship.¡± I blinked up at her again in mild surprise before looking back down at the faded old label in my distinctive calligraphy.


    Cicuta maculata.


    Spotted Cowbane.


    Suicide Root.


    I could think of nothing a mortal person would want with that much of such a thing for beyond,


    well,


    suicide...


    or murder, maybe.


    I stared at the familiar handwriting a moment longer before setting the jar with careful precision on the counter as if one wrong move would cause both of us to shatter.


    ¡°That would be Michael, I¡¯ll let him know you think so,¡± I lied flawlessly as I looked up again. ¡°Would you excuse me for a moment?¡± I didn¡¯t wait for a reply before I turned to slip through the door into the back room.


    ¡°Michael,¡± my voice cracked slightly as I called out and Michael looked up from behind his notes and piles of research, worry fracturing his careful mask when he saw the haze in my expression.


    ¡°Reyna, are you alright?¡± I swallowed and tried to shake free of the fog in my mind now that I was away from its source.


    ¡°There¡¯s a lady out there who wants to buy a tablespoon of Suicide Root.¡±


    Its source.


    ¡°That fucking bastard.¡± He stared at me for a minute or two before climbing to his feet and coming around his desk to hold me in place, a hand firmly on each shoulder as I moved to unlock my locker under the stairs. ¡°She¡¯s one of the Fae!¡± Michael started to piece together what was happening, his grip on my uninjured shoulder tightening because he knew me well enough by now to know about my seething hatred of Fae Folk.


    And why shouldn¡¯t I hate them?


    They¡¯re narcissistic, arrogant, selfish assholes that get off on screwing with people and add to that the fact their pheromones are like a drug so it becomes like getting drunk without the alcohol and hell for a hangover.


    ¡°Who is?¡± Michael¡¯s voice betrayed his confusion as I elbowed him hard in the stomach and broke free of his grasp, ¡°The woman out there?¡± I fumbled with the lock for a second before opening the door to search through the weapons I kept inside. Michael locked his arms around my arms and waist just as my fingers brushed the old iron knife I hadn¡¯t needed in years, his grip tight as he lifted me off the ground to haul me away from the locker. ¡°Reyna,¡± he spoke through teeth grit with effort as I struggled against him, ¡°you can¡¯t just kill every Fae you meet, not unless they try something.¡± I knew he was right, but my hatred of the Fae and instinctual bloodlust was winning out over logic and so I continued to squirm. I felt rather than heard Michael¡¯s sigh as he set me down briefly and swung my elbow back aiming for the temple. We both knew I was pulling my punches as he ducked to the side, darting in again to press his fingers to the pressure point in my shoulder to knock me unconscious.


    I woke with a pounding headache and covered my eyes with a groan against the light of the lamp on Michael¡¯s desk.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake then.¡± I glanced at Jesse from under my arm as she studied me with a cold look in her lilac grey eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting here for hours. I¡¯ve got a date, you know.¡± I forced a pained smile as I swung my feet off the sofa to sit up.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to inconvenience your love life,¡± I paused as I waited for the spinning to stop, ¡°or is this one a meal?¡± She shot me a look that would kill if it could¡¯ve, but it didn¡¯t stick and I couldn¡¯t help my quiet laugh. Jesse is one of the few Cambions I¡¯ve come across in my life and thankfully, she¡¯s not quite as narcissistic or manipulative as most of them are. ¡°Besides, you and I both know you adore my boys.¡± She smiled as I rubbed my temples a moment and rolled my freshly scarred shoulder. ¡°What are you doing here, anyway?¡± I broke my silence again as my hand went up unconsciously to rub the injury.


    ¡°Michael called, gave me the canned ¡®this is the sort of thing friends do¡¯ speech and when I agreed to come, he told me what happened.¡± I smirked and nodded slightly, regretting it when it set my world spinning again. ¡°I met the Fae in question on her way out of the shop,¡± Jesse wore one of her rare frowns when I looked up again, ¡°she¡¯s beautiful to look at, but when she bumped into me, she called me a floozy.¡± I started to laugh at her indignant tone, but the look on her face told me that might not be the best idea.


    ¡°Last Fae I met called me a ¡®mix breed cunt¡¯,¡± I swallowed the taste of blood that came with the memory, ¡°among various other¡­ less appropriate names.¡± She smiled again before standing.


    ¡°You hunting this one?¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know yet. Apparently, Michael has appointed himself in charge of Fae Folk hunting license distribution.¡± Jesse chuckled at the bitterness in my tone, ¡°Have fun on your date.¡± She waved goodbye before disappearing through the door into the shop and I reached out to turn off the lamp on Michael¡¯s desk so that I could spend the next few minutes nursing my almost migraine in the dark. Michael came in the back door later, pausing in the doorway to study me. I flashed him a weak smile.


    ¡°Reyna,¡± he was using his lecture tone and I drew my hands down my face, ¡°listen¡ª¡± I shook my head, I wasn¡¯t in the mood for a lecture.


    ¡°Save it,¡± my reply was an inhuman snarl, but as usual, he ignored my misdirected aggression as he closed the door to approach.


    ¡°Reyna,¡± his voice was softer this time as he moved to crouch in front of me, pulling my hands from my face, ¡°next time a Fae comes into the shop, please tell me immediately.¡± I shot him a glare and started to make some smart remark, but he wasn¡¯t done, ¡°I can handle them without getting¡­ intoxicated,¡± he paused, ¡°and I really don¡¯t like having to restrain you.¡± I studied him with an overwhelming mixed sense of exhaustion and gratitude to go with my headache.


    ¡°If you hate it so much, then don¡¯t do it.¡± He smirked at my muttered words.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have to if you weren¡¯t so trigger happy.¡± I tried to frown, but a smug smile was tugging at my lips.


    ¡°Asshole.¡± He chuckled and pressed his lips to my cheek in a silent kiss, neither of us mentioning the fact I still unconsciously shied away from his touch after three years.


    ¡°I know,¡± he climbed to his feet and headed for the door into the shop, ¡°I didn¡¯t sell her anything.¡± I let out a relieved sigh, relaxing slightly.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± He smirked.


    ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to stay and¡­ visit.¡± I shot him another glare, momentarily thankful that the darkness hid the red tinge in my cheeks, ¡°I need to open the shop.¡± I raised an eyebrow at him in surprise, ¡°you were out all night.¡± I glanced out the window to see a sunrise peeking in past the curtains and breathed a heavy sigh. After a few more minutes in the dark and the quiet, the throbbing in my head subsided to a dull ache and I climbed to my feet. I started to reach for my silver hunting knife, but something made me stop. In my opinion, which was the one that had kept me alive my entire life, the Fae was a bigger threat than any other beast I could run into in town and as long as I knew it was here, I would arm myself against it. So instead, I lifted one of my iron knives and ran my thumb along the edge. I was disappointed when my thumb came away covered in fine powdered rust, so with it in hand I stepped through the door to find Michael discussing the treatment of some virus that only affected Hollen with a round man in a suit. Upon seeing me with the knife, the man let out a terrified squeal high enough in pitch that it made me wince and I felt one of my canines slice into my bottom lip. Michael glanced back at me completely unfazed, watching just long enough to see me pull one of the boxes from behind the counter before he turned back to the Glut?o. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if my partner startled you, she¡¯s working on an order of knives we were asked to sharpen and polish.¡± I almost laughed at how easily he still lied, but instead, I focused on sharpening the blade on the stone I¡¯d pulled from the box with all the fluidity of muscle memory. A few minutes later, Michael saw the Glut?o through the front door and joined me behind the counter, his pleasant, but very fake smile gone without a trace. ¡°You know this shop is what keeps a roof over our heads when we¡¯re not working, right?¡± He spoke as though he didn¡¯t want an actual answer so I just flashed a wolfish smile. Michael didn¡¯t seem to notice, he was too focused on the blood dripping from a fresh wound in my lip. ¡°You did it again, didn¡¯t you,¡± he practically growled the words and I started to feign ignorance, but he took the moment to take my face in his hands and peel my lips back to confirm the elongated primary canines he¡¯d expected. I pulled out of his grip, running my tongue over my teeth with a sharp glare. ¡°When was the last one?¡± He never did have any patience with my stubborn streak, not when it came to the Wild Hunt, the disease I simply called ¡®the madness¡¯. Besides, winning these little staring contests was near impossible when I still felt guilty about blinding his left eye.


    ¡°I ran out about a month ago,¡± my voice was barely a whisper as Michael studied me, arms folded across his broad muscled chest. Then he breathed a sigh of exasperation, pulling a box of files from under the counter. He handed a stack of them to me before making his way down the aisles to pull the ingredients he needed for the infernal concoction we¡¯d developed to tide me over in these situations.


    ¡°Pick a case. They¡¯re all pretty minor for you, but they¡¯re all nearby and the Council wants them dead.¡± I thought about pointing out how rare it was for me to do as the Council asked, but I was busy sorting through the files. I looked up again as he set the jars on the counter beside an old silver tea set most of our customers thought we kept for show; it was almost like magic, watching Michael work, but eventually, I returned my attention to the files in my hands. Finally, he poured the finished ¡®tea¡¯ into one of the cups and held it out to me as I wrinkled my nose at the stench, something akin to rotting flesh, cigar smoke, and cyanide. I stared at the cup for a moment, glancing up at him briefly before shaking my head slightly and tossing the drink back in one go.


    ¡°Jesus,¡± I set the cup on the counter next to the files and leaned heavily on it, hanging my head. ¡°I will never get used to that taste,¡± I muttered the words as I stood trying to catch my breath and watching the giant fox in my reflection do the same, its eyes full of insatiable bloodlust and mouth full of razor-sharp teeth. I growled softly and it bared its teeth in response as I moved a random file to cover it. I almost laughed when I opened it to find an old police sketch of a very familiar face. ¡°Oh, hello?¡± Michael looked up again at the sound of my voice before moving to stand behind me and study the file over my shoulder, a hand on my waist. ¡°You should¡¯ve let me kill her yesterday.¡± He grumbled something I didn¡¯t quite catch and moved back out among the shelves. I thumbed through the file, skimming the details I¡¯d use to track the Fae. She was wanted for multiple murders using Suicide Root, no surprise there, dating back at least as far as 1805 according to the dossier the Council had put together. Her appearances were spaced in 70-year cycles, each one involving the death of five members of the same family line before she¡¯d disappear back into the Faerie Lands. It was out of character for a Fae, normally they¡¯d simply attach a curse to your DNA and move on, and being at least partially human I couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine what slight had been bad enough that felt the need to kill them off in person. The last page in the folder was a photo of an old family portrait, the Fae posed beside a man who looked her age with three children seated in front of them. I shook my head slightly in disbelief before taking the file to head upstairs to my library where I could make notes and consult the collection of old hunting journals I kept there.


    My phone went off and I lifted it, briefly tearing my attention from my notes on the case to see a text from Jesse.


    I knew what she was doing, ever since she¡¯d found out about my habit of getting sucked into jobs and forgetting to eat, she¡¯d send texts to make sure I remembered to take care of myself each day. She thought she was being subtle, I¡¯m sure, but her consistency made it pretty obvious. I shot a text back and stood, getting the expected lightning fast reply by the time I¡¯d locked the library door behind me. I padded quietly down the steps, listening quietly to the voices coming from the shop as I slipped out the back door and glanced briefly at the ongoing project my motorcycle had become before climbing into my Jeep to head out.


    I walked through the door at Obadiah¡¯s to find Jesse talking with the place¡¯s manager, my headphones drowning out their voices and casting the place in a violet haze until I pulled them down around my neck just in time to hear the ambient music change from a blinding neon to something that painted the place in stars. Jesse thanked the man before she noticed me in the doorway.


    ¡°You made it,¡± her voice kept me from getting lost in the unfamiliar constellations, my emerald eyes focusing on her instead, ¡°Michael told me you¡¯re going after the Fae?¡± I smirked.


    ¡°Apparently she¡¯s a serial killer, been on the Council¡¯s radar for a while now,¡± I followed her to our usual table in the corner.


    ¡°Since when did you do jobs for the Council?¡± I growled as she took her seat across from me.


    ¡°Since I¡¯m hungry and they¡¯re paying well,¡± I spoke through grit teeth and raised her hands in mock surrender.


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath before changing the subject.


    ¡°Thanks for that, by the way,¡± my voice was softer this time as I nodded to the manager, ¡°eating out is a lot like playing the lottery.¡± To be fair, Obadiah¡¯s was usually pretty good about accommodating my particular disposition, but I didn¡¯t always remember to call or text ahead.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± she spoke with well-played innocence as she lifted a menu and I just shook my head before looking at my own, not that I ever got anything different here.


    ¡°How was the date?¡± I set the menu aside and broke the silence, watching as she shifted in her seat, crossing, uncrossing, and crossing her legs again before she moved to rest her elbows on the table and trace her fingers up her arm.


    ¡°I had to cancel.¡± I raised an eyebrow at her and she seemed to pick up on what I assumed was the cause, ¡°Oh, no, not because of you. My agent called me into the office last minute, besides,¡± she waved a hand dismissively, ¡°it wasn¡¯t going to work out with him anyway; too much of a tool.¡± I thought about pressing on the subject, but doubted it would go anywhere any more than pressing her ever had.


    ¡°What was the call about?¡± I opted to change the subject instead.


    ¡°I got the lead in a new movie.¡± I broke into a grin at the news; it wasn¡¯t uncommon for Jesse to get major roles, but when it came to leads she¡¯d often get passed up in favor of more ¡®experienced¡¯ actresses.


    ¡°That¡¯s great, congrats,¡± I sat back to take a sip of my water as the server brought our food, ¡°what¡¯s the role?¡±


    ¡°Funny thing, that.¡± I raised an eyebrow at Jesse, taking another sip more to keep my mouth shut than anything else, ¡°I¡¯ll be playing a monster hunter.¡± I¡¯m not proud to admit I almost choked on my water.


    ¡°What?¡± I coughed the word out and she smiled, amusement in her lilac eyes.


    ¡°At the auditions, I tried to mimic how you talk, how you carry yourself, even attempted your accent, though Brahma knows if I¡¯ll ever get that right.¡± I exhaled slowly, kneading my temples for a moment, ¡°Now that we know I¡¯ve got the role, would you mind if I shadowed you for a little while? And pick your brain about the different monsters?¡±


    ¡°A bit late to be asking, don¡¯t you think?¡± I muttered the words before waving it off dismissively, ¡°Yeah, sure, why not,¡± I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table on either side of my plate so that I could make sure my point was clear, ¡°but you have to keep to the sidelines, no interfering in any way.¡± She mirrored my movements as if to commit them to memory.


    ¡°Stay out of the way, got it.¡± I shook my head slightly in disbelief as I sat back again and lifted my fork to eat, still a little taken aback by the fact Jesse essentially intended to play me in a movie.


    ¡°What¡¯s the concept? Or are you allowed to tell me?¡± I asked more to fill the quiet than anything else.


    ¡°No, we¡¯ve got plenty of time to talk shop, I want to know what¡¯s new with you.¡± Again, I raised an eyebrow at her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; Loki and Zevi are growing up remarkably fast, though I suspect Zevi will always be blind, Michael and I are fine. Oh,¡± my eyes lit up at the memory as I thought about what had happened in the week or so since we¡¯d last actually talked, ¡°I figured out a way to make the clockwork in my Jeep¡¯s engine self-winding using a modified steam engine,¡± I trailed off when I recognized the boredom and confusion in Jesse¡¯s gaze mixed with what looked like pity.


    ¡°You are in desperate need of a real life, Reyna.¡± My gaze narrowed in my indignance.


    ¡°I have a life.¡± She laughed as though she thought I was joking.


    ¡°No, sweetie,¡± she flashed a sympathetic smile, ¡°you don¡¯t.¡± I shrugged, taking a bite of my food, chewing, and swallowing before I looked up again.


    ¡°I¡¯m keeping busy, you know?¡± Again that sympathetic smile because she did know; she¡¯d been with me through just about every fleeting moment of happiness I¡¯d managed to find and promptly lose since I was six.


    ¡°Have you thought about giving Jack a call?¡± I started to argue that calling my ex and her older brother sounded like a horrible idea, but she held up a hand to stop me, ¡°I¡¯m not saying start dating again, I¡¯m just saying,¡± she seemed to hesitate, like what she was about to say physically hurt her, ¡°I think he was the last time I saw you genuinely happy other than¡­¡± She trailed off, but we both knew who she was thinking about. Ryan had never been the ¡®love of my life¡¯ or ¡®soul mate¡¯ or whatever, I¡¯d never believed in that shite anyway, but I¡¯d been happy enough with him that I held onto the ring he¡¯d given me, kept it with his folded flag in my library back in Pembroke.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t talked to him since before the funeral,¡± I spoke quietly and Jesse let slip a nostalgic laugh.


    ¡°You know, when Jack and I first got back in touch, we used to compete, see who could steal the other¡¯s girlfriend fastest,¡± she met my mildly surprised gaze for a moment, ¡°you were the only one he made me promise not to try.¡± I swallowed the knot in my throat and looked back down at my half-finished plate, studiously finishing it off before setting enough cash on the table to pay for my meal and still leave a decent tip.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a lot of research left to do,¡± I pushed away from the table and lifted my empty dishes, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a call when I get to the interesting part, but in the meantime, I suggest you do some research of your own.¡± Jesse frowned up at me.


    ¡°You¡¯re giving me homework?¡± I smirked.


    ¡°Yep,¡± a pause, ¡°what¡¯re you supposed to be hunting in this movie, anyway?¡±


    ¡°Ice Wendigos?¡± I shook my head slightly and forced a smile as I tried not to cringe.


    ¡°You mean Wechuge?¡± Her eyes lit up.


    ¡°Yeah, that sounds right.¡± I took a deep breath so that I could keep the annoyance out of my voice.


    ¡°My first tip for you: use the actual name of whatever it is; monster hunters that lack intelligence or respect enough for their prey to use the correct names are usually the fastest to die.¡± She looked mildly confused.


    ¡°I get intelligence, but respect?¡±


    ¡°You know that saying: there are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but there are no old bold pilots? It¡¯s the same idea.¡± I shifted on my feet, resisting the urge to run out the door, ¡°Listen, I really need to head out, so just do your research and wait until I call you, okay?¡±


    Michael didn¡¯t look up when I let myself in the back door, not until I let it close behind me. He watched in silence as I padded up to the back of his chair, draping my arms over his shoulders and burying my face in the side of his neck before breathing a heavy sigh.


    ¡°Well then.¡± I felt more than heard his quiet chuckle, ¡°Hello to you, too,¡± he sounded pleasantly surprised as he looked me over, ¡°where were you off to?¡±


    ¡°Jesse wanted to catch up.¡± He raised an eyebrow at my quiet words.


    ¡°You mean she wanted to make sure you actually ate something today.¡± I mumbled something along the lines of an indignant request that he shut up before pressing my lips to the side of his neck in a silent kiss.


    ¡°You know,¡± I spoke softly, a smirk tugging at my lips as I caught the change in his scent and felt him sit up a little straighter under my touch, ¡°this case is interesting enough I¡¯m liable to pull an all-nighter if I¡¯m not¡­ otherwise occupied.¡± Another low, rumbling laugh fell from his lips as my fingers danced across his chest and arms.


    ¡°Like a distraction?¡± His voice had dropped an octave when he finally spoke, swallowing hard as I flashed a wicked smirk, lip peeled back on one side to flash two of my sharp canines.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± another soft kiss, ¡°a distraction.¡±


    ¡°Fun¡± fact: Dogwood Apothecary isn¡¯t the only shop in Washington County that sells Suicide Root. I¡¯m still miffed at myself for missing that rather key detail; the call came in over the scanner and I was out the door faster than Michael could finish making coffee.


    He was just a kid, no more than six or seven.


    He was one of the potential targets I¡¯d set aside yesterday, though the police would no doubt rule it an accident just like the others had been. I beat most of the investigating team there and talked my way past the small patrol waiting, taking the opportunity to snap a few pictures with my phone and collect a lock of the boy¡¯s hair in a small vial to ensure his spirit be bound to me as long as I held it. I was crouched beside the boy, examining the rubberized paint beneath his fingernails when the detective on the case finally arrived with a familiar coroner.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, step away from the body.¡± I raised my gloved hands slowly, straightened up, and did as I was told, flashing a smile at Dr. Mortimer Finch when he stopped dead in his tracks, eyes wide.


    ¡°Hey Morty,¡± I spoke with mock cheer and Finch darted forward, grabbing me by the arm and dragging me out of earshot of the dumbfounded detective.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Wildes?¡± I let my false cheer slip at his question.


    ¡°I know you remember what it is I do exactly.¡± My voice turned into a cold, level tone, ¡°What do you think I¡¯m doing here?¡± He kneaded his forehead, exhaling through his teeth and cursing the Zailbh¨¡ti¡¯s eidetic memory before meeting my gaze again with a look of resignation.


    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± he grumbled the words, ¡°what is it?¡±


    ¡°Fae.¡± Again his eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°That can¡¯t be right,¡± he began but trailed off quickly.


    ¡°She used Spotted Cowbane,¡± I paused as I gestured back at the scene, ¡°I¡¯m sure you saw the signs.¡± Flattened foliage and post mortem bruising consistent with violent convulsions.


    ¡°There¡¯s no bile,¡± Finch started to point out, but I shook my head slightly; I¡¯d picked up the acrid stench of vomit walking up earlier.


    ¡°It rained a lot last night, but the stench is still there.¡± He didn¡¯t question me, instead breathing another heavy sigh like he was getting a headache.


    I didn¡¯t blame him, things never seemed to go easy when I had to get involved. ¡°I have to go track down the supplier, but I¡¯ll give you a heads up when all of this is over.¡± I started away through the still slick grass, pulling my phone from my pocket as I went. It rang twice and then clicked.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Jesse¡¯s voice came through the other end, thick with sleep.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Hey Jesse, if you¡¯re still serious about shadowing me on this job, I need you to meet me at the shop.¡± I listened quietly to the muffled scramble on the other end and smirked.


    ¡°What time is it?¡± I glanced down at my watch at the question, grimacing to myself when I read 05:00.


    ¡°Early,¡± I paused to climb into my Jeep, ¡°just get there as soon as you can, I need to look into something anyway.¡± She mumbled a confirmation as I hung up and turned the Jeep back towards the shop, letting the near silent ticking and humming of the gears and steam in the engine fade into the background.


    I let myself in the backdoor, taking the steps up to the living space above the shop two at a time before letting myself into my library as well. I picked up the kid¡¯s dossier, flipping through it briefly to double check its contents before sliding the freshly printed crime scene photos into the front and tucking the file under my arm to slip back out into the hall. I paused there for a moment, listening to the quiet, steady heartbeats coming from the room we''d given the boys, smiling briefly as I remembered their sleeping faces last night. Then I moved silently down the stairs. Michael looked up from supply order forms when I stepped into the shop.


    ¡°There¡¯s cold coffee upstairs,¡± he began, but I shook my head as I slipped past him behind the counter. I pulled his address book from one of the packed shelves behind him, ignoring his frown as I thumbed through page after page of the coded script. ¡°What¡¯re you looking for?¡± He finally spoke up again when I set it and my file on the counter and leaned over them, brow furrowed in annoyance as the letters swam.


    ¡°Other shops that sell suicide root,¡± I trailed off into a low warning growl as he wrapped an arm around my waist and rested his chin on my shoulder. ¡°She killed someone, Michael.¡± I looked up at him, resting my hand on the closed dossier almost unconsciously, ¡°it was a kid,¡± my voice went quiet, ¡°just a kid.¡± Michael studied me a moment before slipping the address book from beneath my fingers and scanning the coded information there.


    ¡°Here,¡± he spoke softly, pointing to a few names, ¡°these three are the only other places in Washington County that sell Cicuta maculata.¡± He withdrew his hand as I copied down the addresses, glancing up briefly when Jesse walked in the front door, dressed like she was trying to mimic the dark clothes I usually wore while working.


    ¡°Thanks, Michael,¡± I darted into the back to retrieve my hunting duffle, the two of them following a moment later. ¡°The police may come by,¡± I paused to shrug my shoulder holster on, ¡°Finch was with them,¡± I double checked the iron rounds loaded in my .45 before tucking it into the holster and shrugging my leather jacket on over it, ¡°I don¡¯t know what story he fed them.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Michael flashed an easy smile as Jesse¡¯s eyes darted back and forth between us, trying to commit it all to memory, ¡°I know the drill.¡± I still worried, but the logical part of my brain reminded me that he was more than capable of taking care of both himself and the boys.


    ¡°We¡¯ll probably be late,¡± I sheathed one of my mother¡¯s old silver knives beside the iron one on my belt as Michael nodded.


    ¡°Try not to shoot any of them.¡± I slung the duffle over my shoulder with a harsh laugh.


    ¡°It¡¯s loaded with iron rounds, I wouldn¡¯t waste the ammo.¡± He exchanged a look of resignation with Jesse before breathing a heavy sigh and shaking his head, but still the hint of a smile played at his lips.


    ¡°Good hunting,¡± he spoke the words as I slipped out the back door with Jesse.


    ¡°What¡¯s the file?¡± I tossed my duffle into the back and climbed into the driver seat, handing her the kid''s dossier.


    ¡°The first victim in this batch,¡± I glanced over as she started to open it in curiosity, ¡°unless you¡¯re going for complete immersion in the role, nightmares and all, I wouldn¡¯t look.¡± Jesse dropped the cover without looking and I pulled out of the alley in silence.


    The first two shops were a bust, none of the staff recognized the Fae by either the police sketch or the security footage I¡¯d pulled last night and I didn¡¯t have high hopes for the last as I parked across the street and Jesse and I headed in. Inside smelled similar to Dogwood, there were no scents of gunpowder, death, raven, and fox, but similar. An electronic tone sounded when I opened the door and the shop owner looked up from behind his counter.


    ¡°How-¡± He stopped when he saw me, nervous gaze flickering briefly to confusion as Jesse stepped through behind me, muddy blues rippling around him as swallowed the lump in his throat. ¡°How can I help you,¡± he spoke again, a little bit slower this time, ¡°Lady Wildes.¡± I frowned slightly, it bothered me when people took the whole ¡®Queen of the East¡¯ thing a little too seriously.


    ¡°We¡¯re looking for someone,¡± I pulled the folded pictures from an inside coat pocket and unfolded them on the counter, ¡°she would¡¯ve been in in the last couple days to buy Cicuta maculata.¡± The man frowned, adjusting his glasses to peer down at the images.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame, I hoped you were considering a change in sources, the whole community knows not to mess with your supplier.¡± I smirked at the disappointment in his tone.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re mistaken,¡± I paused as he looked up, ¡°Dogwood is my shop, Michael isn¡¯t my supplier, he¡¯s more like my assistant manager.¡± I watched the surprise fill his expression for a moment before I tapped on the pictures again to change the subject, ¡°You see her?¡± The owner looked down at the pictures again, brow furrowed in thought.


    ¡°The last couple days, you said?¡± I nodded slightly so he continued, ¡°I remember her; pretty little thing, bought some Spotted Cowbane just like you said.¡± I glanced at Jesse briefly in my surprise, ¡°Quiet, but a nice enough young lady.¡± I breathed a sigh of relief at finally finding a place to start.


    ¡°She say anything about what she was going to do with it?¡± He frowned again, shaking his head slowly.


    ¡°No,¡± he paused, ¡°she did mention something about visiting family, though.¡± I raised an eyebrow at him, ignoring the chill that ran down my spine at those words.


    ¡°Thank you, sir. Have a good evening,¡± I turned and hurried out the door, pausing just outside to wait for Jesse and pull my jacket¡¯s hood up against the now pouring rain. She joined me as I fished the vial hair from my pocket.


    ¡°What¡¯s that for?¡± I glanced up at her again and started to answer while keeping my thumb over the rune carved into the lid, but a sudden chill made me stop.


    ¡°Help me.¡± I turned to find the little boy standing in the street, Jesse¡¯s eyes going wide when she saw him, too.


    ¡°That.¡± I answered her question under my breath before waving him over. He was pale and sickly, his hair and clothes soaked through and slicked to his small frame because that was how he¡¯d died. I crouched down so that I was roughly eye level with him as he joined on the sidewalk. ¡°I¡¯m working on it, kid,¡± I spoke softly, ¡°do you remember how you got here?¡± He shook his head, doe-eyed with a mix of fear and curiosity.


    ¡°Help me,¡± the boy spoke again, voice like a song despite the sound of running water beneath it.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to find her, kid, I promise,¡± I flashed him a reassuring smile and watched him disappear, like he¡¯d been washed away in the rain. I took a deep breath and straightened up, looking back at Jesse and the mix of fear and sorrow in her lilac eyes.


    ¡°That-¡± Her voice cracked so she stopped to swallow and try again, ¡°That was a ghost, right?¡± She shivered slightly, hugging her jacket tighter around her.


    ¡°An echo, but yeah, that¡¯s the nutshell version.¡± I led the way back to the Jeep, my phone ringing just as we climbed inside. I fished it from my pocket to check the ID as I closed the door against the rain. ¡°Hey,¡± I answered when I saw the number for the shop, ¡°I take it the cops came by?¡± Michael chuckled quietly on the other end of the line.


    ¡°They asked where I was last night about when that kid died.¡± I blinked in surprise.


    ¡°What¡¯d you tell them?¡± I could almost hear the smile in his voice.


    ¡°The truth,¡± I exhaled through my teeth as he continued, ¡°I spent the night with my girlfriend,¡± I pinched the bridge of my nose between my fingers, ¡°then they asked if it was possible for you to leave in the middle of the night.¡± I groaned, pressing my forehead against my steering wheel, ignoring Jesse¡¯s questioning expression. ¡°I told them no.¡±


    ¡°I really hate you,¡± I finally growled the words and Michael laughed on the other end of the line.


    ¡°If that were true, you would¡¯ve killed me a long time ago.¡± I took a deep breath as I straightened up in my seat, shaking off the memory of blood and rain that accompanied the dull pain in some of my scars. ¡°Anyway, the police left a few minutes ago, they¡¯re looking for you, too.¡± I wasn¡¯t too surprised considering my run in with them that morning.


    ¡°Thanks for the heads up,¡± I started up my Jeep, ¡°we¡¯re headed over to the kid¡¯s house now. I¡¯ll call if something happens.¡±


    ¡°Alright, good hunting.¡± I glanced over at Jesse again as I hung up and pulled out into the street.


    I parked down the street from the kid¡¯s house and climbed out with Jesse right behind me. We were crossing the street to reach the house when I stopped dead in my tracks, the scent of Fae hitting me like a brick wall.


    ¡°Reyna?¡± Jesse stopped a moment later, looking back at me in question.


    ¡°Fae.¡± I closed my eyes, inhaling the scent and trying to determine the direction it had gone. ¡°It went this way.¡± I turned to follow the scent away from the house to the small park on the corner. The scent of blood hung in the air, but faint enough I could write it off as a few simple scrapes. The scent of Fae was stronger here, accompanied by the scent of magic; she¡¯d opened a door. The creak of the park¡¯s little metal merry-go-round drew my attention then as it began to turn by itself until the boy¡¯s sickly ghost flickered into view again, riding it around and around.


    ¡°He¡¯s back.¡± I glanced back at Jesse, her eyes glued to the boy. I remained silent, approaching the merry-go-round to get a better look. On the rail he gripped I found marks in the paint where his nails had bit in and scraped it off, matching what I¡¯d found under his nails. I could almost see the Fae dragging the boy away from the merry-go-round and the park. I turned, slipping past Jesse and out into the street where the scent of Fae magic was strongest, confirming my earlier thought about a door being opened; I let slip a harsh laugh as I recognized the electric sensation that still rippled in the air. ¡°What?¡± I reached out and pressed two fingers to Jesse¡¯s forehead, wordlessly casting a spell to show her what I saw.


    ¡°She used a gate,¡± I gestured at the shimmering ripple, all that remained of the door, ¡°she could¡¯ve taken him anywhere.¡± I breathed a heavy sigh, pacing for a moment while Jesse looked around wide eyed and enamored by the colors and music I saw in the world on a daily basis. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, kid.¡± I muttered the words under my breath.


    ¡°So what now?¡± She finally broke the silence and I breathed an exhausted sigh.


    ¡°Chances are, she killed him on the other side.¡± I was quiet for a minute or two while I thought over what to do next, ¡°There¡¯s an old church aways away from here we¡¯ll use to summon her.¡± I started back to the Jeep, ignoring the sound of old church bells in the back of my mind.


    ¡°Why not do that from the start?¡± I glanced back at Jesse with a sad smirk.


    ¡°¡®Cause it requires a hell of a lot of power to summon Fae Folk, and I needed her signature.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The door, every Fae has a unique magic when it comes to doors, like a signature, and I needed it to make sure I summon the right one.¡± I climbed back into my Jeep, ¡°Come on.¡±


    The old church was quiet and starting to fall apart, the paint was chipping and covered in layer after layer of graffiti. I parked the Jeep and grabbed my duffle from the back along with a few cans of spray paint. Jesse was just getting out while I stood in front of the wall shaking one of the cans. It took only a couple minutes to repaint my ouroboros, the Soul Collector¡¯s mark, over the top of the other graffiti on the wall, I had enough practice after all.


    ¡°What¡¯re you doing?¡± Jesse watched quietly as I finished it off.


    ¡°Oh, you know,¡± I smirked a little maniacally, ¡°just marking my territory.¡± I slung the duffle back over my shoulder and stepped inside the old church doors, pausing for a moment to listen for anyone squatting. ¡°No one here,¡± I dropped the duffle on the floor in front of the altar, ¡°Come help me move these pews out of the way,¡± I called over to Jesse and she did as I asked. It took a while, but we cleared a large space in the center of the old church¡¯s floor and I returned to my duffle for the cans of paint. ¡°I¡¯m going to draw a Fae trap; you can watch, but once I summon the Fae I recommend taking cover somewhere.¡± Jesse nodded slightly as I shook a can of paint and paced off about twenty feet of the room.


    It took about half an hour and two and a half cans of spray paint to make a large Fae trap that would negate magic and act as a cage. I took a moment to roll my neck and stretch before standing outside the circle with my back to the altar.


    ¡°Ready Jesse?¡± She gave me a thumbs up after snapping a picture with her phone and I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes. She ducked behind the pews out of sight as I whispered a silent prayer of protection, ignoring the pain as it was burned into my forearm; I was so used to pain I barely even noticed it anymore. I paused, taking a deep breath before I slipped into an ancient Gaelic spell once used to summon Fae Folk in Ireland. The space above the trap rippled and the door appeared, forcing the Fae woman out before abandoning her to the trap.


    ¡°You human trash dare to summon me?¡± She spat the words and I laughed, unphased by her rage.


    ¡°I promise you, I am no human,¡± I flashed my sharp fox teeth in a wicked grin, ¡°and I am very territorial.¡±


    ¡°Insolent filth!¡± She raised a hand to cast a spell, but nothing came of it. My grin widened until I probably looked more like the cheshire cat than myself as I pulled my knife and pistol.


    ¡°You¡¯re insulting the person who literally holds your life in their hands.¡± She glanced down at the trap as I shook my head, ¡°Not exactly a wise move.¡± She was seething, fury radiating from her like a blood red mist. Then she moved, producing a throwing knife seemingly from nowhere. I sidestepped the blade, a quiet chuckle escaping my lips as it stuck in the wall behind me. I leveled my pistol and fired, the iron round still burning through one of her shoulders despite her attempt to move. Her second blade came before I had time to react, the edge just nicking the side of my neck. ¡°You¡¯ve been around for centuries,¡± I spoke softly, the words almost like a song as I holstered my .45 and reached up to touch the wound, fingers coming away bloody. ¡°hasn¡¯t anyone ever warned you about drawing blood from a starving Owhi?¡± I crossed the line into the trap and laughed as the Fae took an unconscious step back. Another knife, almost in slow motion now that the taste of blood filled the air, but her rage had been replaced with cold, dark fear now. I flipped the iron hunting knife around in my hand and darted forward to drive the blade up through her jaw and into her skull. The light began to fade from her eyes and I smiled, punching my free hand into her chest to grip her barely beating heart. ¡°Thank you for this meal.¡± I leaned close to whisper the words in her ear before stepping away, pulling both blade and heart free in one fluid motion. It didn¡¯t take long to wolf the heart down and Jesse should¡¯ve still been hiding anyway, but I was careful to keep my back to her all the same. ¡°You can come out now, Jesse.¡± I called out to her as I crouched to wipe the blood off my knife on the dead Fae¡¯s shirt. Jesse approached slowly as I straightened up again, as if hesitant to see what I looked like now, so I wiped the blood from my face with the hem of my shirt as I turned to her; she could handle the blood just fine, but she¡¯d never seen me eat and I planned to keep it that way.


    ¡°I have a question.¡± She finally spoke up as I was writing a rune in the air that would burn the body without harming the old church.


    ¡°Shoot.¡± I sheathed my knife and retrieved my duffle as the fire sparked to life.


    ¡°Why did you make the Fae trap so big? Smaller would¡¯ve made it easier to kill her, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, about a meter and a half is the smallest you can make one and still summon the door into it, but mostly,¡± I flashed her a wicked smile, ¡°it¡¯s more fun if they can fight back.¡± Jesse¡¯s eyes widened in mild shock and I had to resist the urge to point out that I¡¯ve always been at least that twisted.


    ¡°She could¡¯ve killed you, Reyna!¡± Ah, that wasn¡¯t the problem, apparently. I turned to pull one of the throwing knives from the wall and handed it to her before making my way to the door.


    ¡°Not with those knives, she couldn¡¯t,¡± I unlocked the Jeep as she followed me, ¡°those are steel with an iron edge, meant for Fae rather than anyone else, and not big enough to take off my head.¡± I tossed my duffle into the back and paused to stretch, forcing my more feral instincts down again while Jesse climbed into the passenger seat in a daze. I understood, but I couldn¡¯t really relate to the sudden shock most rookies experience after their first hunt, not when my first kill was at the age of six.


    Jesse had remained uncharacteristically quiet the entire drive back, lost in thought until I¡¯d parked the Jeep in the driveway of her house in Lincoln. She seemed to finally come back to herself when I turned it off and climbed out.


    ¡°We¡¯re¡­¡± Her voice was soft, ¡°home?¡± She looked confused but followed me up to the front door anyway.


    ¡°You,¡± I paused to take her hand, ¡°need some rest.¡± I drew a rune on her palm that would keep the nightmares at bay. ¡°Come by Dogwood tomorrow with your Wechuga research.¡±


    ¡°Reyna, I¡¯m fine-¡± I shook my head, keeping my mouth shut when I wanted to point out that she¡¯d practically been a vegetable the entire ride here.


    ¡°No Jesse, you¡¯re processing. Go inside.¡± I turned her around and pushed her towards the door. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± I turned and climbed back into the Jeep with no room for argument.


    I went home to Dogwood and then drove right past it. Something about the victim being a child about the same age as Kelly would¡¯ve been by now made me keep going until I was pulling into my old space at the pub I used to frequent. I walked up to the bar and my old stool against the wall almost entirely on muscle memory, but I didn¡¯t order a Scotch like I would¡¯ve before. The bartender didn¡¯t press when I asked for water instead of my ¡°usual¡±, he¡¯d learned a long time ago that pressing me never goes anywhere. With Kelly on my mind and a slight buzz thanks to the drunken haze coming off of the bar¡¯s other patrons en masse, my thoughts drifted back to Jack and Jesse¡¯s thinly veiled request that I get in touch. After downing my glass as if I were downing a glass of liquid courage, I pulled my phone from my pocket and started typing¡­ or rambling really. Then I set the phone down again and spent a few hours staring at it like it might explode at any minute.


    It didn¡¯t vibrate.


    In hindsight, I can¡¯t really say I was surprised either considering the five hour time difference put it at about 04:30 there, which meant it was late even by his standards.


    I finished off my last glass of water and paid the bartender before pocketing the phone and heading out the door.


    It was dark when I let myself in the back door; I was honestly surprised to find Michael still awake, let alone sitting at the desk reading a book. He looked up at the sound of the door, taking a moment to look me up and down before setting his book aside.


    ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± I flashed a tired smile now that the last of the borrowed buzz was finally wearing off and moved to the lockers under the stairs.


    ¡°Neither of us got hurt and I got a free meal and some exercise, so I¡¯d say pretty well.¡± I paused to unzip my duffle and return its contents to their places inside one of the lockers before sliding it into its cubby beside them. ¡°I need a shower.¡± I muttered the words as I shrugged off my leather jacket and listened to Michael stride quietly across the room. He wrapped his arms around my waist from behind as I hung my jacket on the hook beside the lockers.


    ¡°You smell like blood.¡± He murmured the words into my shoulder, looking down at the little bit of blood that was still damp enough to transfer from my tank top to his hand. I hummed quietly in response to his soft voice.


    ¡°I always smell like blood,¡± I flashed a bittersweet smile, ¡°blood and death.¡± I glanced back at him before distancing myself, ¡°So do you, you know, though it¡¯s not as strong anymore.¡± I started up the stairs, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower and check on the boys.¡± Michael watched me go in silence.


    My phone vibrated in my pocket as I stripped off my tank top and I stopped to read through the messages as they came in.


    I looked up at my reflection in the mirror and the beast there, bloodlust in its eyes.


    Then I set the phone down and started the shower.


    Jesse came by the shop the next day, bringing with her a notebook full of everything she¡¯d been able to find on the Wechuga just as I¡¯d asked her to. It wasn¡¯t much more than the basics, which is about what I¡¯d expected, so I¡¯d gone through my notes last night to double check that the pages in my hunting journal were still up to date and all inclusive.


    ¡°So this is what your journal looks like.¡± Jesse¡¯s lilac eyes were filled with curiosity as she picked it up from the counter, skimming the pages on the Wechuga before flipping through the other pages. ¡°This is so cool, can I take a copy of this for the props team?¡± I was quiet for a moment, hesitating before I breathed a sigh of defeat because the look in her eyes said there would be no arguing and it was unlikely anyone would look too closely anyway.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess.¡± I took the journal from her and slipped into the backroom, leaving the door open for her to follow me.


    ¡°So is that it?¡± Jesse spoke as I waited for the printer and I glanced up briefly to read her expression.


    ¡°With the Fae?¡± I paused to check the copied, ¡°It should be, just about.¡± I held out the stack to her, ¡°I¡¯ll send the kid home and that will be that.¡± Jesse took the papers.


    ¡°Send him home?¡± I flashed a bittersweet smile.


    ¡°His spirit won¡¯t move on if I¡¯m still carrying a piece of him around.¡± I changed the subject, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve got Council stuff to do as well, so just text me if you need anything else.¡± I rushed her out the door without an explanation because I¡¯d been to far too many funerals in my life and those for children were always the worst.


    I stood a few meters away from the kid¡¯s family, watching the service behind a seal I¡¯d drawn on my arm earlier to make onlookers gloss over me. Thunder boomed overhead and the rain picked up so I exhaled through my teeth and pulled my jacket¡¯s hood up.


    My eyes never left the coffin, it was uncomfortably small after all.


    His family wept, the volatile mix of emotions coming off them in waves made muddy with grief as the coffin was lowered into the ground. The kid stood beside me, healthier now that he had no ¡®unfinished business¡¯.


    ¡°Is it normal to cry when someone dies?¡± I smiled gently at the boy, lifting a hand to ruffle his hair.


    ¡°If it¡¯s someone you knew,¡± I paused, ¡°saying goodbye can be very sad sometimes.¡± He looked up at me in curiosity.


    ¡°You¡¯re not crying, miss.¡± I met his gaze after his mother, at last, was guided away. I was quiet for a moment before I crouched down to meet him eye to eye.


    ¡°Sometimes there are people in this world who forget how,¡± I paused to take a deep breath, ¡°people who can¡¯t remember for one reason or another.¡±


    ¡°Like you?¡± I forced a convincing smile.


    ¡°I was about your age when I lost my parents and forgot how to cry.¡± I straightened up and offered him my hand before walking up to the open grave with him. I took the vial of hair from my pocket and poured the contents out into the grave.


    ¡°Will I see you again?¡± I flashed him another broken smile, crouching in front of him again and reaching out to brush his hair from his face before resting a hand on both of his shoulders.


    ¡°Maybe one day.¡± I lied easily, knowing full well that he and I were going in opposite directions, ¡°I¡¯ll come say hi when I catch up, okay Ben?¡± He beamed at me and I almost felt bad for lying.


    ¡°Thank you for helping me, miss.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you around, love.¡± I watched him fade and disappear, letting the smile slip away as I straightened up again to say a silent prayer and cross myself.


    ¡°Been a while since I ran into one of hers.¡± I looked back at the sound of a Liverpool accent.


    ¡°Been a while since I ran into someone who could see through rune magic.¡± The man chuckled, running his fingers through jet black hair bleached golden blonde in a gesture that almost seemed human despite his inhuman scent; he almost smelled heavenly when I stopped to think about it. He flashed a cocky grin, exhaling smoke around the cigarette in his mouth.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even notice it.¡± I could assume based on that alone that he wasn¡¯t anything to pick a fight with.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Still, I couldn¡¯t help but be on my guard.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone,¡± he took a long drag on his cigarette, ¡°an old¡­ friend,¡± the way he said ¡®friend¡¯ made it sound awfully complicated, ¡°of mine by the name of Alix Mc¨¢ed.¡± I blinked in surprise, curiosity filling his blue-grey eyes at my recognition of the name. ¡°Oh,¡± he leaned a little closer, studying me, ¡°you actually remember her.¡± He did a lap around me, looking me over, ¡°Interesting.¡± I growled my annoyance.


    ¡°Sorry, last I saw Alix was back in Scotland six or seven years ago.¡± I paused, ¡°Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, if you know the place. Don¡¯t know where she went after that.¡± The man breathed a sigh of what I assumed was annoyance.


    ¡°Pity.¡± I started to ask what he wanted with Alix in the first place, but he turned to walk away then, disappearing quickly in the early morning fog and leaving only the scent of cigarette smoke and death behind.

 March, 2015 - Edgewood, Maryland

    Michael told me one of our contacts had spotted an Ethiopian Cetus off the coast of Maryland while I was out last week. I feel like something of that scale would¡¯ve made the news, but they don¡¯t always and I don¡¯t follow the regular news all that closely so it¡¯s not impossible that I missed it.


    I can say now, I didn¡¯t miss it.


    We loaded equipment into the back of my Jeep and left the boys with Jesse before driving south to Edgewood, Maryland, taking turns behind the wheel. It was a nice drive and I had time to review my notes again long before we got anywhere near Edgewood. Michael rolled the windows down as we got into town and I smiled as the scent of the ocean reached my nose, so familiar and yet so different from the scent back home. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath as contentment settled over me for a moment. Michael¡¯s quiet laugh made me glance back at him in question.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a few years since I saw you relax like that,¡± he paused in thought, ¡°I think it was the December after you turned 21 and you seemed very drunk,¡± I growled, gaze narrowed.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t drunk,¡± arguing wasn¡¯t going to get me anywhere and I knew that, but that didn¡¯t stop me from trying.


    ¡°That was you sober? What are you like drunk, then?¡± Sometimes I wasn¡¯t sure if Michael was being serious or not so I opted to ignore the question and returned to watching the buildings pass by outside my window. We pulled into the hotel parking lot and he parked my Jeep, turning off the engine while I got out to unload our bags from the back. He led the way into the lobby with his bag as I was adjusting the strap on my duffle. I paused mid-stride when I caught the scent of something other than human, something I¡¯d never run across before, following it up to the counter where a beautiful young woman with fair hair, dark eyes, and olive skin sat on the other side waiting to check us in. She reminded me of one of the women mentioned in a few of the journals from Ancient Greece that I kept in my library back home, but I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on which one. Michael checked us into our room and though she definitely looked up at us, she never made eye contact, a minor detail, but still enough to put me on edge. Michael said something I was too distracted to catch and the woman laughed, a sound so musically hypnotic that I almost lost myself in it. ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± Michael¡¯s voice drew me back as he took the room keys from the woman and we headed down the hall. ¡°She seemed nice.¡± He broke the silence when we reached the room right beside the side entrance.


    ¡°Funny, so did most of my foster parents,¡± I spoke bitterly as he let us in and Michael blinked in surprise.


    ¡°You never talk about your foster families.¡± His surprise was clear in his voice as well, but I just shook my head.


    ¡°That¡¯s because they¡¯re not important.¡± I dropped my duffle on the floor next to the wall and moved back to the door as I changed the subject, ¡°Where exactly was the Cetus last seen?¡± Michael was quiet for long enough that I turned back to him with a look of distrust.


    ¡°About that¡­¡± He began, but he trailed off when I bared my teeth in warning, rubbing the back of his neck and averting his gaze.


    ¡°There¡¯s no Cetus, is there?¡± It wasn¡¯t a question, but still, he nodded in confirmation of my guess. ¡°Michael, I¡¯d like you to think very carefully about how you¡¯re going to explain exactly what¡¯s going on.¡± My voice was a cold growl that made even Michael seem to shrink.


    ¡°Ethiopian Cetus was the best Jesse and I could think of to get you and me out of town for a vacation.¡± I was stunned, at least in part because I¡¯m fairly certain Michael had no idea what a vacation even was before maybe last week. I exhaled slowly, rubbing my temples for a moment while I struggled to respond.


    ¡°I think-¡± I swallowed and tried again, ¡°I think I need some time to process this.¡± I finally spoke and slipped out the door before he could do more than open his mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, the number you have dialed-¡± I hung up, swearing at Jesse again under my breath. I¡¯d called her every half hour or so while I wandered, even sent her a few texts, but she seemed to be avoiding me.


    I sent off one last text before breathing a defeated sigh and tucking my phone back into my pocket. I found a low ledge at the edge of the water and sat down, unlacing my boots and setting them and my socks aside so that I could dangle my feet in the water.


    ¡°Alix had spent the whole day sitting like this the day we met,¡± I chuckled at my talking to myself, ¡°I wonder what she was thinking about.¡± It was quiet, easy to get lost in thought as I watched the sky grow dark over the waves. A stranger joined me on the cliff an hour or so later, leaning back on his hands and dangling his legs over the water next to mine.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you around here before.¡± I glanced up at him when he spoke, eyes cold, ¡°Business or pleasure?¡± I was quiet for a second as I studied him.


    ¡°Pleasure, apparently, but that¡¯s no business of yours.¡± My voice was cold and blunt and for a second, he seemed insulted, but it didn¡¯t last long.


    ¡°It can be if you want.¡± He leaned closer, reaching for my hand, but in an instant, I had one of my knives against his throat.


    ¡°Try me,¡± I spoke with an easy smile, ¡°I dare you.¡± He swallowed hard, nodding his understanding as I picked up my things and started walking back to the hotel.


    The light was still on in our room when I got back and I set my boots down by the door to check my pockets for a key when I remembered I hadn¡¯t taken one. I sighed, I wanted a shower, I wanted to wash off the sand and that guy¡¯s scent, but I stopped, my fist hovering a centimeter away from the door at the sound of voices. I told myself it could be the tv, but I still followed the urge to press my ear to the door and listen. I held my breath for a moment as a woman spoke and Michael actually laughed. The woman joined in, that unmistakable hypnotic laugh that tugged at my subconscious.


    I swallowed, remembering to breathe when the madness tugged harder.


    I didn¡¯t knock.


    I dropped my hand back to my side, picked up my boots again, and left in a daze.


    When I finally stopped walking I found myself sitting in one of the dark corner booths of a pub because I¡¯m a struggling alcoholic and seem to have a built-in navigational system that guides me to the nearest one when I need a drink. Honestly, I don¡¯t even remember asking for the bottle of scotch I was nursing. I slouched further into my seat with a dark laugh after I finished the first glass; I¡¯d been six months sober and now all that work was right back down the drain. I poured another and stared at it, spinning the glass between my fingertips as I took a long pull from the bottle. Most of the other patrons were smart enough to give me my space, but after I was down to about half a bottle a small group of men with too much liquid courage and too little brains approached my dark little booth with sleazy smiles.


    ¡°Hey there, little lady.¡± I turned my cold eyes on them, that look alone enough to cause the three of them to pause in their advance. As much as I hated it, I was used to this sort of thing by now, it came with being a relative of the Kitsune. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so cold.¡± The leader of their little pack tried again and my gaze drifted back to my glass in disinterest.


    ¡°I¡¯m in kind of a shitty mood right now, so if you don¡¯t walk away in the next, oh¡­¡± I made a show of checking my watch, ¡°five seconds, I will use this bottle,¡± I gestured to the half empty bottle of scotch on the table, ¡°to disembowel the lot of you and then use whatever money you have on you to pay for the replacement.¡± My voice was level, a cold edge to it that I only ever heard once the taste of iron was thick in the air. I¡¯m relapsing, the thought echoed somewhere at the edge of my mind, but try as I might, I couldn¡¯t quite grasp it. Maybe they still had a little bit of brains in their heads after all because, after a moment or two of staring, the group left me alone.


    Maybe their survival instincts kicked in.


    I¡¯d stopped by a liquor store on the way back from the pub, another bottle of scotch was hanging loosely from my fingers half empty by the time I reached the hotel. I made it to the door to our room by dragging my shoulder along the wall until I reached the end because I was in too much of an apathetic haze to read the numbers. The light was still on the inside, but no sound came from inside when I paused to listen. I raised my hand to knock, but something made me stop. Maybe I was too tired. I slid down none too gracefully to collapse in the doorway with my head against the door as the thought crossed my mind briefly that maybe I was a little bit tipsy after all.


    I chased the thought away with a long pull on my bottle.


    ¡°Michael,¡± my voice was soft and I gave a harsh laugh as I raked shaking fingers through my wild hair, ¡°what are you doing to me?¡± I smiled sadly and finished off my Scotch, ¡°Do you even know?¡± I closed my eyes and leaned against the door, hugging the now empty bottle to my chest.


    My head was pounding and there were miniature fireworks exploding behind my eyelids the next morning. I opened them slowly, squinting towards the silhouette of Michael sitting in a chair in front of the window where he watched me over his tented fingers.


    ¡°Jesus fucking Christ.¡± My voice was shaky as I pressed the heel of my palms to my eyes and hoped the throbbing would subside soon. He waited in silence, the judgment coming off him in waves obvious even without looking. I took a deep breath and shifted to shield my eyes as I squinted towards him, mentally preparing for the lecture. He set the empty bottle of scotch on the nightstand between us, the sound echoing loudly in my head.


    ¡°I thought you said you wanted to hunt sober.¡± I didn¡¯t answer, instead baring my teeth at the ceiling in a silent snarl. ¡°6 months, Reyna, then you go and get dead drunk.¡± I thought about pointing out that I wasn¡¯t dead drunk, but he was already frustrated with me, knowing him for as long as I had, I could read the near imperceptible signs when I looked, ¡°All of that work you did down the drain.¡± I needed some coffee if we were going to have this conversation, but that wasn¡¯t really an option, so I chose to lash out instead. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have gone to the pub in the first place if you hadn¡¯t been in here flirting with the girl from the counter last night the first time I came back.¡± I snapped the words, ¡°Or had you come after me yesterday when I left.¡± It wasn¡¯t his fault, not entirely, but what else was I good at if not shifting the blame.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t flirting.¡± He met my glare with one of his own, his black eye cold and dead while his white eye was a sharp reminder that hurt me perhaps as much as it had hurt him, but I didn¡¯t flinch this time.


    ¡°Then what exactly were you doing in here with the lady from the desk who seemed so nice yesterday? The hell else am I supposed to think you were doing?¡± I paused in my shouting long enough to half roll and half fall out of the bed. ¡°Of course I went out to drink! I couldn¡¯t-¡± I stopped, swallowed the lump in my throat, and tried again, ¡°I couldn¡¯t handle the idea that I finally started to trust you and you went and broke it.¡± I stormed out the door, slamming it behind me loud enough to draw the few people in the rooms nearby into the hallway.


    ¡°Do you have any idea what time it is?! I grabbed the man by his shirt and slammed him hard into the wall behind him.


    ¡°Another word out of you and I¡¯ll strip the flesh from your bones.¡± The level iciness in my voice was back, despite the snarl that tugged at my lips. Some corner of my mind was frightened by that thought and what it meant, but I ignored it. Michael opened the door to follow me, but he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw my face, paling slightly. ¡°Do we have an understanding?¡± I smiled at the man in my hands, a rather cruel smile I hadn¡¯t worn in years. He nodded frantically, darting back into his room the moment I let go of his shirt. I turned my cold gaze on Michael only briefly before I turned to continue down the hall.


    ¡°Reyna.¡± His voice wasn¡¯t quiet enough I didn¡¯t hear it, but still, I didn¡¯t turn or slow my stride.


    ¡°Go to hell, Michael,¡± I called back and disappeared around the corner and out the door.


    In hindsight, I haven¡¯t the faintest idea what I was thinking when I stormed out of the hotel that morning. I was wearing yesterday¡¯s clothes, which reek of the pub I was in last night, and I didn¡¯t take the keys to my Jeep or any of my things, so I couldn¡¯t just leave. The plus side to having fallen asleep in yesterday¡¯s clothes is that my wallet and phone were still in my pockets, though my phone battery was on its last legs by then. I wandered for a while until I found myself in front of a public library and the thought crossed my mind that maybe finding something to read for a while would help me cool off. I was on book number five or six and so far, it wasn¡¯t working. I closed the book and breathed a heavy sigh, leaning my forehead against the cool glass to look out the window from my perch on the sill. I was lost in my head when I heard someone trip over my stack of discarded books, the ones in his arms scattering across the floor.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I kind of just left these in the middle of the road, didn¡¯t I?¡± I slid off of my perch and started picking up the books he¡¯d dropped without looking up.


    ¡°Reyna?¡± I froze, looking up then with a half dozen books in my arms to find an old friend of Alix¡¯s from Ireland staring at me in surprise.


    ¡°Logan?¡± A smile tugged at my lips as I relaxed slightly. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I glanced down at the stack of books in my hands, skimming them, ¡°Ghouls?¡± I looked up at him in mild surprise, last time we¡¯d met, he was too busy trying to keep his brother out of trouble to think of much else, ¡°You took up the family business after all?¡± Logan flashed a sheepish grin, scratching the back of his head at my question.


    ¡°We both did.¡± He started walking, gesturing with his head for me to follow, ¡°Nick was almost as bad as you but not as good at it, so he¡¯s not exactly welcome back home anymore.¡±


    ¡°So you came with him?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He shrugged, ¡°He¡¯s my brother, I can¡¯t just abandon him, you know?¡± Logan paused to set the stack of books in his arms on a table with a laptop and a bunch of scattered papers, so I set my stack down as well. ¡°So, what¡¯re you doing here, anyway? You lived in Maine, last I heard.¡± He sat in one of the chairs at the table and I hesitated a moment before draping my jacket over the back of a chair and sitting down next to him.


    ¡°Supposedly I¡¯m on vacation.¡± My voice was quiet and I trailed off in a harsh laugh before straightening up. ¡°So tell me about this project of yours.¡± Concern filled Logan¡¯s hazel eyes and he opened his mouth, but I could guess what he was about to say, so I cut him off while I lifted a copy of a news article to skim the contents. ¡°If it¡¯s all the same to you, I¡¯d really rather not talk about it.¡± He closed his mouth, his eyes lingering for a minute before he straightened up, sliding his chair closer to the table.


    ¡°So there have been incidents here, here, and here,¡± he slid a map of Harford County towards us and marked the locations with a pen, letting me hide in the work. I listened quietly, slipping into business mode and skimming through paper after paper and book after book while Logan gave me a rundown of what was going on.


    ¡°I think I have more on Ghouls in my journal than you¡¯re going to find in any of these books,¡± I spoke when he finally fell silent, twisting in my seat to slip my journal from inside my jacket just as a young man a little taller than Logan with jet black hair and pale blue eyes approached the table.


    ¡°Nick!¡± Logan beamed up at the man who was apparently his older brother, ¡°What took you so long?¡± I didn¡¯t meet his questioning gaze, focused entirely on thumbing through my journal.


    ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± Nick pulled the chair across from me out and slunk into the seat, a smile tugging on his lips as he continued to study me.


    ¡°Oh, this is Reyna.¡± Logan elbowed me and I finally looked up, eyebrow raised in question, ¡°Reyna, this is Nick.¡±


    ¡°Ah, here it is,¡± I set my journal on the table open to the pages where I¡¯d collected all of the information on Ghouls I¡¯d collected from my past hunts and the old journals in my library back home, ¡°everything you could possibly need to know about hunting Ghouls.¡± I couldn¡¯t help the smirk on my lips, I took a lot of pride in my work when it came to data. Nick beat Logan to the journal, lifting it and reading quietly through the information before marking the page with a finger and thumbing curiously through some of the other pages.


    ¡°You¡¯re a hunter?¡± He finally looked up, an incredulous tone to his voice as he passed the journal across to Logan. My gaze narrowed slightly and I opened my mouth to answer, but Logan beat me to it.


    ¡°Come on, Nick. Reyna Wildes? She¡¯s a Soul Collector.¡± Nick still looked uncertain, ¡°They call her the Bloody Red Queen of the East.¡± Logan lifted my journal to show my ouroboros branded in the leather cover by way of ID. ¡°Alix talks about her a lot.¡± That finally got some recognition.


    ¡°Half. I¡¯m half Soul Collector.¡± He scoffed at that.


    ¡°No one is just half Soul Collector, Alix¡¯s DNA is like a bloody parasite; it overwrites everything.¡± I leaned back in my seat with a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m. Half.¡± I spoke the words again as if it were the simplest thing in the world, ¡°My faither was a pure blooded Alcaimynder,¡± I paused to let that sink in, ¡°that blood isn¡¯t so easily overwritten.¡± Nick was quiet for a long time, considering while I returned my attention to the articles on the table and the map of the county.


    ¡°You¡¯re really her? The Red Queen?¡± I looked up when he finally spoke, lifting pen from paper where I¡¯d been estimating the location of the Ghouls¡¯ nest.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He almost looked impressed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors in the underground about someone pulling strings here on the east coast,¡± he smirked to himself, ¡°didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be a hunter, too.¡± I shrugged as I returned my attention to the map.


    ¡°I¡¯m not surprised you¡¯ve heard rumors, but hunting is my primary job.¡± I paused to finish marking the map, ¡°Everything else, including my position on the Council, is just because I get bored quickly.¡± I slid the map to the center of the table and shifted to the edge of my seat as I changed the subject. ¡°The area within the circle is going to be your best bet for the Ghouls responsible for these incidents. This section here,¡± I gestured a region along the coastline with the end of the pen, ¡°is where I¡¯d personally start looking; there¡¯s a lot of natural caves along there and it¡¯s not too far from any of the incidents so that¡¯s probably your best bet.¡± I set the pen down and slid my chair back.


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± Logan almost sounded a little disappointed as I stood.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I shrugged my jacket back on, ¡°my vacation didn¡¯t exactly go as planned, so I think I¡¯m going to head back to Maine after I check out of the hotel.¡± I shrugged, ¡°I¡¯ve got a shop to run and a couple of kids to look after now, so I¡¯ll let you guys handle this by yourselves.¡± He passed me my journal and I tucked it back into my jacket, ¡°If you guys are ever in Washington County though, swing by Dogwood Apothecary and I¡¯ll treat you to lunch or something.¡± Logan grinned at that.


    ¡°Sure thing. It was good seeing you again.¡± His smile was infectious, kind of like how people react to seeing cute animal pictures.


    ¡°You too. Nice meeting you, Nick.¡± I waved farewell and took my stack of books to return them to their shelves before I left.


    There was no one at the front desk when I stopped by to ask about getting into the hotel room without a key, which was a little odd when I stop to think about it, but at the time I just shrugged it off and borrowed the computer to key another card for the door. The room was empty when I opened the door, though Michael¡¯s things were still there. I started to lift my duffle from the floor and sling it over my shoulder when I really registered the familiar metallic scent of blood almost thick enough it stuck in the back of my throat. It wasn¡¯t unusual that it was there, the scent clung to Michael and I like a fungus, but it was usually pretty faint and this¡­ as I took a deep breath, it was overwhelming almost to the point of intoxication. I surveyed the room again, taking in the missing mattress and the acrid taste of ammonia that hung in the air; all signs pointed to someone in the middle of ¡°cleaning¡± the scene because someone had died in a rather bloody way.


    After a moment¡¯s consideration though, I decided that it had nothing to do with me and was, therefore, not my problem.


    So I strode quickly across the room to lift my pistol from the nightstand and tuck it into the back of my jeans before picking up my keys and casting one more careful glance around the room to make sure I left nothing of mine behind. Then I left, slipping out the door and leaving my key card at the still empty front desk. Once my duffle was secure in the passenger seat, I pulled my pistol out again to tuck into the holster I¡¯d built into my center console before I climbed in and started the engine. A moment later and I was driving back to Pembroke in relative silence.


    I had mixed feelings about what to do with Michael¡¯s things after I thanked Jesse for watching Loki and Zevi and saw her out the door. Part of me wanted to burn it all, and part of me just wanted to box it up and leave it for him on the curb. I ended up doing the latter with most of it. When I found a rolled-up canvas painting in one corner of his workshop, I stopped. It was Michael¡¯s, I¡¯d never had any real talent when it came to painting. I unrolled it slowly, knowing what I¡¯d see. It was me, asleep and wrapped partially in a sheet; I¡¯m pretty sure I looked a good five years younger than I actually was at the time, despite the fact my expression was twisted in pain and terror. I laid it out over a metal barrel in the back alley, struck a match, lit up a cigarette because apparently I was breaking all of my good habits this week, and tossed it on. The canvas burned remarkably easy and there was something refreshing about watching it turn to ash. As I took a drag of my cigarette and watched, the smoke swirled up into the dark sky, carrying the occasional embers into the night like tiny, dying stars.

 March, 2015 - Pembroke, Maine

    I¡¯d put hunting on hiatus for a while as much as I hated to do that; while I could leave the shop for short periods, I couldn¡¯t leave the boys unattended and Jesse was too busy with filming to babysit for me. Thus I was behind the counter catching up on my reading list, research, and some other business while I kept an eye on the shop when Jesse darted through the door, slapping the sign around to say ¡°closed¡± before she locked it. I watched her from over the rims of my color filtered glasses in a state somewhere between confusion and surprise with a heavy undertone of extreme boredom. She was a shade or two paler, dread coming off her in waves strong enough I could pick up the scent even across the store in human form without the¡­ help of my synesthesia or soul collector blood so I raised an eyebrow at her in question while she approached the counter.


    ¡°What brings you in such a rush? Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m alright?¡± She snapped at me, dropping her usually polite pretext and I took a deep breath, exhaling through my teeth and ignoring the slight tremor in my hands as I closed my book and set it aside with my glasses because it wasn¡¯t worth losing it with her. ¡°I have a problem.¡± She continued rather fretfully, lilac eyes darting back toward the door like she expected to see someone had followed her and for a moment I wondered if maybe she had a stalker.


    ¡°And what, pray tell, would that be?¡± My voice was steady, carefully measured so as not to betray the fact I was slowly going stir crazy on top of my regular bouts of madness.


    ¡°My family is in town,¡± Jesse spoke with a sincerity that under normal circumstances I would¡¯ve taken seriously, but at the moment I couldn¡¯t help the almost hysterical laugh that escaped my lips. She didn¡¯t take it well, a look of outrage hardening her delicate features, ¡°What the hell are you on, Reyna? This is serious.¡± I shrugged, swallowing my continued laughter and settling down before I answered.


    ¡°Scotch, cigarettes, and this new thing they call apathy, though I like to call it ¡®I just don¡¯t give a damn¡¯.¡± Her gaze narrowed further at the sarcasm in my tone, but I hurt and it was my go-to response when I hurt to make others hurt too.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a joke, they want to see you, too.¡± I raised an eyebrow at her as I let slip another laugh, this one short and harsh.


    ¡°An Incubus, his wife, and their two Cambion children invite a Soul Collector to dinner. I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯s a joke in there somewhere.¡± She breathed an exasperated sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose between two fingers and closing her eyes for a moment before she continued.


    ¡°They want to meet us tonight at The Looking Glass over in Bar Harbor.¡± Now it was my turn to sigh; The Looking Glass is a black tie place, so I¡¯d have to wear one of the only two dresses I owned and maybe a pair of heels if, by some stroke of bad luck, I can find one in my closet. At least I could probably find somewhere to hide a knife.


    ¡°Do I absolutely have to-¡±


    ¡°Yes, you have to wear a dress.¡± I blinked in surprise when Jesse cut me off with the answer to the question I¡¯d been about to ask. ¡°We¡¯ve been friends for a long time, I know you better than you think.¡± I frowned at that; I don¡¯t like when people claim they know me even if they do know me pretty well, it always just rubbed me the wrong way.


    ¡°If you know me so well, what am I allergic to?¡± Her gaze narrowed at my sarcasm.


    ¡°You mean outside of the full range of human emotion?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, smart ass.¡± I hadn¡¯t actually been expecting an answer.


    ¡°Chocolate, caffeine, xylitol, grapes,¡± she started listing things off, counting on her fingers and I had to admit, I was kind of impressed, ¡°prescription painkillers, antidepressants, blood pressure medications, avocado, and azaleas.¡± She smiled as my gaze narrowed further and I studied her for a moment in silence.


    ¡°I hate you so fucking much right now,¡± finally I exhaled the words, shaking my head slightly as I shifted on my feet and folded my arms across my chest. Jesse¡¯s smile widened.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡± I thought about mentioning that I did actually have my moments where I wanted nothing as much as I wanted to wring her neck, but decided against it after a moment¡¯s consideration. ¡°Does this mean you can¡¯t get us out of this?¡± I took a deep breath, eyeing the countertop while I thought about different options for how to get both of us out of dinner without any serious consequences.


    ¡°No,¡± I finally looked up with a sigh of defeat, ¡°nothing that¡¯ll work, unfortunately.¡± Jesse swore and I had to agree with her. ¡°Is-¡± I stopped to swallow the lump in my throat and drop my gaze before I tried again, ¡°Is Jack going to be there?¡± Somehow, the tremor in my voice when I asked that made me feel very small and I couldn¡¯t bring myself to look up from the counter at Jesse for fear of reading an answer I didn¡¯t want to hear in her expression.


    ¡°Yeah, he flew in with mum last night.¡± She spoke softly, ¡°Wha-What exactly happened with you and Jack?¡± I looked up at her question before looking away again because Jack and I had agreed never to mention Kelly to her. I stayed quiet for what felt like a long time, drumming my fingers on my arm while I tried to think of a way to explain without actually explaining anything. Then I took a deep breath.


    ¡°Some things are just broken from the very start.¡± My voice was quiet, barely above a whisper and broken in a way it hadn¡¯t been since we¡¯d left the hospital and parted ways. After a few more minutes of painful silence, I unhitched myself from the shelves behind me and lifted my book and glasses from the counter. ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up at your place in,¡± I paused to glance at my watch, ¡°add two hours for the drive to your place,¡± I looked up again, ¡°three hours?¡± Jesse nodded slightly, already headed towards the door.


    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll see you then.¡± I waved her off and locked the door behind her before heading upstairs to check on the boys and call a sitter for the night.


    The sitter had come just in time and so I was making the long drive to Jesse¡¯s place in Lincoln and resisting the urge to try to pull down the skirt of a ¡°shirt¡± Jesse had insisted was a dress when she gave it to me. I¡¯m not the type to wear dresses, I own a grand total of two, the other being a family heirloom of sorts, and I¡¯m fairly certain this was the first time I¡¯d worn either of them. I¡¯m not the type to ¡°prowl¡± the clubs because I¡¯m single, I generally stick to my usual bar for drinks and I don¡¯t dance if I can get away with it, not to mention I¡¯m not comfortable in high-end restaurants, so I¡¯ve never needed to wear a dress before. I breathed what was probably the thousandth sigh since receiving the invite; Ornais Matlock had probably picked The Looking Glass at least in part to spite me. At least Jesse looked happy to see that I¡¯d worn it when I pulled up to the curb in front of her house, looking me over with a critical eye. I¡¯d pulled my wild red hair up into a moderately tidier version of my usual knot and she seemed to appreciate the sentiment, but I could tell by her expression she didn¡¯t like the fact I¡¯d ¡°accessorized¡± by wearing the same things I wear every day: my rosary, a silver pentagram pendant, the sigil of the Corvid Prince, and a handful of silver piercings across both ears.


    ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t let me do your makeup?¡± She repeated the question she¡¯d texted me earlier as she climbed into the Jeep and I shook my head.


    ¡°No, it itches too much and this dinner is going to be painful enough as is.¡± She glanced down at my hi-tops and opened her mouth to speak again, but I could guess what she was about to say, ¡°I don¡¯t have any heels or flats and before you ask, I¡¯m not going to borrow a pair from you.¡± She rolled her eyes at me as we pulled away from the curb and started South towards Bar Harbor.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you hate heels so much.¡± I breathed yet another heavy sigh.


    ¡°I have an excellent sense of balance on a line 50-plus feet in the air, but I can¡¯t walk in heels. I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s just not a priority,¡± I paused as I turned onto the highway, ¡°besides, I¡¯m 5¡¯8¡±, I¡¯m tall enough without them.¡± She rolled her eyes and started to nitpick something else, but I reached out very pointedly and turned on the radio.


    We reached The Looking Glass with relative ease, eager to get out and stretch after two hours on the road. I shrugged my leather jacket on over my dress before locking the doors, ignoring the fact Jesse had rolled her eyes once again. I led the way up to the door fueled by anxiety and an eagerness to get this whole thing over with so that I could return to my apathetic haze.


    ¡°Ready?¡± I glanced back at Jesse, hand on the door, and she flashed me a nervous smile. I pulled open the door to let her in before slipping through behind her.


    ¡°Excuse me, sir.¡± She approached the host to ask about a reservation under the name Matlock while I scanned what I could see of the dining hall for familiar faces.


    ¡°Jessimae!¡± Jesse stiffened at the familiar man¡¯s voice and his use of her full name, so I reached out to rest a hand on her shoulder in what I hoped was a comforting gesture, forcing a smile when she glanced back at me with uncertainty in her lilac eyes.


    ¡°Look at it this way: we¡¯re stuck here together, right?¡± A strained laugh escaped her lips at my attempted optimism and we turned to face her parents, her mother waving from her place at the table with a brilliant smile. Rajani Matlock was of English and Indian descent, and still a beautiful woman despite how sick her relationship (if you could call it that) with Ornais made her; in my opinion, Jesse and Jack got most of their looks from their mother, certain infernal features aside. As we approached the table, Ornais and Jack rose from their seats to pull out our chairs for us. I couldn¡¯t help my uncomfortable glance at Jack, it¡¯d been years since I last saw him.


    ¡°Reyna,¡± Rajani beamed at me as they sat back down, ¡°I¡¯m so glad you could make it today.¡± I returned her smile and started to thank her for inviting me, but Ornais cut me off.


    ¡°I¡¯d hoped you¡¯d be out of town, it¡¯s the only good thing about you being a bloody Soul Collector.¡± I turned a coy smile on him, almost speaking through my teeth when I replied.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m here, you¡¯re in my territory after all. It¡¯s part of my job to  assess threats and, if necessary,¡± I paused, my smile widening into a rather wicked grin as I leaned forward to meet his gaze across the table, ¡°deport them.¡± I straightened up again, tenting my fingers in front of me as if I were thinking it over, ¡°Although I suppose I should say exorcize in your case.¡± His gaze narrowed into a sharp glare, but before he could retort, a server came by to take our drink orders. Jesse cut in as soon as he left, probably hoping to derail the fight I was about to pick with her father before either of us snapped.


    ¡°You know I¡¯m actually playing a monster hunter in the movie I¡¯m working on right now. Reyna has been a big help to me.¡± She spoke with a smile and her mother let out an excited exclamation as the subject turned to Jesse¡¯s work and I tuned them out. The server returned with a bottle of Scotch and a small glass, setting another down when Jack gestured for one discreetly before pouring for both of us. I¡¯d downed my glass and poured myself another by the time he disappeared again.


    ¡°I wondered this before, too, but isn¡¯t Scotch a little heavy for someone so small to be drinking that fast on an empty stomach?¡± He spoke as if he didn''t remember how we''d met so I downed the last of the glass and he reached for the bottle. I caught hold of his wrist and bared my teeth in an almost territorial snarl.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like sharing,¡± Jack only smirked, apparently still used to my possessiveness, and pulled his hand free.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that.¡± There was a self-assuredness in his crooked smile and a cold edge to the fire in his amber eyes that hadn¡¯t been there before I left London, ¡°I¡¯m glad to see your tastes haven¡¯t changed.¡± He lifted the bottle deftly in his fingers and refilled my glass.


    ¡°Reyna.¡± Jack hid his smirk behind a sip of his own glass before I looked back at Rajani in question, ¡°Where¡¯s Michael tonight?¡± She smiled, ¡°Is he still painting?¡± I shrugged, taking a sip of my glass as if to buy myself time to answer.


    ¡°I¡¯ve no idea where he is or what he¡¯s doing. I¡¯m not his keeper.¡± I spoke with maybe a little more bitterness than was necessary and Jesse shot me a concerned look, but Rajani didn¡¯t seem to mind.


    ¡°It¡¯d be a pity if he wasn¡¯t painting anymore.¡± I finished off the rest of my glass without really registering it. ¡°I always found his works so¡­¡± she paused as if looking for the right word, ¡°fascinating.¡± My laugh was harsh and at it, all eyes turned on me, but it was too late and I was far too apathetic to keep my mouth shut even without the alcohol in the mix.


    ¡°That¡¯s definitely one way to put it.¡± I went to take another sip and frowned when I realized my glass was empty. Jack was kind enough to refill it for me again before refilling his own, ¡°His style is erratic at best,¡± I lifted the glass in a gesture of thanks to Jack before downing half of it and continuing, ¡°it ranges from realistic to impressionist to something that should remain in the heads of those with synesthesia or schizophrenia on LSD.¡± The three of them stared at me, though for different reasons.


    ¡°I liked his paintings, the ones I¡¯ve seen at least.¡± Jack was the one to finally break the silence, pausing to take another sip of his glass, ¡°I liked the subject matter.¡± I shot him a pointed look.


    ¡°Well,¡± I flashed a cruel smile, ¡°there¡¯s no accounting for taste.¡± He frowned at me as I finished off my glass and refilled it; the glasses here were much too small.


    ¡°I like your art, too.¡± I finally met his gaze over the rim of my glass, deadpan as I downed it in one go.


    ¡°You¡¯re only proving my point,¡± I reached again for the bottle, but Jesse had snatched it away, I guess she¡¯d had enough of my bullshit for the night.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve had enough.¡± I disagree, I thought to myself as I sat very still and very quiet, studying her, there¡¯s not enough alcohol in the world to satisfy me right now. I swallowed the thought when I read the sorrow in her gaze and in the greyish blue that hung around her like a cloud.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I spoke softly as I pushed away from the table, ¡°I have had enough.¡± I stood slowly and pulled on my jacket. ¡°One of you can give her a ride home, right?¡± I glanced around the table as I pulled my wallet from a pocket so that I could pay for my scotch, ¡°Good, I¡¯ll see you later then.¡± I turned to leave before any of them had answered my question, but Ornais¡¯s hand closed firmly around my upper arm and I was glad for the leather jacket when I heard the hiss of heat. I turned on him with a fox¡¯s snarl and eyes turned red tinged gold. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°You will not continue to disrespect my family,¡± under different circumstances, I would¡¯ve been pleasantly surprised at his words, but as it stood, I wasn¡¯t in the mood to celebrate his finally showing some appreciation for family ties.


    ¡°I am not your possession, nor am I your underling.¡± I jerked free of his grip on my arm, ¡°Don¡¯t forget you¡¯re an unwelcome guest in my territory, not the other way around.¡± He wore a smile befitting a Lord of Hell.


    ¡°Pity you¡¯re a Soul Collector, you¡¯d make an interesting little pet.¡± I couldn¡¯t help it, I swung at him and, to my surprise, I hit him square in the jaw. ¡°You little-¡± He grabbed for my neck but caught hold of the pentagram instead when I ducked back out of his reach. The combination of silver and a symbol to ward evil spirits made the contact singe his hand and he let out a surprised and angry cry that froze me to the spot. He lunged again and before I could react, Jack had snatched the Scotch bottle from Jesse and smashed it over Ornais¡¯ head hard enough to shatter. The man dropped to the ground and Jack let the remains of the bottle slip from his fingers.


    ¡°Bloody bastard,¡± he muttered the words before looking up at me and speaking again, something I couldn¡¯t hear.


    I ran.


    I didn¡¯t stop until I was outside and down the sidewalk a ways away from the door. I leaned back from the wall and raked my fingers through my hair, dislodging the knot as I focused on breathing and trying to steady my heart rate. My hands shook as I fumbled with the knife inside my jacket until I¡¯d pulled it free to drag the blade across my wrist to let the scent of iron and blood fill the air. A sigh of relief escaped my lips as I slid down the wall, pressing my mouth to the cut and drinking in the blood because at least it was something.


    For an Alcaimynder, blood is a drug and we¡¯re all genetically addicted right from the start.


    I heard the door of the restaurant open and I glanced up out of the corner of my eye to watch because underneath the blood I¡¯d picked up Jack and Jesse stepping out into the night air. They rounded the corner a moment later and worry filled Jesse¡¯s expression when she saw me.


    ¡°Reyna,¡± she started forward, but Jack held her back when he saw that my dull gaze was still red gold.


    ¡°Go back inside, take mum back to the hotel,¡± his voice as he handed her the keys to their rental car was gentle and, to me, nostalgic as something clicked and Jesse understood as well. She nodded slightly before turned to head back inside alone. ¡°Reyna,¡± Jack kept his gentle tone as he approached me, he movements slow and deliberate as if I were an injured animal, ¡°let me see.¡± He reached for my arm and I let him take it, licking the blood from my lips around extended primary canines while he examined the cut; the fire in his amber eyes had softened, they were the eyes I fell in love with again for the time being. ¡°You Owhis,¡± he breathed a weary sigh as he turned my arm slightly and pulled a hankercheif from his pocket, using it to wipe the cut clean. ¡°There is no greater curse than yours.¡± I watched as he pressed his lips to the cut and it sealed itself, leaving only smooth skin behind.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I was quiet. Slowly, Jack¡¯s self-assured smile returned and he straightened up, offering me a hand.


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll take you home.¡± I pushed myself to my feet on the wall and started towards the parking lot, putting my hand to the wall again for support when I stumbled. He watched in silence for a moment before breathing an exasperated sigh and reaching into my jacket¡¯s pocket to draw out my keys despite my warning growl. ¡°You are in no shape to drive.¡± he muttered the words as he wrapped an arm around my waist to steady me, ¡°Come along, love, you can lean on me.¡± I shook my head, causing my world to spin, but the combination of alcohol and madness in my system made it hard for me to do much else as he guided me back to my Jeep and watched as I swung myself up into the passenger seat. My eyes were still red gold as they began to drift closed and I could feel my canines biting into my lower lip again. ¡°Has anyone ever told you that your eyes are beautiful when you turn feral?¡± I glanced towards Jack out of the corner of my eye now that my vision had really begun to double and bared my teeth at him, but he only laughed quietly.


    ¡°Has anyone told you that you¡¯re incredibly self-assured?¡± Again my bitterness only received a quiet laugh from him.


    ¡°Loads of people, but they never mean it as an insult.¡± I flashed sharp teeth at him in a cruel smile.


    ¡°I do.¡± I drifted off to another carefree laugh and the steady tick of my Jeep¡¯s engine as he turned the key in the ignition and pulled smoothly out of the parking lot.


    It was the delicious smell of food I didn¡¯t have to make that woke me up the next morning. I groaned as I opened my eyes to survey the room, taking a minute to register that the throbbing in my head was the sound of my own heart pumping. I was alone in my own bed, stripped bare, which could be a bad thing considering all I really remembered at the moment was Jack taking me home.


    Jaxson Matlock¡­


    The ex I never really got over...


    I hid my face in my pillow, taking a deep breath as I tried to retrieve some memory of what happened last night when we got here. I vaguely remembered asking him for help I didn¡¯t need with the zipper on the back of my ¡°dress¡±, warmth, the feeling of cotton fabric and¡­ Jack, Sleep, Reyna. You¡¯re going to hate me in the morning if I let you have your way, with a sad look in his eyes, just before he covered mine with his free hand. I sat up slowly, still half asleep as I looked around the room again, taking in the clothes on the floor as my head spun.


    It took me much longer than it should¡¯ve for me to really register that there was someone in my home cooking what smelled like breakfast and I wasn¡¯t entirely sure who it was.


    I¡¯m going to blame the hangover.


    I climbed out of bed in a hurry, snatching the cotton dress shirt from the floor and shrugging it on before I lifted my knife from the table and rushed out the door. My steps were silent as I crept down the hall towards the kitchen, hugging the wall and balancing on the balls of my feet while I listened to the person¡¯s steady heartbeat. When I stepped into the archway, I stopped dead in my tracks.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± Jaxson smirked when he glanced back at me, eyes trailing me up and down briefly before his amber gaze returned to whatever he had on the stove in front of him.


    ¡°¡®Morning,¡± I mumbled the word and set the knife aside as I buttoned the shirt I wore up a hole or two. ¡°That smells amazing,¡± I inhaled deeply, ¡°what is it?¡± It smelled like ham and sunrise and fresh cut hay to me, pale orange rising from the pan like steam.


    ¡°Scrambled eggs with mozzarella, honey smoked ham slices, and coffee.¡± He paused to hand me a cup of strangely scented coffee, ¡°That should help with your hangover.¡± I murmured my thanks as I sipped the coffee so hot I burned what little I had in the way of taste buds for the next few minutes.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you cooked.¡± Jack laughed coldly at my quiet words; he seemed to be enjoying the tension that bothered me so much.


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot you don¡¯t know about me,¡± he paused as he shoveled the food onto a couple of plates and handed one to me, ¡°it¡¯s been six years. People change.¡± I nodded slightly even though I generally disagreed with his statement, taking a moment to perch on the granite counter before savoring a piece of the ham.


    ¡°This is really good,¡± the words came out almost in a purr as Jack sat down at the table, his lazy, arrogant smile returning to his lips along with a wicked glint in his eyes. I swallowed, looking back at my plate as if in great interest.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it.¡± His smile tugged into a crooked grin to match his eyes as he continued in a nonchalant tone, ¡°Are you going to stay up there? Because I quite like the view from here.¡± I blinked my confusion, glancing down at my clothes for a second before baring my teeth in a snarl while I crossed my legs. Still, that didn¡¯t stop the heat from rising in my cheeks.


    ¡°Bastard,¡± I muttered the word and he raised his hands in mock surrender.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not the one running around in someone else''s shirt and nothing else.¡± I looked down again, silently taking in the fact the shirt I was wearing wasn¡¯t at all my size. Ah¡­ cotton, I thought to myself as I fit together that little piece of last night¡¯s haze. ¡°Or I suppose you could stay up here,¡± Jack had set his plate aside when I wasn¡¯t looking and now he stood before me, the wicked grin tugging at his lips again as he leaned close enough to whisper in my ear, slipping the plate deftly from my hand and setting it aside before propping himself up on the counter beside me, ¡°it¡¯s not such a bad place to be.¡± He exhaled the words and his breath sent a chill down my spine as he pressed a silent kiss to the side of my neck, teeth grazing skin and his fingers biting into my hip as he slid me just a little bit closer. He kept going, kissing slowly up the side of my neck along the vein there, a smirk tugging at his lips as he felt my pulse quicken beneath his touch and I let slip a quiet gasp as my eyes fluttered closed. ¡°Bloody hell, Reyna,¡± he pressed his lips to the edge of my jaw, ¡°I missed you.¡± His husky voice right then combined with the underlying lust in his scent was like sin and I¡­


    well¡­


    I guess I figured I was already going to hell anyway. I reached up to trace the line of his jaw guiding him up to me until I could kiss him, knotting my fingers in his messy hair so that I had some leverage while his hand trailed up from my hip under the shirt until it was pressed flat against my back, holding me close.


    Then we heard someone coming up the stairs two at a time and we broke apart just in time to find Jesse in the doorway. I snapped back to myself then, moving both hands to Jack¡¯s chest so that I could put some distance between us, trying to focus on keeping my breathing even. Jack listened, letting go of me so that I had some room. I let my hands fall back to my lap, balling them into fists to hide the almost imperceptible shaking.


    ¡°Damn it, Jackie,¡± Jesse finally recovered from the initial shock and for a split second, I could see the exhaustion in Jack¡¯s amber eyes before he hung his head, dark hair shielding them from view while he breathed a sigh of what sounded like defeat. ¡°You could''ve warned me you were spending the night,¡± she almost sounded heartbroken, a distinctive violet swirling around her that I usually only saw around jilted lovers.


    ¡°Would you please stop calling me Jackie? You¡¯re not a little girl anymore.¡± Jack¡¯s words came out in a growl, but he hadn¡¯t turned to meet her gaze yet¡­ maybe he couldn¡¯t¡­ maybe he knew the same thing I did.


    ¡°You swore,¡± there was rage in her voice, but I couldn¡¯t pin down a reason why with any amount of certainty. There was a weariness written into every fiber of his being at those words and, as much as I hate to admit it, I felt kind of bad for him seeing him like this. He took another deep breath before straightening up, the unfamiliar cold distance from last night in his eyes again as he turned to face Jesse, all seriousness in his expression.


    ¡°I slept on the sofa,¡± his voice was empty and level, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t take advantage of her like that.¡± His smirk returned as if he were trying to lighten the tension in the room, ¡°Besides, she¡¯d be liable to kill me if I did anything to her while she was drunk.¡± I hid my smirk behind a sip of my coffee; it was too early and I¡¯d had far too little caffeine to keep a straight face through this conversation.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t take advantage of an attractive woman.¡± Jesse spoke as if she were struggling to wrap her mind around the idea, but Jack simply nodded.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t lay a hand on her,¡± Jesse gave him a look like she was asking him to go back and try again so he stopped and thought it over for a second or two, ¡°at least not until she was awake and sober.¡± She continued to glare at him, but tears were starting to well in her eyes because I was starting to pick up the scent of salt in the air. Then she bolted, vanishing back down the stairs almost as quickly as she¡¯d come despite Jack¡¯s attempt to catch her. He swore under his breath and I couldn¡¯t help the smirk that tugged on my lips again so I hid behind more coffee. ¡°So¡­¡± He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his dark jeans and turned back to me, ¡°I suppose I¡¯m going to need my shirt back sooner than I''d hoped.¡± I studied him in silence a moment while lifting my fork again to take another bite of my previously discarded breakfast.


    ¡°How did it end up on the floor of my room?¡± He smirked, something I was starting to find vaguely annoying.


    ¡°You took it off after I helped you with the zipper on your dress.¡± I took a deep breath as he shrugged, I¡¯d feared as much, ¡°They say you''re more likely to be sexually attracted to your exes when you¡¯re drunk, I guess that was a good example.¡± Part of me was incredibly frustrated and reminded why I''d stopped drinking in the first place, the rest of me was tired, a little hungover, and generally not in a good mood, especially with the considerable lack of caffeine in my system.


    ¡°The only thing that was proof of was that muscle memory still works after four or five glasses of Scotch,¡± I spoke bitterly but he only smiled.


    ¡°It was more like seven or eight.¡± I shot him a sharp look, but he didn¡¯t seem to care.


    ¡°If you want your shirt back, then you need to move.¡± He seemed to hesitate, leaning closer as he let his slightly calloused fingers brush a lock of my hair aside and pressing his lips in a silent kiss to my cheek before he sat back down at the table to finish breakfast. I swallowed, climbing down from the counter and lifting my knife. I hesitated before leaving, I felt like I should¡¯ve said something, anything to fill the silence, but all I could think of was, ¡°Thank you, for getting me home.¡± I left without waiting to see if he¡¯d heard me.


    Jack was doing the dishes when I came back; the scene was so surreal it took me by surprise. He glanced up at me when I paused in the doorway as if he¡¯d sensed me watching him even though I¡¯d made no sound.


    ¡°I could¡¯ve done that,¡± I let myself slip back behind my mask of bitterness and sarcasm when I broke the silence. He shrugged.


    ¡°I got bored looking through your library.¡± I blinked in surprise, turning to see that the door had indeed opened for him; it was odd, I had the only key and without it, magic usually kept the room sealed. ¡°I did find this though,¡± he turned the water off and dried his hands, ¡°while I was looking through some of your collection.¡± He turned to lean back against the counter with a fox half mask in his fingers. My blood ran cold when I saw it, ¡°Did you¡ª¡± he stopped when he saw the pain in my eyes, ¡°What?¡± I swallowed the lump in my throat.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch it, please.¡± My voice was surprisingly low and even despite the tremor in my hands and the sense of panic clawing its way up the back of my throat. Jack held it out to me, but I took an unconscious step back and shook my head slightly. ¡°I can¡¯t¡ª¡± My voice cracked and I broke off the sentence so he set the mask gently on the table.


    ¡°It¡¯s yours, isn¡¯t it.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question when he finally spoke, but still, I nodded slightly. ¡°What happened?¡± He didn¡¯t need to clarify for me to know he was asking about the fracture in the otherwise smooth surface. I remembered that day far too well, it haunted my nightmares from time to time, after all.


    ¡°I was young, drunk, and grieving.¡± He nodded slightly as if he could guess which time I was referring to.


    ¡°Kelly¡­?¡± He trailed off when I shook my head to signal that I didn''t want to talk about it, my wild red hair falling in front of my eyes.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± I breathed a heavy sigh and finally, tentatively, took the mask in my hands, ¡°not anymore.¡± The light, leather-like material flexed slightly in my hands, but I knew if I flexed it far enough, it would crack and shatter like porcelain.


    ¡°Reyna.¡± Jack slipped the mask carefully from my fingertips and I unconsciously reached up to wipe my eyes, I was surprised when my fingers came away damp; I hadn¡¯t cried in years. ¡°Reyna?¡± He set the mask aside again and reached out to brush my hair out of my eyes, but I shook myself and pushed his shirt more forceful than I probably needed into his chest.


    ¡°Here¡¯s your shirt, now get out of my house.¡± I practically snarled the words as he stumbled back, confusion written clear in his eyes.


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°No. You¡¯ve probably already woken up the boys, I don¡¯t need you causing more problems for me.¡± He frowned as I herded him towards the stairs.


    ¡°¡®The boys¡¯? I thought you couldn¡¯t¡ª?¡± I shoved him back again, this time more to stop him from finishing his sentence than anything else.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± I snarled at him as my teeth and eyes changed. I pushed him away again and he started to fall back down the steps, but reflex made me catch him by the arm and pull him back to his feet.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± he spoke breathlessly and my now red gold gaze narrowed.


    ¡°You¡¯ve become a jackass and an arrogant bastard, I should let you fall.¡± He smirked at my cold tone.


    ¡°Maybe you still like me.¡± I let go of his wrist, no longer keeping him suspended over the stairs. He tumbled down them with a series of grunts, earning a few bumps and scrapes along the way. I followed him down, then through the shop all the way to the sidewalk out front. I watched from the step as he walked towards Main Street and the bus stop, buttoning up his shirt as he went. He paused briefly to wave goodbye, the annoyingly self-assured smile on his lips, but my gaze only narrowed as I waited for him to disappear.


    Then I collapsed on the step as if all of the strength in my legs left me at that moment.

 April, 2015 - Pembroke, Maine

    I was checking inventory for the shelves behind the counter when the old rotary phone on the wall started to ring. Other than the boys upstairs in their room, I was alone in the shop so I set the jar in my hand down and lifted the receiver to answer with my customer service smile.


    ¡°You¡¯ve reached Dogwood Apothecary, this is Reyna. How can I help you?¡± I spoke in a false, even tone I¡¯d picked up shortly after the shop first opened.


    ¡°Hey, Reyna.¡± I breathed an exasperated sigh and turned my gaze back to the inventory binder in my hand when I recognized Jesse¡¯s voice, letting my customer service smile slip.


    ¡°Jesse, I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ve told you before not to call me on the shop¡¯s phone,¡± I spoke knowing I should just hang up even as I wedged the receiver between my ear and my shoulder in favor of my pen.


    ¡°You did, but you weren¡¯t picking up your cell.¡± I finished my note before pressing the pen between my lips like it was a cigarette so that I could fish my cell from my pocket. True to her word, there were quite a few missed calls and texts from her that I¡¯d apparently ignored, but I wasn¡¯t going to admit aloud that I¡¯d been so hyper focused on what I was doing I hadn¡¯t even heard or felt the phone go off.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to do inventory,¡± I continued as I slipped it back into my pocket and lifted another jar, ¡°so did you actually need something or were you just calling because you were bored?¡± Jesse groaned a sure sign that my guess had been spot on.


    ¡°Why are you so cruel? No wonder Michael left.¡± I took a deep breath so that I didn¡¯t snap at her because I¡¯d set myself up for that one when I refused to tell her why he wasn¡¯t with me when I got back from Maryland.


    ¡°I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Jesse, but I really thought you¡¯d already figured out by now that I¡¯m an asshole,¡± I spoke matter of factly as I wrote out the numbers for a few more of the things on the shelf in front of me and I swear I could hear Jesse¡¯s smile.


    ¡°Only on the outside. You¡¯re a good person deep down.¡± I paused in my notes, trying to figure out by what reasoning ¡°paid killer¡±¡ªin massively oversimplified terms¡ªconstituted a good person.


    ¡°If I need to be.¡± I gave up when I couldn¡¯t think of anything and returned to my notes. The bell over the door rang and I looked back over my shoulder to see who it was. ¡°You¡¯re brother just walked in so I¡¯m hanging up now.¡± I hung up before Jesse had the chance to say anything, returning most of my attention to the inventory, ¡°I thought you went back to England with your ma¨ªther.¡± Jack shrugged, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his coat as he prowled the shelves.


    ¡°I¡¯m staying in the area for a while; you know me, I can work from anywhere.¡± He flashed me that annoyingly self assured smirk and I snapped my binder shut with a sigh of defeat, tucking my pen behind my ear because apparently, I wasn¡¯t going to be getting any work done today after all.


    ¡°Apparently, I don¡¯t know you. ¡®People change¡¯. Your words, remember?¡± He started to answer, but I stopped listening when I heard Loki start to cry upstairs. ¡°He¡¯s going to wake up Zevi, too,¡± I spoke more to myself than Jack as I moved toward the door into the back. ¡°Make yourself useful and keep an eye on things out here for me, will you?¡± He started to protest, probably to point out that he¡¯d never worked a retail job in his life, but I was already through the door and halfway up the stairs. I opened the door quietly and slipped through. ¡°Hey now,¡± I spoke softly and lifted Loki from the pen before he could sink his teeth into his brother¡¯s ear, ¡°I know you¡¯re bored, but let¡¯s let him sleep a little longer,¡± I smirked, ¡°I¡¯ll take you downstairs so you can chew on Jack instead, how¡¯s that sound?¡± Loki made a sound between a whimper and a growl and I laughed softly. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll take Zevi, too.¡± I lifted Zevi in my other arm, careful not to wake him. I was slower coming back down the stairs, idly dancing my fingers in front of Loki¡¯s nose to keep him preoccupied until I shouldered the door back into the shop open just as he caught one. ¡°Ow!¡± I pitched my voice a little higher as he sunk his teeth in hard enough to draw blood, ignoring the shock in Jack¡¯s expression as I passed. ¡°Here,¡± I twisted my hand around to catch Loki by the scruff, ¡°play with him for a bit.¡± Jack took the pup I held out to him a little hesitantly, the confusion clear in his amber eyes.


    ¡°Did that really hurt?¡± I smirked and shook my head as I popped my finger in my mouth to lick the blood off.


    ¡°Nah, but it¡¯s better if they think it does.¡± I shifted Zevi in my arm so that he was more secure. ¡°His name is Loki, by the way, and this little guy is Zevi.¡± Jack started to speak, but Loki chomped down on the meat of his thumb so it turned into an exclamation of pain instead as he pulled his hand away.


    ¡°Bloody hell, you¡¯ve got sharp teeth for such a little guy.¡± He lifted Loki to eye level like he wanted a better look at his teeth and I couldn¡¯t help my laugh. His amber eyes flicked to me, a seriousness in them I hadn¡¯t seen there since we¡¯d parted six years ago. ¡°Haven¡¯t heard that sound in a long time.¡± I reset, hiding behind the mask of bitterness I¡¯d been wearing for so long it had become ¡°me¡± before I started to speak. The bell over the door rang and I closed my mouth as I looked past Jack¡¯s shoulder toward the door to find a detective, his wariness and fear dogging his steps like a second shadow. My gaze flicked to the patrol car outside where his partner was waiting with one hand on the radio as if he expected something to go wrong. Wordlessly, I handed Zevi over the counter to Jack, keeping my eyes fixed on the detective. Jack¡¯s confusion was remarkably well hidden when he looked back at the detective and I set my hands flat on the countertop in one slow, deliberate movement.


    ¡°Reyna Wildes?¡± I nodded slightly.


    ¡°What can I do for you, detective?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a warrant out for your arrest.¡± I opted to exercise my right to silence at least until I had more information. ¡°You¡¯ve been implicated in the murder of Annabeth Frank in Bar Harbor the night of February 17th.¡± I raised an eyebrow, mildly impressed because even if I was fairly certain I had no idea who this Annabeth Frank was, I had indeed been in Bar Harbor the night of the 17th, probably even had witnesses at The Looking Glass who could vouch for the fact I¡¯d had enough to drink before storming out that the average human would probably be blackout drunk; whoever set all this up was a little better than an amateur.


    Just a little though because I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯d never met the victim.


    ¡°She was with me on the 17th, all night.¡± The detective seemed to hesitate at Jack¡¯s protest, ¡°There were at least two other people who can confirm it.¡± His gaze shifted to me again as his wariness and fear began to ripple into confusion. I couldn¡¯t help but breath an exasperated sigh; even if this wasn¡¯t an amateur, there was really only one possible group behind this and I was getting kind of bored with them¡­ although a frame job was most definitely a new angle for them.


    ¡°Do you happen to have a picture of this Annabeth Frank person that I could take a look at?¡± I broke my silence, keeping my voice calm and even, ¡°I don¡¯t recognize the name, but I¡¯m generally pretty good with faces.¡± The detective raised his hand in a gesture for ¡°wait a moment¡± and turned to look through the window toward his partner while he radioed for a second opinion on how to handle this, so I leaned across the counter to Jack. ¡°Text Jesse, let her know what¡¯s going on just in case.¡± He nodded slightly, shifting both pups securely to one arm before fishing his phone from his pocket to send a discreet text while the detective was distracted.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to need to take you both in for¡ª" The detective trailed off when I shook my head.


    ¡°You can ask your questions here, record it or whatever you have to do, but I won¡¯t leave the shop or those two,¡± I nodded toward the pups, ¡°unattended.¡± He started to argue but I moved then, pulling my cell phone from my pocket, ¡°You¡¯re with the Bar Harbor Police Department, right?¡± I didn¡¯t wait for an answer as I scrolled through the contacts because I already knew what he''d say, ¡°I know Captain Whinery pretty well,¡± I found the one I was looking for and held the phone out to him, ¡°you¡¯re welcome to call him for the okay.¡± I flashed my customer service smile as I scanned his name off his nameplate, ¡°Detective Sanford.¡± He seemed to hesitate a moment before nodding slightly, but he wouldn¡¯t actually take the phone from me so I hit dial and the speaker button before setting it on the counter.


    It rang once.


    It rang twice and Sanford tensed slightly, anxiety taking over.


    ¡°Reyna Wildes, what can I do for you this fine afternoon?¡± I couldn¡¯t help my smirk at the shock on his face when Whinery picked up.


    ¡°Well Tayler, one of your detectives seems to have gotten a little lost. He¡¯s here at Dogwood asking about a case involving an Annabeth Frank.¡± There was a sound on the other end of the line like he was kicking his feet off his desk to sit up straighter.


    ¡°I know why he¡¯s there, all of the evidence we¡¯ve collected so far points to you. Was she one of yours?¡± I knew why he was asking, but I still couldn¡¯t help but be a little insulted he had to ask.


    ¡°You know perfectly well I¡¯m not that sloppy even on my bad days.¡± Papers were shuffled on the other end of the line.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll look into it for you and¡ª" Sanford started to protest his confusion and alarm, but I held up a hand to stop him.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯d like to look into myself if you don¡¯t mind,¡± it was phrased like a request, but something in my tone made it sound more like an order. ¡°I have a hunch I already know who set this up, but I¡¯m curious who they got to do the work if the evidence is that damning.¡± More shuffling papers.


    ¡°Sure thing, Lady Wildes, I¡¯ll send over everything we¡¯ve got and have our pathologist get in touch with Dr. Finch.¡± I flashed a satisfied smile that was a little forced thanks to his use of a title.


    ¡°Thanks, Tayler, tell Sadie and the kids I said hello.¡±


    ¡°Take care.¡± The call ended and the only sound in the room beyond our heartbeats was Loki¡¯s playful growls as he and Zevi wrestled in Jack¡¯s arms. I slipped the phone back into my pocket and looked up at Sanford where he seemed to have been struck dumb.


    ¡°Alright, now that that¡¯s settled,¡± I waved him away, ¡°you should get going. Bar Harbor¡¯s a long drive.¡± His gaze finally rose from the countertop to me, the fear returning as he processed my exchange with his Captain.


    ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± There was a tremor in his voice when he finally spoke.


    ¡°Reyna Wildes,¡± I spoke as though I didn¡¯t understand what he was really asking.


    ¡°You¡¯re a monster.¡± He didn¡¯t mean it the way people usually did when they called me that, but still, a smile tugged at my lips, a cruel sort of crooked flash of bared canines.


    ¡°Nawe sweetheart, you have no idea.¡± He fled then, hurrying out the door to his waiting and likely very confused partner and my smile faded to annoyed boredom. Jack watched the car disappear before looking down at the pups where they watched and listened curiously from his arms.


    ¡°And that, boys, is your mum: the shadow queen of the entire East Coast.¡± I glanced over at him briefly as I made my way around the counter.


    ¡°I prefer the term shadow king,¡± I mused aloud as I passed to lock the door and turn the sign around, ¡°shadow queen allows for the possibility of someone pulling my strings.¡± Jack laughed at that, following me into the back room.


    ¡°Yeah, but, from what I¡¯ve heard, they already call you that and the Bloody Red Queen of the East, it¡¯s fixed at this point.¡± He made a good argument, but I wasn¡¯t going to tell him that so instead I turned my attention to the shop computer and the email from Whinery with everything related to the Annabeth Frank case just shy of an autopsy report.


    ¡°Wow, he got all that scanned pretty fast,¡± I muttered to myself as I sent it all to the printer while I gave it all a once over on the screen. ¡°Hey,¡± I spoke a little louder then, without really looking up from the files, ¡°you can set those two down now.¡± Jack looked down at the pups still in his arms, apparently thinking it over for a moment before he did as I asked and set the pups down to play on the floor before he started to wander the backroom. I lifted the papers from the printer¡¯s tray and started to check the drawers for my color filtered glasses to slow down the headache I¡¯d felt coming on while doing inventory, but they weren¡¯t there anymore. ¡°Where the hell¡­¡± I checked the other drawers and the bookshelf next to the desk, but they weren¡¯t there either.


    ¡°What¡¯re you looking for?¡± Jack called my attention from where he was looking through the back stock.


    ¡°My glasses.¡± He pointed to his head when I glanced over at him and I frowned my confusion.


    ¡°They¡¯re on your head.¡± I reached up and, sure enough, my glasses were sitting on top of my head.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I took my pen from behind my ear before sliding them back down and turning my attention back to the papers.


    Twenty minutes later, I¡¯d spread the papers about the Annabeth Frank case across the desk and filled most of a notepad with notes that might assist in figuring out who specifically had ordered my framing. I paused in my writing to massage my temple, sliding my glasses up out of the way as I glanced over at Jack to find him laying on his back on the floor with the boys climbing all over him like a jungle gym, head pillowed on his arm while he read one of my books.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that uncomfortable? If you¡¯re going to lay somewhere, at least use the sofa.¡± He lifted his head a little and raised an eyebrow at me as if he couldn¡¯t believe his ears.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from the person who can and will literally sleep anywhere.¡± I scoffed at that.


    ¡°I think it¡¯d be more accurate to say I can not sleep anywhere. Far too disturbed to really call it sleeping.¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong though, I¡¯ve woken up in some pretty bizarre places through my life.


    ¡°How¡¯s that going?¡± He changed the subject, gesturing to the papers scattered across the desk and, now that I looked, the floor next to it.


    ¡°Well,¡± I lifted one of the photos Whinery had sent, a frame pulled from security footage in the area with a grainy person that looked a remarkable amount like me, ¡°assuming that I don¡¯t have a twin sister somewhere someone failed to mention to me,¡± I stretched out to pass him the picture, ¡°my money¡¯s on a doppelg?nger.¡± Jack studied the picture for a moment.


    ¡°You always did have a knack for knowing the winning gambles,¡± he spoke quietly before sitting up to pass the picture back, shifting Loki to his lap in the process, ¡°that was in Bar Harbor?¡± I nodded slightly.


    ¡°Yeah, not too far from The Looking Glass, but the time stamp in the security video it¡¯s from is when you were driving me home,¡± I trailed off, leaning back in my chair and holding the paper up to block my view of the ceiling.


    ¡°Did he send you the security footage?¡± I glanced over in surprise at Jack¡¯s question.


    ¡°Yeah, why?¡± He¡¯d climbed to his feet then and now he was shooing me out of the chair so that he could take a look at the original file.


    ¡°You must be pretty tired if you didn¡¯t already check if the footage had been tampered with.¡± Jack checked into the code before returning to the video to do what he could to clear the image up and zoom in, ¡°It hasn¡¯t been tampered with. That is definitely you, though,¡± I raised an eyebrow at him, but he continued quickly, ¡°I mean that¡¯s your gait, your posture, your looks, everything. I mean,¡± he gestured vaguely at the screen, ¡°that shade of red is pretty distinctive.¡± He looked up at me with a frown, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been with you that night, I¡¯d probably think it was you, too.¡± I scoffed at that.


    ¡°I know I already said this, but I¡¯m not that sloppy.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know, this is just a mildly impressive copycat.¡± I leaned over his shoulder to get a better look at the screen again.


    ¡°So it really is a doppelg?nger,¡± I breathed a heavy sigh, ¡°this is going to be interesting.¡± I crossed the back room in a few long strides to unlock one of the lockers beneath the stairs. ¡°Do you mind watching the boys for me?¡± I glanced back at Jack briefly as he leaned away from the computer before turning my attention back to pulling a few magazines loaded with .45 ACP rounds from the cabinet and tucked them into my pocket for the moment, ¡°Or call Jesse for me and ask her if she¡¯s available.¡± I paused to shrug on my shoulder holster and leather jacket.


    ¡°Reyna, if this thing is mimicking you,¡± Jack trailed off when I closed the locker door a little louder than I probably needed to.


    ¡°It¡¯s not me though, is it.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question when I turned my sharp gaze on him, ¡°At best, it¡¯s still just a Raposa.¡± I opened the other locker and pulled a silver edged kukri from inside before closing that door, too. ¡°Either way,¡± I flashed him a smile as I secured the sheath to my thigh, ¡°I know how to kill it.¡± I slipped through the door into the shop to retrieve my .45 from its trick box on one of the shelves behind the counter. Jack followed me through the door a moment later, Loki and Zevi curled up in his arm again.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take them with me to Jesse¡¯s place, just¡­¡± he seemed to hesitate for a moment, ¡°be careful, okay?¡± I loaded the pistol in my hand before tucking it into the holster with the safety on.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how long it¡¯ll take me to find it or to get whoever ordered this out of it, but I¡¯ll try to keep you guys updated at least.¡± He nodded slightly as I slipped past him into the back room again, ¡°Thanks for taking them.¡±


    ¡°Good hunting.¡± I held the back door open for him and watched him leave without offering a reply before locking the door and climbing into my jeep. It was going to be a long drive to Bar Harbor.


    Captain Whinery¡¯s pathologist, a Doctor Eisen, had finished his autopsy and report by the time I got to Bar Harbor, but it was late and I¡¯m not completely unreasonable so I spent the night in the back of my Jeep in the hospital parking lot, waiting to meet with him when he came in the next morning. I got impatient though, so I was in the building skimming the autopsy report when he came in around 0600.


    ¡°Who are you?! How did you get¡ª" I cut him off by pulling my wallet from my pocket and holding it out to him to check the ID, not even looking up from the papers. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re the ¡®Lady Wildes¡¯ Captain Whinery said would be coming to visit.¡± I looked up at that, mild annoyance in my green eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a lady and I don¡¯t like to be called one, thanks.¡± I looked down at the file in my hands, ¡°The fatal wound you described, you don¡¯t know what made it?¡± Doc Eisen shook his head slowly, as if he was still trying to wrap his mind around my sudden appearance in his morgue. ¡°Can I see the body?¡± I nodded toward the covered slabs behind me and he seemed to snap back to himself.


    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± he moved quickly to uncover the body of Annabeth Frank and I followed, setting the file aside while I moved the light to get a better look and confirm what I¡¯d been able to gather from the video last night.


    ¡°Gloves?¡± Doc Eisen handed me a pair and I pulled them on before lining my fingers up with the wound where the doppelg?nger had ripped the girl¡¯s heart out in a replica of my own ¡°spur of the moment¡± MO. An amused smirk wrought its way across my lips when the size and shape lined up perfectly with my right hand and Doc Eisen¡¯s eyes widened and the color drained from his face as the iron tang of fear began to permeate the air around him. ¡°He missed something rather important when he mimicked me.¡± He swallowed hard. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°What?¡± The word came out choked and small as I withdrew my hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m left handed,¡± it was true, despite my being technically ambidextrous now, I was left handed until one of my foster families decided I wasn¡¯t; it¡¯s hard to break wiring though when instinct takes over. ¡°Someone right handed ripped her heart out, you can put that in your report,¡± I turned on my heel and started for the door, ¡°let Whinery know I¡¯ll have it handled by tomorrow night at the latest.¡± Then I left, heading for the crime scene itself.


    The street where Annabeth Frank died was remarkably clean, only the lingering scent of blood and death to tip me off that I was in the right place; I couldn¡¯t say I was surprised, it was a fairly busy street and they couldn¡¯t exactly shut it down for very long. I probably looked insane standing in the median and scenting the air, sorting through what I¡¯d picked up until I found the one I was looking for.


    It was blood and death, fox and madness¡ª


    It was me, but it wasn¡¯t mine.


    I closed my eyes and inhaled, rolling the scent over my tongue and focusing so that I could track it off the main roads all of the way to wherever he was hiding.


    I found him in a storage unit and let myself in through the open door, closing it behind me. He turned quickly at the sound, wariness and confusion written in his body language and his scent when he found me leaned against the door with my arms folded across my chest as I discreetly switched off the safety on my .45.


    ¡°So that¡¯s what I look like when I¡¯m not crying blood,¡± I spoke in a pensive tone, ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, I¡¯m so used to it that this almost looks wrong.¡± The doppelg?nger¡¯s gaze narrowed into a glare and I almost cringed at how expressive he was being with my face.


    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± I can honestly say his question shocked me and it took a minute for me to come up with a reasonable explanation: Prosopagnosia.


    Is he face blind?


    ¡°I¡¯m the person whose face you¡¯re wearing, asshole,¡± I growled the words, stalking closer with my pistol in the hand still unnoticed. ¡°I want to know why the hell you thought you could get away with attempting to frame me for murder.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know you, I was just hired to match a photo and do a hit.¡±


    ¡°Who hired you then?¡± Change of plans, I had too many questions to just off him and be done with it.


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell you,¡± he sneered the words and I flipped my pistol around in my hand, safety back on.


    ¡°You will.¡± I clocked him in the temple with the grip hard enough to draw blood and knock him unconscious.


    I was perched on the edge of a table behind where I¡¯d tied the doppelg?nger securely to a chair, waiting for him to wake up. Then I got tired of waiting and found a can of gun oil in one of the cabinets, which I then pried open and splashed the entirety of in his face. He woke with a start, confusion, fear, and rage quickly flitting across his face.


    ¡°Fuck you! I¡¯m not telling you anything!¡± There was a tremor in his words like it was fear keeping him silent rather than money or loyalty. That was alright; fear is easy to overwrite¡­


    He just had to fear me more.


    ¡°You¡¯re more afraid of this guy than you are of me?¡± Still, my reputation is well enough known that I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little insulted.


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you at all.¡± It wasn¡¯t completely true, even without being able to see it, I could smell it coming off him in waves. My gaze narrowed slightly and I cracked my knuckles as I stepped up to the chair.


    ¡°Did you know,¡± I didn''t clarify, didn¡¯t explain that I was the nightmare of every east coast supernatural that even considered breaking my rules, ¡°you can bleed to death,¡± my voice was calm and even as I pressed the heel of my palm against his ribs over the spleen just hard enough to be painful, ¡°without spilling a drop?¡± There was a crack as the bones broke, crushing the spleen and probably nicking a few other organs as well. I waited for him to stop screaming before I spoke again, ¡°A little higher and you could drown in your own blood.¡± My tone was matter of fact and a smile tugged at my lips briefly.


    ¡°You¡ªYou¡¯re a monster,¡± his voice shook and my smile widened, ¡°I won¡¯t tell you anything; I won¡¯t break.¡± Something almost like a purr slipped past my lips as I circled behind the chair.


    ¡°Your mind will,¡± I settled a hand on the doppelg?nger¡¯s shoulder before leaning close enough to whisper in his ear, ¡°and your bones.¡± My voice was soft and sweet and didn¡¯t match my tightened grip, fingers now biting into flesh and I felt the joint crack. He screamed in pain and I couldn¡¯t help the smile that flickered across my lips again. ¡°I can¡¯t promise you¡¯ll live if you answer my question, but I can promise,¡± my grip tightened further and the bone shattered, ¡°it¡¯ll be far more painful if you stay quiet.¡± I withdrew my now bloody hand and circled before him again, watching him dissolve into pained sobs as I licked the blood from my fingers with eyes turned to red tinged gold.


    It took a while, but eventually, the barely recognizable doppelg?nger spilled that it had been a Council member who hired him. I didn¡¯t need more than that, I could guess which had been stupid enough or arrogant enough to come after me so I put a silver round through his heart. When one of the Council retired a couple of months ago, I let them appoint the new guy because I didn¡¯t want to deal with the paperwork. I can¡¯t really say I was regretting the decision because I was more annoyed they¡¯d appointed someone this stupid than anything else. I tucked my pistol away again and busied myself with using the doppelg?nger¡¯s stash to set up an ¡°accident¡± while I dialed Captain Whinery.


    ¡°Wildes. I take it you found the guy?¡± I was ducking out from under the door when he picked up.


    ¡°One of them. I¡¯m calling to give you a heads up about an accident here at the local self storage facility.¡± I checked my watch once I was outside away from the security cameras, ¡°If I set it right, the fire department should get the call in 20 minutes, so expect a call.¡± I climbed into my Jeep and started it, ¡°Do me a favor and call Captain Davies over in Cumberland, let him know I¡¯m on my way there.¡±


    ¡°What should I tell him?¡±


    ¡°That some moron picked a fight with me.¡± I hung up before he could ask for details, pulling out onto the street to start the long drive to Cumberland.


    The sun was setting by the time I reached Councilman Oliver Thorpe¡¯s place in Cumberland, which was fine by me considering that¡¯s when I was at my best. I parked my Jeep a long walk away, opting for the guaranteed silence of an approach on foot and let myself in the front door after pausing briefly to listen for heartbeats inside and pick the lock. I smiled when I found it empty, making myself comfortable in an armchair facing the door in something I¡¯d seen in a movie once and always wanted to try. It didn¡¯t take long for Thorpe to get home and I waited in patient silence while he kicked off his shoes and hung up his coat in the dark. Then he clicked on the light and jumped when he saw me watching from over tented fingers.


    ¡°Wildes! What the hell are you doing here?¡± My smile widened slightly.


    ¡°Why so surprised?¡± I leaned back, crossing my legs at the knee as if making a show of making myself comfortable, ¡°You¡¯re aware I am technically a member of the Council, of course I¡¯ll come introduce myself to Edridge¡¯s successor.¡± I spoke with false sincerity and Thorpe let slip a nervous laugh, ¡°Have a seat, Oliver, we should chat.¡± He sat down, if hesitantly, on the edge of the couch facing me. ¡°How¡¯ve you settled in so far? Well? Met any interesting people, yet?¡± I couldn¡¯t help my small smirk, ¡°a doppelg?nger with Prosopagnosia, for example?¡± The color drained from Thorpe¡¯s face so I let my tone turn serious, ¡°I¡¯m honestly curious, did you really think framing me for murder would be enough to even slow me down?¡± He forced a smile full of confidence that didn¡¯t make it past his face.


    ¡°Surprised? It took some doing to find someone willing to help me.¡± I didn¡¯t point out that was because everyone else knew better than to piss me off.


    ¡°No, not particularly; you¡¯re the only one on the Council stupid enough to ignore the stories and come after me, let alone think this little plan would work.¡± I breathed a sigh of boredom and climbed to my feet then, ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask why you did all this because frankly,¡± I spoke with a shrug as I drew the silver edged kukri from its sheath on my thigh, ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± Thorpe shrank in his seat as if trying to become one with the couch.


    ¡°You can¡¯t touch me, the whole Council will come down on your head.¡± I scoffed at that.


    ¡°You have heard them call me the Bloody Red Queen of the East, haven¡¯t you? Do you know why they call me that?¡± I flashed him a cruel smile, ¡°You must not or you would¡¯ve known I have little patience when it comes to the Council, but at least the others are kind enough to send me someone to play with from time to time.¡± I paused, letting my words sink in and watching the fear darken the air around him, ¡°The only reason the Council is still allowed to have some power here in the US is that I can¡¯t be bothered with that much paperwork and bureaucratic bullshit.¡± He started to argue, to try anything to make me stop, but he didn''t get a word out before I''d severed head from shoulders in one clean motion. I watched it fall behind the couch with a thud that seemed to echo in the bloody fog that hung heavy in the air and I moved to wipe the blade clean on his shirt before returning it to its sheath. I pressed a cigarette between my lips and struck a match to light it before whispering a spell in Lurakil and tossing the match onto his body. It caught like gasoline, the fire spreading quickly to the couch as the stench of burning flesh began to fill the air and I exhaled smoke before stepping outside. A quick text to Captain Davies and I was on my way back to my Jeep, leaving only cigarette smoke to mark my trail.


    The madness has always had a way of sneaking up on me, ever since I first started showing symptoms in one of the foster homes at thirteen. It was just migraines then, a hypersensitivity to light and sound and strong scents that seemed to just creep out of nowhere to overwhelm until all I could do was try to sleep and hope it¡¯d be gone when I woke up. I didn¡¯t understand it at the time, that was before I knew what I was, before I¡¯d ever heard of Soul Collectors and Alcaimynders and the Wild Hunt. It was when I started having problems with delirium and cravings I couldn¡¯t satisfy that I remembered my faither having similar attacks and led me to run all the way to Scotland hoping to find some of his family there-someone who could explain to me what no one else could.


    Pretty sure I cashed my entire lifetime¡¯s allotment of good luck when I met Alix there.


    It¡¯s genetic, she told me, and there¡¯s no cure as far as anyone knows, but I started managing it with her help and even though my reflection never stopped crying blood once it¡¯d started, I manage to keep myself sane adjacent at least. It still gets bad sometimes, and to me, it almost seems as if the world has an edge I didn¡¯t realize I was standing on until something grabbed me by the ankle and dragged me over into the depths of madness below.


    It was like that today, at least.


    I was feverish and barely coherent by the time I stumbled through the back door, even the sound of the lock turning behind me ringing and echoing painfully in my ears. It¡¯d been a while since I¡¯d had an attack this bad, bad enough I couldn¡¯t hear the thud of my duffle and my jacket on the floor over the sound of my own heart pounding and the roar of blood in my veins. It was probably for the best I was alone in the shop as I curled up in the armchair, bloody clothes and all because I doubted I could make it across the room with the way my head was spinning, let alone up the stairs to the shower.


    By some mercy, sleep came soon after I¡¯d closed my eyes.


    I woke to the sound of the back door, lingering either on the edge of sleep or the delirium, I couldn¡¯t be sure. I could feel my canines slicing into my lip though, the madness still casting my world in a haze as I opened my eyes to narrow slits to see who¡¯d come in, trying to ignore the overwhelming mix of scents that washed over me every time I inhaled from the back stocked herbs. Whoever it was spoke to me, but I couldn¡¯t make out the words over the continued rush of blood and now two heartbeats, as if I was trying to listen from underwater, though despite the odd sensation of drowning, I felt no fear.


    I should¡¯ve, I was losing my mind, after all.


    The dark silhouette disappeared out the door for a moment before returning with a box in his hands, probably a small cooler based on the scent of iron that managed to seep from its cracks. I could guess what it contained without having to see it and I didn¡¯t hesitate when he pressed the heart I¡¯d known would be inside into my hands; the craving had turned more instinctual bloodlust by then and I didn¡¯t question where the heart had come from or care that the blood was dripping from my mouth and down my arm as I bit into the still warm flesh. My eyes drifted closed again after I¡¯d licked my fingers and lips clean and the silhouette watched patiently as I drifted off again, his familiar voice echoing into my sleep now that the pounding had subsided some.


    ¡°Reyna¡­¡±


    I woke up in the master bedroom upstairs in a clean shirt, my clothes from the night before spread out on the dresser with the scent of treatment lingering in the air around them. I wasn¡¯t really sure how I¡¯d gotten there, even more so when I listened quietly and found no heartbeats other than my own closer than the apartment above the small dojo next door to Dogwood. I rolled quietly to my feet and made my way to the bathroom shower in a bit of a lingering haze, using my fingers to tame my wild hair before I stepped under the icy water, using the shock to wake me up and wash the last of last night¡¯s attack from my mind before I focused on scrubbing the last traces of blood from my skin. A few minutes later and I was towel drying my hair before losing myself in the usual after-job routine.


    It hurt a little, having to lock the duffel away again so soon.


    I was about to put my pistol away when I stopped, jarred out of my routine and lingering in the doorway between the shop and the back.


    I wasn¡¯t sure how to react; part of me wanted to turn around and leave, part of me wanted to pretend he wasn¡¯t there. I couldn¡¯t decide if I should¡¯ve been happy to see him or pissed as hell. Finally, I settled on the same cold and calculating detachment I used when on hunts, thumbing the safety on my .45 off and chambering a round, balanced lightly on my feet as if waiting for a fight without looking as if I were hoping for one.


    ¡°You missed a Matlock family get together. Rajani asked about you.¡± Michael remained quiet at the disinterest in my tone, almost seeming to hesitate where he stood. The bell over the front door chimed before he seemed to be able to think of something to say and both of us turned to see who it was so early in the morning. I didn¡¯t have time to question their sudden appearance before Jesse brushed passed Michael to wrap me up in a tight hug despite my warning growl.


    ¡°Oh thank Brahma, you¡¯re okay.¡± She held me at arm''s length after a moment to look me up and down with an appraising eye before her lilac gaze narrowed into a sharp glare. ¡°What in the world were you thinking?! Why didn¡¯t you say anything before basically going after yourself all alone?!¡± I gave her my best look of worry free boredom.


    ¡°I did say something, why do you think Jack had the pups the last couple days? Besides, I wasn¡¯t going after myself,¡± I shrugged out of her grip, ¡°I was going after what was basically a Raposa who just so happened to look like me, it¡¯s not like he could mimic much more than my appearance and physical strength.¡± She didn¡¯t seem keen on letting it go so I opted to change the subject rather than continue arguing. ¡°Thanks for keeping on eye on the boys for me.¡± A smile appeared on her lips as if Jesse couldn¡¯t resist as she looked back over her shoulder at Jack where he¡¯d stopped dead in his tracks in front of the door, Loki and Zevi squirming in his arms. She moved back to whisper something with a small, broken smile to him as she took them from him, apparently picking up on the same¡­ well, possessive paranoia is really the only way I can think to describe the scent I¡¯d picked up from him almost as soon as he¡¯d stepped through the door. ¡°You too, Jack,¡± I broke my silence as Jesse set the boys loose on the floor, ¡°thanks for your help.¡± The cold fire in his amber eyes thawed slightly and I could see the beginnings of one of his old smirks, a very different one that those I usually got now.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Michael finally broke his silence with a bit of a threat to his tone, mismatched gaze still focused entirely on Jack and I glanced back at him with an eyebrow raised as I opened my mouth to say something I¡¯d probably regret later if I could. Instead, Jack flashed one of the annoyingly self assured smirks that had become his new normal as the ice sparked in his eyes again.


    ¡°So you¡¯re the Reaper, then?¡± He looked Michael up and down with a critical eye, ¡°The one who couldn¡¯t beat one small, half mad Soul Collector even when she was only running half cocked and already bleeding out?¡± I wasn¡¯t really sure if I should¡¯ve been insulted by his very obvious jab, but based on the glare Jesse shot him, I probably was.


    ¡°Had we fought till the end, I could¡¯ve killed her.¡± Michael, to my mild surprise, actually took the bait and I almost laughed aloud at the quiet confidence in his words.


    ¡°It can¡¯t have been good for your reputation, failing a job like that and then running away like you did.¡± Jack paused, ¡°If they came for you now and said that they¡¯d let you live if you finished it, would you do it?¡± He was turning on the Cambian charm, the scent of infernal magic starting to seep into the air around him as he continued, ¡°Could you?¡± Michael was quiet for long enough I think I was a little bit insulted because honestly, he of all people shouldn¡¯t underestimate me and I¡¯d sat through enough movies with Jesse to have a pretty good idea of how he should¡¯ve answered almost immediately. Instead, Michael seemed to be sizing me up.


    ¡°I could still do it.¡± I really did start laughing at that, despite the look of concern and borderline outrage Jesse shot me at his answer.


    ¡°Oh sweetheart, that¡¯s adorable,¡± there was a cold edge of bitter sarcasm in my words when he met my gaze. ¡°As fun as this has been, you¡¯re not welcome here anymore,¡± I finally stepped away from the door, ¡°and I really don¡¯t feel like having to make a self defence plea.¡± The concern won out over the outrage in Jesse¡¯s colors as Michael seemed to still be processing my reaction.


    ¡°Reyna,¡± he finally began, but I wasn¡¯t in the mood to listen.


    ¡°Get out, Michael,¡± to my surprise, he started to go but something made him stop in front of the door and turn to Jack.


    ¡°Why the hell did you come here?¡± His tone was cold, a lot like it¡¯d been the day we met, and Jesse glanced at me in alarm as if asking me to step in.


    ¡°Does it matter? I think she already made it quite clear that you could go to Hell and she wouldn¡¯t even miss a beat.¡± Before I could decide whether or not to grant Jesse¡¯s wish, Michael took a swing at Jack and Jack reacted, sending them both crashing to the floor and narrowly missing one of the shelves on their way down. I glanced up at Jesse, not bothering to hide my annoyance as I breathed a heavy sigh before I moved to break them apart.


    ¡°Why¡ª?¡± I leveled the pistol still in my hand with Michael¡¯s head when he started to protest, effectively cutting him off.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you here. I don¡¯t want to see you, I don¡¯t care what it is you came here to say. If something about that isn¡¯t making it through your thick skull,¡± I flashed a cold smile as I cocked the pistol as if in emphasis, ¡°a bullet may help things along nicely.¡± He seemed to hesitate, clearly wanting to say something before he thought better of it, nodding slightly and slipping quietly out the door. I took a deep breath, returning the hammer to position and the safety back on before I crouched where I stood, holding my head in my hands for a moment while I suddenly decided the floor was the most interesting thing in the world. Jesse didn¡¯t agree with me, of course, I could smell the curiosity and the worry coming off of her in waves strong enough they almost overwhelmed everything else.


    ¡°Reyna,¡± she began slowly, like one wrong word would cause me to shatter like glass. I looked up to find her watching me, the concern written clearly in her expression almost as clearly as it was the air around her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look,¡± my voice was more broken than I¡¯d intended.


    ¡°You never told me what happened,¡± her voice was soft and for a moment, I thought about giving her an answer, but when I started to speak, I found that I still didn¡¯t have one I liked, let alone one I thought worth sharing, so instead I only shook my head. I glanced over at Jack where he still lay on the shop¡¯s floor and couldn¡¯t help the smile that tugged at my lips when I saw Loki nosing his way under his hand and Zevi making himself comfortable on his stomach.


    ¡°You want help?¡± Jack shrugged as best he could.


    ¡°Nah, I think I¡¯ll just stay down here for a while.¡± I exhaled slowly, leaning back until I was sitting on the floor and settling my pistol in my lap while a sort of breathless relief let me keep my smile for just a little longer.


    ¡°Reyna.¡± My easy, if somewhat delusional, smile ran away when I looked up at Jesse again and recognized the look she usually wore right before she started to nag me about something or other. ¡°You need to deal with this,¡± I started to make some smart remark, ¡°in a way that doesn¡¯t involve shooting him.¡± I frowned and shut my mouth. ¡°A good start would be talking about what happened.¡± I swore under my breath at that and Jack propped himself up on his hands, sliding Zevi carefully into his lap.


    ¡°Christ, you sound like a fucking shrink,¡± I muttered the words as I shook my head again because clearly, she wasn¡¯t planning on letting this go. ¡°We went to Maryland.¡± She nodded when I stopped to think of how to give her the bare minimum to get her to drop the subject.


    ¡°And you came back alone, tossed his stuff and burned his favorite painting, which happened to be of you.¡± My gaze narrowed as for a moment I found myself wishing to God that looks really could kill. ¡°What happened in Maryland?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like being tricked,¡± I bared my teeth in something between a strained smile and a snarl, ¡°I don¡¯t like being lied to.¡± Jesse looked away at my very pointed comment so I continued, ¡°I went for a walk and when I came back, there was some woman in our room and¡­¡± I took a deep breath, hesitating, ¡°I left, I found a pub.¡± She looked up again at that.


    ¡°But you were sober,¡± her voice was soft and I shot her a look that said to drop it.


    ¡°Frankly, I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t say anything at dinner.¡± I shook my head and went back to my summary, ¡°When I woke up the next day, we fought and the long and short of it is that I left. I came back.¡± I pressed the heels of my palms into my eyes for a moment when I stopped, more tired now than I had been before I told her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she finally broke the silence with a gentle tone, but I only shook my head and forced a small smile.


    ¡°Well, love, he sounds like a complete asshole,¡± Jack finally broke his silence with an easy smirk despite the outrage in Jesse¡¯s expression.


    ¡°Jackie, you¡¯re being insensitive!¡± It was short lived though, because a few seconds after he spoke, I¡¯d started laughing again, a real, honest, and completely sane laugh.


    ¡°Relax, Jesse,¡± I flashed her a real smile this time, one I hadn¡¯t worn in what felt like a very long time, ¡°it¡¯s refreshing.¡± The concern didn¡¯t fade so I took a deep breath, ¡°Listen, if he comes back, I¡¯ll deal with him,¡± she started to speak so I placed a hand over my heart and cut her off with exactly what she wanted to hear before she could interrupt, ¡°without killing him. Until then,¡± I climbed to my feet and moved my pistol to the back of my waistband so that I could lift Zevi from Jack¡¯s lap, ¡°I¡¯ve got more important things to take care of.¡± I didn¡¯t wait to see if she was satisfied before I slipped away through the door into the back room with Loki tumbling after my heels.

 May, 2015 - Victor, Colorado

    I don¡¯t know what possessed her to pack up her car and drive to Pembroke before the sun was even over the horizon, but I was frankly too tired to really question it when Jesse knocked on the shop¡¯s door downstairs. I¡¯d rolled out of bed hours ago, once I¡¯d abandoned the idea of sleep for the night, and heard her car pulling up outside so I was already padding silently down the stairs while she was headed across the street. She was silent when I unlocked the door, quickly looking me up and down while I leaned against the door frame and raked my fingers through my wild hair.


    ¡°Morning,¡± I broke the silence when it became clear she wasn¡¯t going to snap out of it any time soon, ¡°what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­ good morning,¡± she slapped a smile on her face, ¡°put on some pants and come help me bring this stuff inside.¡± I breathed a heavy sigh and watched her head back to her car before I took a long sip of my coffee and turned back to the door into the back for some pants.


    I was setting my mug on one of the shelves by the door about to head out to help her when Jesse opened the passenger side door and I caught the scent of half demon and nutmeg, drawing my attention in time to see Jack tumble out onto the sidewalk. A laugh slipped past my lips as he climbed to his feet suddenly wide awake.


    ¡°That adrenaline rush works better than coffee,¡± I spoke with a smirk and he looked up at me in surprise because, apparently, Jesse hadn¡¯t told him what she was planning either. She had us both helping to unload before we could ask again so I ended up with a coffee table covered in supplies presumably for backpacking that almost seemed mostly guessed at and I still didn¡¯t know why. ¡°Jesse,¡± I started to ask but she cut me off, clearly far more awake than Jack or I.


    ¡°I found a trail in the Rocky Mountains that would be perfect for backpacking.¡± I thought about pointing out that Jesse had never been backpacking and wasn¡¯t exactly the outdoorsy type, but based on her scent, I guess she was doing all of this because she was worried about me. But of course, I¡¯d left my unfinished coffee in the shop so all I could really think of to say was:


    ¡°Ah,¡± and as an afterthought, ¡°and Jack is here because...?¡±


    ¡°Because what would you do without me?¡± He seemed half asleep still when he answered before Jesse could get a word in and I shrugged as I feigned thinking it over.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, enjoy myself maybe?¡±


    ¡°Where are the boys?¡± I raised an eyebrow at Jesse¡¯s question when she cut in before Jack could say anything to defend himself, but a glance at him told me he was too busy dozing off on the sofa with his cheek on his fist to care.


    ¡°Asleep, like everyone else on the street, you do realize it¡¯s not even 4, right?¡± She folded her arms across her chest, lilac gaze narrowed into a glare at my antagonistic tone.


    ¡°Just go get ready, I¡¯m taking you guys camping whether you like it or not,¡± Jesse put her foot down and I breathed a heavy sigh as I pinched the bridge of my nose between my fingers before turning back to the door into the shop. ¡°Reyna¡­¡± She started to stop me but I waved her off.


    ¡°I¡¯m going, I¡¯m going, just let me get my fucking coffee,¡± I paused in thought as I opened the door, ¡°and I should make a sign for the door, let people know it¡¯ll be closed a few days,¡± and I kept talking even after I knew they couldn¡¯t hear me through the closed door because I was no longer aware I was saying anything aloud at all.


    Colorado is beautiful. Even after a 36 plus hour drive with two toddlers and the boys, Colorado is beautiful. So long as you stay out of the ¡°Denver Metro Area¡±, which to be fair makes up a large portion smack in the middle, it¡¯s all open skies, open roads, and the occasional small town with a gas station, maybe a grocery store, a couple of antique shops, and one major crossroad before it¡¯s just open road again. It was scenic, but I was more than happy to be able to get out and stretch once we¡¯d reached the trailhead Jesse had found in a heavily wooded area a few miles past a tiny little mining town. We set up a base camp while the boys played in the trees nearby before I set about triple checking our gear while Jack exchanged a short goodbye with Jesse before Loki tugged on his jacket and he crouched down so that the boy could whisper something in his ear. His laugh drew my attention again as I slung my bag over my shoulder and lifted his before moving to join them.


    ¡°She takes pretty good care of herself,¡± he sat back on his heels with an easy smile, ruffling Loki¡¯s black hair, ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can though.¡± He straightened up, taking his bag from me and leaning close enough to whisper something in my ear, ¡°even they¡¯re worried about you doing something stupid.¡± I flashed him a bitter smile before kneeling to wrap the boys in a tight hug.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you guys in a few days; be good for Jesse while I¡¯m gone and don¡¯t wander too deep into the woods, alright?¡± They nodded their agreement quickly; I¡¯d told them enough stories about the things that wander in the woods that they knew exactly what kind of dangerous things they might run into if they wandered off. I straightened up again and with one last wave goodbye, Jack and I started walking.


    It was¡­ strange, trying to match Jack¡¯s pace when I was so used to faster ¡ªthat isn¡¯t to say he was moving slowly, he kept up a pretty decent pace, it¡¯s just that I was used to running long distance over terrain like this while trying to catch up to Alix, a demon created as the perfect hunter able to chase down just about anything on foot. We paused to take our first break on the side of a rise and catch our breath as the sun was setting, eating light while we waited for his eyes to switch to nocturnal. I¡¯d found a perch on a boulder and sketched the view in my journal while he settled against a tree nearby.


    ¡°Do you ever miss it?¡± My pencil stopped when Jack broke the silence, ¡°London I mean, or Scotland?¡± He was leaning back against the tree when I looked up, ¡°I mean I grew up in England, it¡¯s what I¡¯m used to, but you¡­¡± he trailed off for a moment, ¡°you¡¯re more well-traveled than I am.¡± I thought over the question for a moment, a bittersweet smile slowly tugging across my lips.


    ¡°I miss parts of it,¡± my voice was soft when I finally answered, ¡°I miss the highlands, the castle, the stars,¡± I leaned back to look up at the stars here as they started to peek out of the quickly darkening sky, ¡°it was the first time I¡¯d felt like I was home since I was a kid,¡± I didn¡¯t clarify why I hadn¡¯t felt at home for so long, he already knew the basics of that story and I didn¡¯t want to get into it, ¡°but it went downhill pretty fast, right up until I felt like I needed to run away again.¡± I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the memories of Kelly and Ryan before I dropped from my perch, sliding my journal back into my back before I started walking again. ¡°Come on, we¡¯ve still got some trail to cover before we make camp.¡± I didn¡¯t linger long for Jack to climb back to his feet and follow.


    I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯d taken up the same slower pace from before our break, but Jack was struggling to keep up now, his footsteps and scent having faded into the background by the time I reached another relatively level ridge. I slowed there when I recognized a small humanoid figure in the dark further up the way, stalking silently around it until I was downwind to taste the air and figure out what it was. The scent was vaguely human, but the decay and blood mixed in had me leaning more toward ¡®people-eater¡¯ as an unconscious growl fell from my lips. That sound alone was enough in the quiet to draw its attention and suddenly the air was filled with a rapid chattering speech as it hastily lifted a tiny bow and nocked an arrow. I reacted on instinct when I saw the weapon, closing the distance quickly and planting a solid kick in its torso to send it crashing through the oak brush, its shot going wide.


    For a moment, all I could do was stare after it in shocked silence.


    Then I took a breath, listening for any movement as I drew my hunting knife because I¡¯d finally registered what I¡¯d just come across: Nimerigar, and where there¡¯s one, there¡¯s usually more.


    ¡°Jack?¡± My voice cracked and faltered when I broke the silence, but there was no sound at first and I swallowed hard on the thought that maybe they¡¯d found him first, ¡°Jack!¡± My voice was louder that time and I breathed a sigh of relief as I heard Jack running my direction.


    ¡°What¡ª" he paused, trying to catch his breath before he began again, ¡°What happened?¡± He stopped when his gaze settled on my knife. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªIt¡­¡± I started to gesture there the Nimerigar had disappeared into the brush but it was dark and silent still and I stumbled over my words instead. ¡°It just¡ª¡± I swallowed, frowning as I tried to shake off the heavy fog settling over my thoughts, ¡°The Hell¡ª?¡± The swear was directed more at my struggle to speak than anything else at that point and Jack looked as confused as I felt as I raked my free fingers through my hair and tried again to shake off the fog.


    I hadn¡¯t heard any other movement¡ªI suppose that was a good sign¡ªbut I was still paranoid and the scent was pretty distinctive so I dropped my pack and started to follow it without explanation, drawing my pistol as well as I stalked after it¡­


    ¡­ right into a river.


    I swear, I¡¯m usually more attentive to my surroundings than this.


    Water splashed loudly and I came up coughing and swearing because now not only was that slip very loud and attention-grabbing, my pistol was wet and I didn¡¯t exactly have what I¡¯d need to deal with that in my pack. Jack was frowning at me when I finally looked up to toss my pistol and knife onto the bank and for a moment, I was tempted to just lay back down under the water.


    ¡°Reyna, I¡¯m not sure what got you so worked up, but I think you might need some sleep before you go haring off after shadows.¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong, but I was embarrassed and frustrated and annoyed so there was no way I was admitting that.


    ¡°There are shadows out there that are plenty dangerous enough to warrant me ¡®haring off¡¯ after them,¡± I muttered the words as I pushed to my feet again and began wading through the largely knee-deep water, slipping on the slick rocks a couple of times before finally making it to the edge, thoroughly soaked. ¡°And there really was something there,¡± my voice was louder now, trying to make sure he heard it as if that¡¯d make it sound less like I was trying to convince myself, ¡°I¡¯m not losing it¡­¡± Jack tried to catch my arm to help me up, but I¡¯d begun pacing and only slapped it away as his fingers brushed my sleeve, ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± My cheeks were wet, though I wasn¡¯t sure if it was river water or I¡¯d started crying because even though I was so sure I was right about what I¡¯d seen and smelled, I couldn¡¯t quite convince myself that it hadn¡¯t just been in my head, ¡°I haven¡¯t gone feral, not yet.¡± Jack slid down from the bank with a splash but I didn¡¯t really notice. ¡°I¡¯m not¨C¡± he cut me off, pressing his lips to mine and sealing my ramblings away mid-sentence. He stayed like that, for a moment falling into old cravings and old memories¡ªold nightmares¡ªuntil he pulled away well out of my reach and I came back to my senses all at once. ¡°Fuck you.¡± He raised an eyebrow at my snarled words, that cocky smirk playing at his lips.


    ¡°Really Reyna? And here of all places?¡± His tone was wicked and teasing, a mischievous gleam in his amber eyes that almost made me agree with him, ¡°Here and I thought you still hated me.¡± Then his tone softened and he moved back to the edge of the river where he¡¯d left his pack and his boots while I silently resisted admitting that I¡¯d never really hated him and I don¡¯t think I ever could. ¡°Come on out, I¡¯ll get a fire going.¡± I kept my mouth shut instead, nodding my silent defeat as the cold and numb set my mind in a haze and I followed him out of the water.


    It was surprisingly warm when I woke up, and it took me probably longer than it should¡¯ve to realize it was because I was curled up with my back to Jack¡¯s chest and his arm solid around my waist in one of our sleeping bags.


    In my defense, this wasn¡¯t the first time I¡¯d woken up with him like this even if it had been a long time.


    The fire was little more than embers by now and when I reached out to check, my clothes and my pistol seemed to have dried out so I sat up and shifted away from Jack, pulling my shirt and pants back on before reaching out to get the fire going again; the clothes were mostly dry, but it was still springtime in the Colorado Rockies, which meant cold mornings and a chance of snow so I figured that was about as dry as they¡¯d get. Jack mumbled something unintelligible when I shifted away from him and I¡¯d managed to get a nice warm burn going and pulled my clothes on by the time he¡¯d really woken up.


    ¡°Morning,¡± his voice was rough with sleep and I swallowed hard as a shiver ran down my spine that I tried to convince myself was just from the damp clothes, ¡°I forgot how warm you were.¡± He flashed me that annoyingly arrogant smirk when I glanced back at him, propped up on an elbow.


    ¡°That¡¯s best left forgotten, don¡¯t you think?¡± I bared my teeth in something between a snarl and a cold smile before turning my attention back to reassembly of my pistol, whether it really needed my full attention or not. He¡¯d gotten dressed by the time I finished, busying himself with packing his sleeping bag back up and making breakfast while I loaded it, chambering a round before tucking it back into my holster. Jack watched me, long enough I started to itch as if I could feel his gaze on me so finally, I broke the silence without looking up, ¡°What.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question the way I said it, but it was enough to get him to ask whatever it was on his mind.


    ¡°So what exactly happened last night that had you chasing shadows into the river?¡± The snarl that peeled back my lips was immediate.


    ¡°What¡¯s it matter to you?¡± Jack closed his eyes and exhaled through his teeth in something that sounded like frustration.


    ¡°Because there was a plan to all this that didn¡¯t involve you taking off on me,¡± then he looked up again with a bitter smile, something in his amber eyes like the sort of fire I¡¯d only ever seen in the eyes of full-blooded demons, ¡°then again I probably should¡¯ve known better because things never do go as planned when you¡¯re involved.¡± That cold smile tugged at my lips again.


    ¡°Go nd¨¦ana an diabhal dr¨¦imire de chn¨¢mh do dhroma ah piocadh ¨²ll i ngaird¨ªn lfrinn,¡± there was a mocking saccharine sweetness to the insult and Jack shook his head.


    ¡°You are unbelievable,¡± he muttered the words and I don¡¯t think he was happy with the cold smile that flickered across my lips in answer.


    ¡°Thanks, I try.¡± His gaze narrowed into a glare and for a moment he seemed to debate whether or not to speak his mind, but I suppose I¡¯d been wearing his patience thin because he finally snapped.


    ¡°You are ridiculously self-serving, do you know that? Do you even realize how much you put Jesse and me through when you disappear without a word?¡± I shrugged into my jacket without answer, he¡¯d only paused to take a breath, ¡°You completely disregard other people and how your actions affect them, you push everyone away unless they have some use as a tool, twist words into weapons and insults, and sacrifice everything that should matter¡ª¡± he stopped then, eyes widening slightly as if that last one had felt too far even with his frustration; maybe it made him think of London and Kelly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± I spoke slowly, unsure of how to respond now that I finally had a chance, ¡°Not entirely sure what I did, but whatever it was, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Jack sighed at my words, pinching the bridge of his nose and muttering something about needing a smoke.


    ¡°Right¡­ right,¡± he took a deep breath, ¡°you¡¯re a sociopath.¡± I winced at that¡ªhe might as well just call me a monster like everyone else. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I expected from you. You¡¯re not capable of things like love, not really,¡± his laugh was dry and self-deprecating, ¡°I don¡¯t think you have been in a very long time, but sometimes you come close¡± there was something like sorrow in his gaze when he looked up again, and in the grey haze of his scent mixed as it was with the damp of rain, ¡°I think those are the times that hurt the most.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a soldier, Jack,¡± my voice was cold and level, my gaze steady as I held his, ¡°I fight and I fight¡ªall I do is seek out battles and wage wars because that¡¯s all I know.¡± Then I looked away, down at my hands where they were folded into my lap, ¡°I know I hurt people. I don¡¯t know how to not hurt people.¡± A mocking smirk tugged at my lips, ¡°Jesse thinks it¡¯s because I don¡¯t want anyone to hurt me again, but it doesn¡¯t hurt anymore,¡± this wasn¡¯t me lying¡ªit wasn¡¯t me manipulating him¡ªthis was me being completely honest for once in my life because I simply didn¡¯t care anymore how he saw me, ¡°nothing hurts anymore, I think I lost the last of that when we lost Kelly.¡± I looked back down at my hands, finding blood where there hadn¡¯t been before. Jack stared at me, quiet for what felt like a long time before he seemed to swallow hard on something else and leaned around the fire to hand me a tin bowl of oatmeal.


    ¡°Well,¡± he flashed his annoying wicked grin, but it seemed forced this time and didn¡¯t hide the pain flickering in his eyes, ¡°that explains why you weren¡¯t too broken up about Michael to put a gun to his head,¡± he changed the subject and I couldn¡¯t help my honest laugh and for a split second, he smiled the way he used to, ¡°that¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard you laugh like that in a long time.¡± I looked away and distracted myself with eating my breakfast.


    -----


    We made decent time the second day, it wasn¡¯t as steep an uphill, though we did have to climb the occasional boulder to get up some particularly high, rocky steps. I did my best to keep pace with Jack this time, more for his benefit than my own though I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how he saw it. I didn¡¯t bother correcting his thinking, I was still concerned about the Nimerigar apparently camped out somewhere in the area. A strange chattering cry, not quite animal and not quite human, echoed from the woods to our right and my blood ran cold, hairs on the back of my neck standing on end like raised hackles. I stopped mid-stride to listen for more and Jack stopped a moment later, looking back at me in his confusion for a moment before he broke his silence.


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°You know, for a second there, I could actually see you as a fox.¡± I glanced back at him in silence before turning my attention back to the trees and closed my eyes, inhaling the scent of the woods and searching for that same human and rot scent I¡¯d picked up from the Nimerigar the night before, trying to determine how close and how many there might be nearby. There must not have been any nearby or we were upwind of them because I wasn¡¯t picking up more than a very faint trail. ¡°You even look like you¡¯d prick your ears if you could.¡± I started to bare my teeth at Jack as I opened my eyes, but I caught myself when I realized it would only prove his point.


    ¡°An Owhi is a fox spirit of sorts, it¡¯s not like taking human shape means I instantly stop acting like it.¡± Much to my growing annoyance, Jack only smirked.


    ¡°I know,¡± it stretched into a wicked grin and I could swear I felt my eye twitch, ¡°believe me, I know.¡± I raised an eyebrow at him, but the scent coming off of him at the moment was more like sin so I swallowed hard and took an almost unconscious step away. The look of want in his gaze to accompany it flickered away so quickly I wouldn¡¯t have been sure it was there at all except the scent took longer to fade. ¡°Speaking of foxes,¡± Jack started hiking again as he changed the subject as if to flee the distrust I¡¯m sure was reflected in my eyes, ¡°I was in your place while you and Jesse got Loki and Zevi into their seats.¡± I frowned at him as I followed further along the trail, uncertain I wanted to hear his point. ¡°You never bring your mask anymore, do you,¡± it wasn¡¯t a question the way he said it and when he looked back at me, I looked away; I was afraid if I met his gaze, my own would falter and he¡¯d see the guilt and pain I kept buried inside with the madness. ¡°What if you need to track someone?¡±  I started to answer, to tell him about using a person¡¯s DNA to trace their last moments in life, but he didn¡¯t let me, ¡°Someone living,¡± he spoke as if he knew what I had been about to say. I closed my mouth, not sure how to answer his question anymore. I had no dogs and though I had an exceptional sense of smell in human form and I could track just about anything through natural terrain, there are so many distractions in towns and cities that I¡¯m usually at a loss if it¡¯s been more than a few days. I swallowed before I finally spoke up.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Jack paused and slid his bag from his shoulder to pull something wrapped in white cloth from inside it.


    ¡°Here,¡± he seemed to see the hesitation in my expression because he took one of my hands and pressed the thing into it, ¡°take it.¡± I took it in both hands and let the cloth slip from its front so that I was staring at my own reflection. It really was a beautiful mask, despite its empty eyes, and it was almost as damaged as I was¡­ almost. I started to shake my head and wrap it up again in the cloth, but Jack closed my fingers around the edges of its smooth surface and when I looked up at him about to protest, he wore a smile so uncharacteristically lacking in mischief I was shocked into silence, ¡°Just in case.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure what I could possibly need it for here, but something about the strange look in his eyes and that smile made me secure the mask¡¯s strap to my belt so that it hung beside my knife without protest. It felt as though the action sent a wave of relief through me, calming my nerves and the madness with the knowledge that I always had that last escape if I ever needed it. I took a deep breath and started again to speak, but Jack wore a triumphant smirk when I looked up, ¡°You look better already,¡± the smirk tugged more at the corner of his mouth as he tipped his head slightly, as if examining me in a new light, ¡°you get this look in your eyes sometimes, a¡­¡± he paused, his smirk slipping away as he seemed to be searching for the right word, ¡°a spark¡ªlike you can take on the world and that¡¯s exactly what you¡¯re going to do.¡± I shot him a sharp look when he trailed off without further explanation.


    ¡°And your point would be?¡± He flashed his grin again.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got it now,¡± I bared my teeth at him, about to make some smart remark, but he wasn¡¯t done, ¡°It¡¯s quite sexy, that look.¡± My gaze narrowed, but for once, his provocations didn¡¯t make my eyes change and my teeth slice into my lip. Jack¡¯s smile slipped away and he seemed to be seriously studying me for a moment before he spoke. ¡°It¡¯s no fun when you don¡¯t react,¡± he wore an easy smile as he leaned closer to me until his face was only inches from mine, ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to up the ante.¡± I snarled at him in response and started hiking again; I wasn¡¯t going to wait for him anymore, even if it killed me.


    The rest of the day was fairly uneventful and we hiked it in complete silence aside from Jack¡¯s occasional attempts to get me to talk. Needless to say, I was ignoring him after our earlier conversation. I didn¡¯t stop hiking even when Jack did, dropping his bag in a grassy patch of relatively level ground and before chasing after me.


    ¡°Reyna.¡± I ignored him, ¡°Reyna, stop.¡± I didn¡¯t stop until he managed to catch hold of my arm, ¡°Reyna please¡ª¡± I jerked out of his grip and turned on him, sharp teeth bared like a cornered animal.


    ¡°Get the hell away from me.¡± I snapped at him, but he¡¯d let go of me the second he saw my eyes changed.


    ¡°Reyna,¡± his voice carried a genuine worry and he tried to look me in the eye, but I looked away when he said my name, ¡°when was the last time you ate?¡± I was silent for a long time before Jack took my chin in his hand and made me meet his gaze, ¡°Reyna,¡± I almost winced at his soft voice, ¡°when?¡± Still, I hesitated.


    ¡°When I got back from my last hunt. Michael, he¡ª¡± I stopped, swallowed, and tried again, ¡°he had one when he came back.¡± Jack frowned and let his hand drop, he looked disappointed by my answer.


    ¡°Michael,¡± his voice was low, almost a growl and I blinked in confusion at his harsh laugh, ¡°Why did he even come back, and that night of all the times to do it.¡± I stared at him a moment longer.


    ¡°Jack?¡± He looked up at me with a cold fire in his eyes.


    ¡°Why do you assume it was Michael that helped you? You were barely conscious, half-mad, and he wasn¡¯t even back yet.¡± I stared at Jack in silence, piecing together his meaning, ¡°Why do you think Jesse and I came the day after you got back to drop off the pups? You hadn¡¯t had time to call yet.¡± He was right, though I hadn¡¯t thought much of it before.


    ¡°Jack.¡± He¡¯d continued his rant but he stopped when I said his name again, ¡°Thank you.¡± I gave him a weak, tired smile, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t thank you sooner.¡± He studied me a moment in his sudden silence before a slight smile tugged at his lips.


    ¡°Why did you suddenly start calling me by my name again?¡± I blinked in surprise, suddenly at a loss for a coherent reply when he smiled, ¡°I missed the way it sounds when you say it.¡± I breathed a heavy sigh.


    ¡°Asshole,¡± I muttered the word and he laughed quietly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll set up camp, go find something you can eat that¡¯ll keep you until we meet back up with Jesse.¡± I nodded slightly as I leaned my bag against a nearby tree and started to walk away, but Jack called me back, ¡°Reyna.¡± I turned slightly to look back at him, ¡°Try it.¡± I frowned at his lack of clarification, but he gestured to my mask and I glanced down in silent contemplation.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± I spoke softly as I turned away and disappeared into the woods.


    I dreamt of blood and oranges that night.


    I have that dream a lot, now I think about it.


    The scents hang thick in the air, painting a dark fog from within which I hear the sound of flesh ripping and bones crunching¡ªthe thick taste of iron that would remain stuck in the back of my throat even weeks later no matter how I¡¯d try to wash it down. I think normally this is the point in a story where a hero shows up to save the day, but no hero ever came and so for me, that particular fantasy died that day. Instead I watch the oranges from the bowl on the table above my head roll across the floor through the pooling blood and I swallow hard on the bile that rose in my throat and keep my hands clamped over my mouth trying in vain to stifle the sound of my own breathing. I really hate that feeling¡ªthat instinctual urge to flee¡ªthe taste it leaves in my mouth, like I¡¯d been sucking on the blade of a rusty knife. The sounds stop, replaced by heavy footsteps through the pool of blood; my father always was a large man. Then my father¡¯s face appears from the fog, looking for me under the table¡ªthe only other heartbeat nearby¡ªpainted with bloody tears dripping from bloodlust eyes and lips peeled back from sharp teeth in a cruel smile. I scramble out the other side, too young to change and run that way¡ªtoo young to understand what¡¯s happening at all beyond that part of me that knows my mother is lying lifeless and butchered on my left so don¡¯t look there. I look anyway¡ªI can¡¯t change the past no matter how I wish I could¡ªand I find fiery silver, the kind I remember burning my hands on when I was smaller. It burns this time too when I pull my mother¡¯s knife free from her belt¡ªshe hadn¡¯t tried, maybe she couldn¡¯t bring herself to¡ªand turn to face the monster instinct tells me I can¡¯t outrun.


    And once he falls dead, I break¡ªI scream like I¡¯d never screamed before¡­


    ¡­and cry like I¡¯ll never cry again.


    The next morning¡¯s sun found me far enough away from the camp I could barely smell the campfire mixed in with post rain damp and leaf mold on the breeze. For a long moment, I stayed there in my soft earth nest among the roots of a tree dwelling on the deaths of everyone I know, painting them gruesome ends they might meet if they continue to stay with me as they have and trying to decide if they might make me cry the way those first two did. Then I stood, stretching long limbs and flexing large paws as sharp claws dug into the earth for a moment. I didn¡¯t remember much from last night as narrow jaws stretched in a yawn, only running through the woods chasing wild animals and the carnal bloodlust that had flooded my senses with an iron haze halfway through the evening. As I shook earth and leaves from the thick fur across my body, it changed, rippling into skin as my bones cracked and broke, reshaping themselves with a familiar dull ache as I pulled the mask from my face. My skin was splattered with animal blood, my hands stained nearly completely red as likely my mouth was as well but neither thought bothered me as much as it probably should¡¯ve. A chill ran down my spine as if my senses had just caught up with the rest of my body to remind me it was cold as hell here this time of year without my thick fur coat. I flexed my fingers again, pulling a face almost unconsciously at the sticky feeling of mostly dried blood before climbing to my feet to follow the sound of the creek nearby.


    I sat in the icy water washing the drying blood from my skin when I heard someone approach from behind me¡ªthe familiar mix of nutmeg, tea, and half demon coming from the same direction I¡¯d smelled the campfire earlier so I knew who it was without much thought.


    ¡°You almost look like a Gwragedd Annwn.¡± I stopped washing for a moment at the sound of Jack¡¯s voice, ¡°Would you marry me if I offered you some lightly baked bread?¡± I flashed him sharp, still bloody teeth over my shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m a carnivore, remember?¡± I paused to cup water in my hands and wash my face off, ¡°Not Welsh either.¡± He chuckled at my nitpicking and I could still feel his eyes on me as I raked fingers through my wild red hair in an attempt to tame it enough I could tie it up out of the way.


    ¡°Where are your clothes, little each-uisge.¡± I snickered at that one, running my tongue over my teeth and ignoring the lingering taste of blood as I turned to answer.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯m not actually sure off the top of my head,¡± I paused, closing my eyes to inhale the scents around us in search of anything familiar, ¡°that way I think,¡± I pointed down river when I caught traces of fox and madness in that direction. ¡°I¡¯ll go find them¡ª¡± the words died on my lips while I watched Jack pull his henley over his head. ¡°What¡¯re you¡­?¡± Then again when he tugged it over my head, a silent ¡®o¡¯ crossing my lips as I put my arms through the sleeves and he shrugged his coat back on.


    ¡°It¡¯s better than nothing, at least until you find them,¡± his words were punctuated by his zipping up his jacket, ¡°you know which way camp is?¡± I nodded slightly, still trying to decide how to feel about my situation, ¡°I¡¯ll meet you there for breakfast then.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Jack nodded to show he¡¯d heard and turned back into the trees. I watched him go, still for a long time before I shook myself out of it and started in the direction of my own trail.


    We hadn¡¯t talked since that morning, and though it was a solemn silence, it wasn¡¯t an uncomfortable one this time. We were in a largely open area by the time the sun had peaked that day and by evening, there were few large trees in sight. That¡¯s when it started raining, sending both of us running for cover under the nearest boulder.


    It wasn¡¯t a large space.


    We stood pressed close as the sun began to set and the rain, rather than letting up, began pouring harder. Jack didn¡¯t seem to mind anywhere near as much as I did.


    ¡°Reyna, can I ask you something?¡± I could hear Jack speaking, but I couldn¡¯t really make out his words in the rain so I turned to face him.


    ¡°What?¡± I gestured for him to repeat himself.


    ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± I frowned at him.


    ¡°That is a question.¡± He smirked at my noncommittal answer.


    ¡°What did you see in Michael?¡± I wasn¡¯t sure I should answer his question, but at the same time¡­ I shrugged.


    ¡°He¡¯s as damaged as I am.¡± Jack frowned at me.


    ¡°Did he make you smile, or laugh?¡± I wasn¡¯t sure how to answer that one. I thought back over the years a moment, trying to remember a time when Michael had honestly made me smile¡­ or laugh.


    ¡°No¡­¡± I trailed off, my voice abnormally quiet, ¡°not really.¡± I paused a moment before I started to ask why the sudden questions, but he answered me before I could even find the words.


    ¡°Did I?¡± I swallowed my answer at first.


    ¡°Sometimes,¡± I spoke quietly as I looked up at him again, ¡°but I don¡¯t see why¡­¡± Jack reached up and brushed the hair from my forehead before letting his fingers trace down the side of my face and my voice faltered. Standing this close, he was unbelievably warm and I couldn¡¯t help but be drawn closer despite myself. I¡¯d continued fumbling for the correct words to phrase my question, but neither of us was really listening anymore and my voice finally died on my lips as I felt his fingers begin to lace in my hair and my gaze flickered up to meet his for an instant. That second was enough for me to feel as though I were drowning in amber and I couldn¡¯t tear my gaze away. He¡¯d moved only slightly, but suddenly I could feel his breath and my gaze flicked to his lips as I wondered briefly if he still tasted the same¡­


    ¡­like poison.


    It sure as hell didn¡¯t feel like poison.


    My senses felt sharper than ever. I was aware of every move he made, even the slight confounding hesitation in his motion as he moved to wrap his other arm around my waist, like he was dealing with a wild animal expecting it to lash out¡­


    though¡­


    maybe he was right to treat me that way.


    He was a hair¡¯s breadth away when the same not quite human chattering I¡¯d heard the day before echoed through the trees, this time much closer and in an instant, I¡¯d snapped out of my reverie and into the collected calm of a well trained Soul Collector. Jack seemed taken completely by surprise when I pulled away from him, dropped my bag against the tree to bolt out into the rain.


    ¡°Reyna!¡± He seemed to get over it quickly as he shouted after me, about to ditch his pack and give chase, but I disappeared amongst the boulders before he could move to follow my trail.


    Some days, I think I must be the luckiest person alive to survive some of the shit I pull.


    Other days, I think God must seriously want me dead with the way my prey often seems to be hunting me and/or I fall right into their path.


    The hunch today would fall into the latter category was confirmed when I slipped from a ledge and found myself stumbling right into the middle of a Nimerigar camp. I¡¯d thank my lucky stars except the hunting party was home at the moment and as I fell, a dozen or so sets of large black eyes fixed on me.


    My options after some quick calculation were to take on the tribe armed with an as of yet unidentified poison with no real defenses and armed with only a pistol and hunting knife, or to take them on armed with sharp teeth and claws protected by a pelt thick enough to at least slow down the arrows. So I pulled on the mask.


    By the time it was over, the taste of blood fresh and stale was thick in my mouth and even dizzy as I was, I stood chugging water from my flask trying to wash it away. But my world was foggy and getting worse; I¡¯d minimized the wounds I¡¯d received, but I was still nicked in places and even with my ability to heal, enough poison had gotten into my system to have an effect. I barely managed to get the cap back on my flask before my legs gave out and my vision went dark.


    The morning found me with some nasty bruises after some of the most uninterrupted sleep I¡¯d had in a very long time. Nothing changed in the little camp from last night, the bodies I¡¯d torn through and the havoc I¡¯d wreaked remained where I left them, so I supposed that meant I got all of them. I rolled onto my back and reached for my cigarettes before remembering I hadn¡¯t brought them with me and exhaling through my teeth. A pounding started in my head as I sat up, coupled with a dizziness that made me suspect there were still remnants of poison in my system. I staggered to my feet but only made it a few feet before I was practically crawling out of the camp. Then I settled on a ledge at the edge of the camp and looked it over for a moment, mapping it out from memory in my head. I lifted a hand to draw a circle around it in my mind¡¯s eye to contain the spell before drawing the rune that would give my intent shape.


    ¡°Ignis,¡± my voice sounded miles away but there was still enough power in it to trigger the fire to light along the lines of the rune before spreading rapidly to the rest of the camp.


    Then I stayed to watch the flames.


    Jack was out of breath when he found me, apparently he¡¯d been looking for me most of the night half expecting to find me in a ditch when he saw the smoke.


    Considering I¡¯d just woken up in a ditch not too long ago, I couldn¡¯t think of much to say.


    He didn¡¯t ask about the fire or the camp, though there were still remnants when he found me so maybe he didn¡¯t need to.


    We didn¡¯t talk much for the rest of the hike, or if we did, I was in too much of a haze to remember any of it.


    The drive home was much the same, though Jesse did try on multiple occasions to get us talking.


    Honestly, I barely had the wherewithal to get the boys inside when we got there.


    I needed time to get out of my haze and collect my thoughts.


    ...I wanted a smoke and a drink.

 June, 2015 - Pembroke, Maine

    I was restocking shelves in the shop while Loki and Zevi played around my feet with a kid sized soccer ball when the door opened, the bell ringing quietly. The boys froze, listening, and if they¡¯d been wolves then, I could almost see them prick their ears, Loki even going so far as to bare his teeth at whoever was at the door; I¡¯d have laughed at the thought if it hadn¡¯t reminded me of Jack¡¯s comment about me. I glanced back at the door and the hairs at the back of my neck stood on end as the stranger¡¯s scent reached me past the herbs, fingers moving to the silver knife on my hip even knowing it wouldn¡¯t work on him.


    ¡°Reyna Wildes?¡± I bit back the snarl as I met his gaze.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I wiped my hand off on my pants after setting the inventory binder aside and offered him a hand to shake. ¡°What can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°Oak,¡± he shook my hand, taking me a little by surprise given my past experience with Fae Folk, ¡°I was tasked with this investigation when we received word that one of ours had broken Fae law and the Accord; I was initially sent to retrieve her for trial,¡± he cocked his head to one side as he seemed to appraise me, ¡°however my investigation has led me to conclude that you¡­¡± a pause while he likely searched for a more civil way to phrase my ¡®execution¡¯, ¡°took care of it.¡± My hand returned to the knife on my hip and he smiled slightly before stepping back as if to show me he meant no harm, ¡°They require no disciplinary action to come to you, especially with your status as a Caeleste licensed hunter, they only request that you answer a few questions for our records.¡± I nodded slightly.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I leaned against the shelf as the boys shuffled behind me, ¡°ask away.¡±


    ¡°How did you recognize her as one of the Fae?¡± I smirked.


    ¡°She called a Cambion a floozy, the scent, and besides,¡± my smile turned more wicked grin, lip pulled up enough to reveal double sets of sharp canines, ¡°I¡¯m a Soul Collector.¡± The Fae took another step back at that, this time well out of my reach, in a gesture I struggled not to laugh at.


    ¡°How did you learn of her crimes?¡± I shrugged briefly.


    ¡°She tried to buy a very poisonous plant from me and a day or two later, a body showed up with that as the cause of death. The rest I figured out by investigating on my own.¡± He nodded slowly as if debating asking for details on my ¡®investigation¡¯ before he decided against it.


    ¡°And the trap-?¡±


    ¡°No, I think that¡¯s enough,¡± I cut him off, I didn¡¯t want to explain that designing that trap hadn¡¯t been all that different than designing seals to contain curses, something I¡¯d always had a talent for, ¡°I¡¯ve got things to do and you¡¯ve already scared my kids,¡± I didn¡¯t much like answering questions in general, ¡°so I¡¯m going to have to ask you to leave.¡± He seemed to hesitate a few minutes before swallowing his argument.


    ¡°Thank you for your time, Miss Wildes,¡± with that, he turned on his heel and slipped back out the door. I shifted to lean my head back against a shelf and exhaled slowly, waiting for the intoxicating scent of Fae to fade. Then I gave up, moving the inventory binder to its shelf behind the counter with a mark where I¡¯d left off before turning the sign around to closed, locking the front door, and heading to the back with the boys in tow.


    I¡¯d put a movie on for the boys to watch before I headed out to work on my Jeep, replacing worn springs and gears as needed. I was under the engine with a pan of dirty water when I felt my phone vibrate and shifted so that I could fish it from my pocket.


    I sighed at Jesse¡¯s text and sent a quick reply before turning back to my water. I¡¯d initially figured it¡¯d be some sort of emergency, but I didn¡¯t hear back till the tank was nearly empty. I choked a little when I saw her answer, not quite managing to get the air in the right pipe when I¡¯d inhaled and the phone slipped from my fingers while I struggled to remember how to breathe, tipping off of the edge and into the pan of dirty water.


    ¡°Son of a¡ª¡± I scrambled to snatch it back out but my fingers were slick with engine grease, ¡°fucking¡ª¡± Finally, I managed to pull it out with a flurry of swear words not all in English and not without making a mess.


    ¡°Reyna?¡± Jack¡¯s voice came from a few feet away and I jumped, knocking my head against the bottom of the Jeep and another swear escaped my lips, ¡°You alright under there?¡±


    ¡°Tell your sister she has the wrong §Ö§Ò§Ñ§ß§í§Û (yebanyy) number.¡± His quiet laugh came across a little forced; knowing what we both did, she probably knew exactly who she¡¯d been texting.


    ¡°You coming out from under there anytime soon?¡± I hesitated a moment before screwing the plug back into the drain in the now empty water tank, slipping my dead, but hopefully savable, phone back into my pocket, and crawling out from under the Jeep.


    ¡°You look like hell.¡± Jack forced a smile at my words while I wiped my hands clean on the rag in another pocket.


    ¡°Just haven¡¯t been sleeping well,¡± the dark circles under his unusually dull eyes made that sound like a bit of an understatement, but I didn¡¯t see a point in telling him as much.


    ¡°And you¡¯re asking if I¡¯m alright.¡± He only offered me a shrug so I changed the subject, ¡°Well, what can I do for you?¡± I¡¯m pretty sure those words sounded about as strange as I felt saying them to someone who wasn¡¯t a customer in Dogwood.


    ¡°It¡­¡± He spoke slowly, enough so I was leaning over the engine to finish changing the water in the steam powered portion, ¡°It¡¯s been awhile and I thought¡ª¡± he cut himself off, scratching the scruff along his jaw while he tried to put it into words, ¡°If I don¡¯t say something, it¡¯s going to drive me mad.¡± I closed the hood, leaning the pan of dirty water on my hip while I looked up at him again, resisting the urge to point out that he was already at least half mad.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± He forced another smile in answer and I swallowed hard; I¡¯d never seen him struggle so much for words, especially not like this, and I wasn¡¯t sure what to think.


    ¡°I will be,¡± he paused with a half shrug, glancing down at his hands, ¡°or at least, I hope so.¡± I started to ask what was going on when the phone in the shop started ringing and I turned.


    ¡°You mind waiting while I answer that? You can come inside if you like.¡± He followed me in, pacing the wood floor as I set the pan aside to filter and distill later before passing through into the shop and lifting the receiver for the old rotary phone on the wall from its hook. ¡°Dogwood Apothecary, how may I help you?¡± I glanced over at the boys through the door into the back as I spoke.


    ¡°Reyna, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d get you.¡± I bared my teeth into the receiver when I recognized the voice on the other end.


    ¡°You¡¯re just lucky I don¡¯t have caller ID on this thing,¡± I snarled the words and Jack stopped pacing, ¡°goodbye, Michael.¡± I started to hang up but his yelling piqued my interest.


    ¡°Wait, I didn¡¯t call to fight!¡± I stopped, waiting for him to say something worthwhile. ¡°Reyna?¡± I exhaled slowly and lifted the receiver back to my ear.


    ¡°Three minutes, and this had better be good,¡± my voice was low, a warning when I finally spoke and I heard a sigh of relief.


    ¡°What do you know of the Jorogumo?¡± I didn¡¯t answer; that was pretty good. I exhaled again through my teeth before glancing back at Jack with a look of silent apology.


    ¡°Where?¡± Jack seemed to flinch at the question, as if it physically wounded him.


    ¡°Portland. There¡¯s an old warehouse she¡¯s nested in.¡± I cocked my head to one side as I thought it over, my neck cracking with the motion. Then I exhaled through my teeth.


    ¡°I¡¯ll meet you there.¡± A relieved laugh came through from the other end.


    ¡°Just like old times?¡± I bared my teeth in a silent snarl.


    ¡°Just give me the address.¡± He did¡ªmaybe he could tell I wasn¡¯t in the mood for conversation, at least not with him¡ªand I hung up the phone again with a rather forceful click.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to meet him?¡± There was the scent of pain in the air around Jack, though he didn¡¯t let it show in his expression and it only seemed to make him sound resigned, like he¡¯d given up. If there was something I could¡¯ve said to make it better, I wasn¡¯t sure what that might be, so instead I only gave him a sheepish shrug.


    ¡°No choice, there¡¯s a Jorogumo, and¡­¡± My words faltered and died on the explanation as I held his dull gaze, silent for what felt like a long time before I opened my mouth to speak again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jack,¡± my voice were barely a whisper when I managed to bring it back to some semblance of life. ¡°I¡¯ll be back tonight,¡± I glanced at the door into the back where the boys still sat watching movies on the old tv I¡¯d gotten for them, ¡°if you don¡¯t mind sticking around, we can talk then. Would that work?¡± Jack looked like he wanted to argue, maybe to insist we speak now and I leave after¡ªand maybe I would¡¯ve been alright with that¡ªbut his gaze seemed to waver for a moment and he gave a slight nod of agreement instead.


    ¡°When you get back then.¡± I flashed him a grim smile as I tied my loose braid into an untidy knot.


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take long.¡± He watched without reply as I moved back through the door to retrieve my hunting bag and my kukri, shrugging on my old leather jacket as I turned to Loki. ¡°I¡¯ve gotta go out for a bit, but I¡¯ll be back later tonight, so I need you to take care of your brother, alright pup?¡± He nodded vigorously so I smiled and ruffled his dark hair, ¡°There are leftovers in the fridge in case I¡¯m not home for dinner and Jesse¡¯s number is on the fridge so you can call her if you need anything. The other number on there is for emergencies only, alright?¡± Then I pressed a kiss to both of their heads and shouldered my duffle bag.


    ¡°Good hunting, mum.¡± Loki¡¯s rust colored eyes watched me, glinting with an unnatural light while Zevi echoed his words and I smirked to myself.


    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll bring back some teeth if all goes well,¡± then I turned back to Jack as I started to leave, ¡°and I¡¯ll see you later.¡±


    ¡°Reyna,¡± I paused with my hand on the doorknob to look back at him, ¡°good hunting.¡± Another grim smile flickered across my lips and I let go to press my hand to the side of his neck and my forehead to his, balanced on the balls of my feet to accommodate the height difference.


    ¡°Try to get some sleep Jack, even I worry when you¡¯re like this.¡± He forced a smile at my quiet words but said nothing as I let go to slip out the back door.


    I¡¯ve never really cared one way or another with spiders, so long as they left me alone, I left them alone, but Jorogumo are a bit different. I couldn¡¯t say why exactly¡ªthough if I had to guess, I¡¯d say it¡¯s the fact they have the same prey¡ªbut Jorogumo and Kitsunes cannot cross paths without getting into a fight and since apparently ¡°fox is fox¡± to them, Owhi and their cousins sometimes get caught up in the feud.


    As a result, most of us don¡¯t like Jorogumo any more than Kitsunes do, so of course when I found out one was encroaching on my territory, I came running.


    Right about now, I was regretting that decision.


    Michael and I hung from the rafters of the old warehouse bound in spider silk and mostly upside down; I always hated how strong that stuff is, it always ends up as such a hassle.


    The woman cackled¡ªhonestly, I can think of no better description for her laugh than ¡®cackle¡¯¡ªagain and I looked up (or is it still down at this point?) at her with a for once clear expression of annoyance; she was really starting to grate on my nerves.


    ¡°You fell so easily into the trap I¡¯d laid for you,¡± she continued laughing as my gaze narrowed slightly.


    ¡°Yeah well, what else is new,¡± I muttered the words but she paid me no more mind than I¡¯d expected.


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°The moment I came to this town, I could smell your foul fox stench all over it, so I made this plan to kill you and take your territory.¡±


    ¡°So assuming you actually had me, what was your plan from here?¡± She balked at my question, a moment I used to work my hand into place on the handle of my machete.


    ¡°What was my¡ªHaven¡¯t you been listening to anything I¡¯ve said?¡± She voiced her frustration, apparently not hearing the snap as the sheath opening so that I could draw it just a little.


    ¡°Honestly? No, not a word,¡± I shrugged as best I could bound as I was, ¡°but then listening to other people has never really been one of my strong suits.¡± Michael nodded from a few feet away and for a moment, I wondered if I should¡¯ve felt at least a little indignant at how quickly he¡¯d agreed with me.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you,¡± the Jorogumo practically shrieked the words in her frustrated outrage, ¡°I¡¯m going to mount your head on a pike.¡± Something tells me¡ªthe scent of confusion that wreathed around her to match the expression that wrote across her face, maybe¡ªalmost hysterical laughter wasn¡¯t the reaction she was expecting from me, but that¡¯s what she got.


    ¡°Oh sweetheart,¡± I flashed a broad smile, all sharp teeth and condescending amusement as I traced a rune on the flat of my kukri¡¯s blade, ¡°I¡¯d say get in line,¡± the smile twisted into something more sinister as I finished the last line, ¡°but I killed them all.¡± There was a spike of fear, but she recovered quickly, for all the good that did as the smile disappeared. ¡°Ignis,¡± the blade caught on that word, flaring to life with fire that burned through both sheath and silk and I dropped to the ground. It was a long fall, I won¡¯t say it didn¡¯t hurt, but I¡¯ve survived worse and I had enough adrenaline pumping through my veins from the rush that it didn¡¯t exactly bother me in that moment. The fire flickered out as I brought the blade down to rid it of any surviving webbing; I didn¡¯t need the flame to take her head. ¡°You should¡¯ve done your research,¡± my eyes had changed when I looked up at her again, constricted slit pupils in red gold, though I only realized that because of the reopened scars my canines sliced into my lip and the instinctual steps she¡¯d taken back as I closed the distance, ¡°then you might¡¯ve known better than to try anything here.¡± I darted forward, closing the distance and removing her head from her shoulders in one clean slice, watching as it rolled across the floor and the massive spider body crumpled, black ichor pooling around both. With a deep breath, my eyes and canines returned to normal and I drew my tongue over my teeth in an almost reflexive gesture before sliding my kukri into my belt and turning my focus on retrieving a pair of fangs for Loki and Zevi.


    ¡°Reyna,¡± Michael called my attention from his place still bound in the spider silk and I looked up at him, debating whether to cut him down or let him sit until it dissolved naturally, ¡°can we talk about this?¡± Maybe it was the fact I held his freedom in my hands and had a rather cold gleam in my eyes as I studied him that made him suddenly turn polite, ¡°Please?¡± I exhaled slowly through my teeth before pinching the bridge of my nose and going about finding my way back within reach so that I could cut him down. He dropped with a heavy thud, though he¡¯d still managed to land on his feet; the sight earned a rather bitter laugh from me.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten rusty,¡± I spoke the words like an insult, but he didn¡¯t seem to take them as one.


    ¡°So¡ª¡± I shook my head and cut him off.


    ¡°I need a drink first.¡± He seemed about to protest, whether to my drinking or my procrastination, I wasn¡¯t quite sure, but he thought better of it when he saw the cold glare I directed his way.


    Then I started walking; if he really wanted to talk, he¡¯d follow.


    Despite my absolutely abysmal drinking habits, I don¡¯t usually get black out drunk because it takes a lot of high proof alcohol consumed quickly to beat my metabolism and get me that drunk.


    I say this, but I still have no idea what happened after about 18 or 1900 last night.


    Last thing I remember is nursing a glass of scotch while Michael seemed to talk in circles around whatever excuse he had because I knew I had to drive home.


    Then Jack called.


    It was simple enough, just meant to let me know he was heading home because something had come up with his business that meant he had to leave town for a few days.


    I should¡¯ve been fine¡ª


    He¡¯s my ex.


    It¡¯s been six years¡­


    ...and yet something about the way he sounded made me quick to finish my glass so I could order more.


    Then I was waking up the next morning on the couch in the backroom of the shop.


    Michael looked up from his book when I sat up with a groan, settled into the desk chair like he was still meant to be there.


    ¡°Reyna,¡± I growled, more to myself than to him as I glanced toward him and climbed to my feet.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± He frowned.


    ¡°I did tell you not to drink that much.¡± My gaze narrowed, emerald gaze flickering to red gold for the briefest moment before I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it,¡± I growled the words and when I looked back at him, he seemed to be studying me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen you control it that well.¡±


    ¡°Michael,¡± my voice was a low warning and he raised his hands in silent surrender.


    ¡°I¡¯m here because, though I did tell you what happened in Maryland, by the time I figured out how to say it you were drunk enough that I doubt you remember.¡± I swallowed, ignoring the comment about my drinking while I unlocked the locker I kept my weapons in.


    ¡°For your sake, I hope you have an extremely good reason,¡± I pulled the kukri from my belt and hung it on it¡¯s hook, making a mental note to make a new sheath for it later.


    ¡°She was a Siren.¡± I stopped and turned to study him a moment, my duffel hanging from my hand. My breathless laugh came out harsh and quiet.


    ¡°See, was that so hard?¡± My voice came out in mocking tones before I continued in a mutter, ¡°A Siren, though. That explains a lot,¡± I paused a moment, ¡°what about the blood?¡± Michael sighed and ran a hand through his hair.


    ¡°She touched my feathers, you¡¯d just walked out, and the PTSD kicked in. When I¡­¡± he seemed to struggle for a moment, as if trying to figure out how to put it, ¡°¡®woke up¡¯, there was blood everywhere,¡± he paused, staring down at his hands, ¡°It was an accident, but,¡± he looked back up at me, ¡°I¡¯d killed her.¡± I chuckled, flashing a cruel grin as I slid my bag into the locker and closed the door.


    ¡°Well that¡¯s something at least.¡± Michael glared at me a moment as I locked the door, but I ignored it. ¡°Well?¡± I spoke after a moment and he blinked in surprise.


    ¡°Well what?¡±


    ¡°You told me what happened in Maryland, so why are you still here?¡± I turned away and slipped through the door into the shop. ¡°It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know where the door is.¡± He set the book aside and rose to follow me as I muttered the words.


    ¡°I¡ª¡± The bell over the door rang as it opened and I looked away from Michael towards the door. Jack seemed to hesitate in the doorway when he saw him, what was left of the spark in his eyes flickering out in an instant.


    ¡°Jack,¡± even I was surprised by the soft tone to my voice and the honest smile that tugged briefly at the corner of my lips, ¡°I thought you had to leave for a while.¡± He forced a smile and came, if hesitantly, to the counter.


    ¡°I don¡¯t leave until tonight.¡± I nodded slightly and started to say something else but Loki and Zevi bolted through the door, nearly knocking Michael over as they slipped around him and slammed into me.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t come see you last night,¡± I reached into the pocket of my jeans and pulled a set of dulled Jorogumo teeth out as Loki grinned, ¡°I brought you teeth.¡± I found a couple of leather strips left over from the last time I¡¯d rewrapped a knife hilt and strung the teeth on them before tying them loosely around their necks. I watched as Zevi wrapped his small hands around the tooth, feeling it¡¯s surface while Loki darted over to Jack to show him.


    ¡°Thank you, mum,¡± I smiled at Zevi¡¯s small voice and as Loki hurried to echo it, laughing quietly to myself while Jack and Michael watched.


    ¡°Did you need something?¡± My blood ran cold when Michael finally broke their uncomfortable silence, my muscles tensing as I waited as if a part of me¡ªa perfectly reasonable part in my opinion¡ªexpected them to get into a fight again. Jack only flashed him a tired smile.


    ¡°No, I just came by to see them before I have to go,¡± he crouched down and lifted Loki into his lap before he looked pointedly at me, ¡°they¡¯re more like my family than my actual family outside of Jesse,¡± he paused with a wistful smile, ¡°I wish they were my family.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure how to react to Jack¡¯s words, what with him being a Cambion, a species famous for their ability to manipulate other people; I had no way to know whether he was serious, or just trying to get on Michael¡¯s nerves and even if he was serious, it was a lot to process when I¡¯m as¡­ terrible at relationships as I am.


    ¡°You keep your¡ª¡±


    ¡°No. Don¡¯t start that again, I really don¡¯t have the patience today to clean up after you knock something over.¡± I cut Michael off with a pointed look. ¡°Actually, I¡¯d appreciate some time alone for once,¡± I turned to Michael, ¡°Leave.¡± He stared at me.


    ¡°What?¡± I frowned further.


    ¡°Do I really need to get out my gun,¡± I flashed sharp canines in a cruel smile, ¡°again?¡± Michael seemed to hesitate a moment longer before he turned and disappeared into the back. I exhaled a breath I hadn¡¯t known I¡¯d been holding when I heard the back door open and close, moving to lean heavily on the counter.


    ¡°Reyna?¡± Jack sounded genuinely worried as he set Loki back on the floor and straightened up, ¡°Are you alright?¡± My laugh was cold and harsh.


    ¡°She was a Siren, a fucking Siren,¡± I shook my head and took a deep breath. After a moment, I shook my head as I decided I really wasn¡¯t in the mood to even try to process that and what it meant as I looked back up at Jack. ¡°So, what did you need to talk to me about yesterday?¡± He seemed to wince at my question.


    ¡°I¡ª¡± He stopped, seeming to hesitate a moment before he began again, shaking his head and not meeting my gaze, ¡°I just wanted to say that¡­¡± he looked up as if he were about to say something extremely important, but his words seemed to falter when his gaze met mine and he shook his head instead, looking away again, ¡°It¡¯s nothing important. Just¡ª¡± A part of me couldn¡¯t help but be a little worried by his uncharacteristic lack of eloquence, ¡°Good hunting, Reyna.¡± I nodded slowly and Jack turned to start to leave.


    ¡°Jack, wait.¡± He paused and turned partially back to me, so I reached up and pressed a kiss to his cheek, ¡°Being a Soul Collector and all, I don¡¯t normally say this, but good luck.¡± His easy smile tugged at the corner of his mouth and the light in his amber eyes flickered back to life, however small it seemed then.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± He sounded almost relieved as he turned and disappeared back out the front door, leaving me alone.


    I was alone, I had exactly what I wanted: time to try to figure everything out.


    Of course, that didn¡¯t help me feel any less stuck between overwhelmed and numb.

 July, 2015 - New York City, New York

    I¡¯m not entirely sure why I let Jesse drag me to the premiere for her new movie; I¡¯m not exactly what you¡¯d call a people person even on my rare few good days, I loathe having to dress up, and I¡¯ve hated crowds even more ever since¡ª


    ...well, I hate crowds, not important why.


    Not anymore.


    Yet I was there anyway, getting out of the car with her in a borrowed dress to match the occasion and heels I didn¡¯t need, or want, to be wearing. She linked her arm in mine, flashing a friendly smile at the press and handful of fans that bordered the walkway up to the doors of the theatre.


    I¡¯m still not sure if she did it because she thought I¡¯d trip¡ªwhich was a relatively fair assumption as much as I hated to admit it¡ªor run away¡ªanother fair assumption¡ªbut I went along with it until she¡¯d dragged us to a halt at the top of the steps in front of the door, turning to face the reporters.


    ¡°Just be yourself,¡± maybe she¡¯d felt me tense because she gave my arm what I think was meant to be a reassuring squeeze as she whispered the words to me, ¡°relax and act natural, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll love you.¡±


    Terrible advice really, there¡¯s a reason I¡¯m often called a sociopath, but then I¡¯ve known for a long time now that Jesse tends to see me through rose-colored glasses despite my warnings.


    Thankfully, the reporters were mostly focused on her, so I took the chance and shifted slowly closer to the door hoping to disappear inside before any of them really noticed me.


    ¡°And who is your guest tonight, Miss Matlock?¡± I swore under my breath; in hindsight, I sort of wish I¡¯d been willing to invest the time and energy needed to cast a perception spell on myself before getting out of the car, but there wasn¡¯t much I could do about it at this point. Jesse pulled me forward again to introduce me, her grip on my arm almost surprisingly firm this time.


    It¡¯s worth noting: Jesse is more athletic than she usually gets credit for, she does most of her stunts herself.


    I taught a lot of it to her, but it¡¯s still impressive.


    ¡°My shy friend here was the inspiration for my role in the movie,¡± she didn¡¯t say my name¡ªsmall mercies I suppose. ¡°She¡¯s my best friend,¡± her voice cracked slightly on that word, but going on the reporter¡¯s faces, I was the only one who noticed, ¡°we practically grew up together.¡± I swallowed hard as more of their attention turned my way.


    ¡°Are you some kind of woodsman then? Or a mythologist?¡± ¡®Think of it as a con,¡¯ Michael¡¯s advice came to mind and I took a deep breath¡ªyeah, better to just pretend I¡¯m running a con: determine what they want to hear and see and fulfill that role.


    ¡°Apparently,¡± Still, I couldn¡¯t help the pointed look I shot in Jesse¡¯s direction as I turned on the charming smile I usually kept reserved for when I wanted something, ¡°I¡¯m a survivalist and a bit of a walking encyclopedia when it comes to monsters and mythology.¡± Maybe I was still a bit bitter at being dragged here in the first place because I continued with no small amount of sarcasm to my words, ¡°I¡¯ll just go ahead and thank you now for when you inevitably paint me as some sort of conspiracy nut.¡± Jesse¡¯s laugh felt a little strained, as if hoping to pass off my comment as a joke. I let her, extracting myself from her grip and turning decidedly on my heel¡ªwithout breaking it, hope-be-damned¡ªto go inside.


    I¡¯d taken the heels off entirely by the time she managed to excuse herself from the continued onslaught of questions I could still hear muffled through the door¡ªgave me a rather disappointed look when she noticed I was barefoot.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you take them off?¡± She sounded it too.


    ¡°I can¡¯t walk in ¡®em.¡±


    ¡°You were doing so well though, even made it up the stairs.¡± My gaze narrowed slightly at that.


    ¡°Yeah well, I¡¯ve plenty of experience with stairs,¡± my voice practically dripped sarcasm¡ªit was that kind of day apparently¡ªbut she¡¯d had years of experience ignoring it by now and this time was no different as she turned to lead the way toward the actual theatre where they¡¯d be showing the movie. Some coworkers stopped her to talk shop for a bit on the way, so I excused myself to run to the restroom so that I could change out of the dress.


    -----


    The door to the bathroom opened just as I was pulling on my jeans and I glanced in the direction of Jesse¡¯s scent to see her pause in the doorway, lilac eyes tracing me up and down.


    ¡°Were you worried I¡¯d climb out a window?¡± I paused as I buttoned my jeans and she seemed to snap back to herself at my question, taking a deep breath as if she¡¯d forgotten to breathe for a moment as she looked away. ¡°You¡¯re in luck, there aren¡¯t any in here.¡±


    ¡°You should go in a stall if you¡¯re going to change,¡± her voice came low and distant and tinged with a wistful shade of pale violet. I glanced down briefly before tugging on my tank top with a shrug; nothing to see really but pale skin, lean muscle, and a lot of scars.


    ¡°¡®s not like I wasn¡¯t wearing underwear.¡± She didn¡¯t respond to my muttered words, wringing her hands together while she studied them as if even the chance of looking in my direction then was something she very much wanted to avoid.


    ¡°So,¡± she spoke slowly when she finally did, as if she wasn¡¯t sure she really wanted to ask, ¡°how are you and Michael?¡± I shrugged on my dress shirt as I took a moment to study her, humming quietly in thought.


    ¡°Dunno really,¡± a pause to buy myself time while I stuffed the dress and heels into my backpack, ¡°I let him stay, but we¡¯re not¡­¡± another pause, this time while I tried to think of a way to explain whatever our odd¡­ relationship was before Maryland, ¡°together anymore.¡± I started buttoning up my shirt and rolling the sleeves up to my elbows, ¡°Why¡¯d you ask?¡± Jesse finally met my gaze, looking me over again with her brow furrowed slightly at my choice of clothes.


    ¡°Just curious.¡± I almost called bullshit on that then and there but focused instead on tying my hi-tops and shouldering my backpack so we could head back to the theatre. We¡¯d made it to the door by the time she broke the silence again, ¡°What about Jack?¡±


    ¡°What about him?¡±


    ¡°Are you¡ª¡± she was hesitating again; it was an odd thing to see in her when I¡¯d gotten used to her recent confidence, sometimes I forget she used to be the terrified little girl I¡¯d told to run away from home. ¡°Did you get back together?¡± I stopped in my tracks then.


    ¡°What?¡± Eloquent, I know.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± a pause¡ªI picked up regret in her scent now and she still wasn¡¯t meeting my gaze for long, if at all.


    I had a hunch I knew what she was about to say next.


    ¡°You seem happier when he¡¯s around.¡± Her smile was brief and strained, ¡°Almost feels like you two are soulmates or something.¡± She¡¯d said something similar about Ryan once upon a time and he¡¯d ended up dead so I couldn¡¯t really say that was a good thing even if I believed in anything like that.


    ¡°¡®Soulmates¡¯ my ass,¡± I muttered the words, ¡°even if that wasn¡¯t all bullshit, he¡¯s more like an ill omen.¡± Jesse studied me for a long time, maybe my words had taken her by surprise, but before she could think of a reply, one of the ushers approached to speak with her about presenting the movie.


    ¡°Looks like I need to go,¡± she trailed off as she turned back to me so I flashed a brief¡ªand fake¡ªsmile.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you in the audience then. Break a leg.¡± Whatever about our conversation that was bothering her vanished behind a winning smile and the cool facade of a professional actress as she gave a slight nod of thanks and turned to follow the usher further in.


    -----


    What I remember of the movie didn¡¯t amount to much beyond that it was apparently being marketed as an action-horror (though when you hunt literal monsters for a living, not much really scares you anymore) and their Wechuge bore a closer resemblance to some sort of off-brand Wendigo than it did an actual Wechuge beyond appearance.


    Actually, I got the feeling its appearance was modeled after the sketch in my journal ¡®cause I¡¯d honestly be impressed if they¡¯d done enough research to know what they looked like and still somehow managed to fuck up everything else about it.


    It was almost painful to sit through, the bit I remember.


    But about forty minutes in, it felt like I¡¯d blinked and found myself in the woods near Pembroke.


    I sat up as if a puppet pulled by the strings and looked around the clearing I¡¯d apparently been lying in. Loki darted out of the tall grass and slammed into me just as I¡¯d started to stand, knocking me onto my back again¡ªI hadn¡¯t smelled or heard him coming as if he¡¯d simply appeared out of thin air.


    A mildly unsettling thought, but something made me quick to dismiss it.


    ¡°I found mum,¡± he called out over the grass while perched on my stomach and I couldn¡¯t help the amusement that tugged at my lips as he looked back at me with bright eyes, ¡°You were supposed to hide until I said I gave up.¡± I started to make some excuse at his chiding, but he¡¯d continued on with barely a pause to breathe, ¡°It¡¯s alright this time, ¡®cause you said you¡¯ve never played before.¡± A laugh fell from my lips and I closed my eyes against the sun as I listened to him chatter on. I didn¡¯t hear this one approach either, but I did feel Loki slide off of me to go greet them.


    ¡°Hey Zevi, you and Kelly beat mum at hide-n-seek.¡± Zevi laughed quietly and Kelly beamed, the sunlight blocking out his face when I sat up to look. It hurt somewhere deep inside, seeing him, but I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on why even as it nagged at the back of my mind while I watched the three of them chase each other through the grass.


    ¡°I¡¯d have thought you¡¯d win,¡± this voice was familiar even down to the smirk I could hear in it as I turned a mild glare on him, ¡°even if it¡¯s your first time.¡± He settled in the grass beside me, the sun directly behind his head so that all I could make out was his teasing smile.


    ¡°I fell asleep.¡± He laughed at my explanation and I started to protest, but the urge wasn¡¯t there like it usually was so instead, I found myself flashing him a smile and returning my focus to the boys, grass and seeds stuck in their wild hair.


    My boys.


    All three of them.


    That nagging feeling grew a little at the thought.


    I lay back in the grass again with a deep breath.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he smiled at me when I looked, none of the mischief or wickedness it usually held these days, just an easy smile, ¡°come here.¡± He shifted me into his lap and I smiled back at him, no bitterness or sarcasm, just an honest smile.


    Wasn¡¯t sure how I remembered how to make that smile.


    ¡°I love you.¡± I started to reply to his soft admission, losing myself in the way the light played off his dark hair and the sourceless fire that always seemed to flicker behind his eyes, but the low growl of an animal nearby stopped me short. My gaze darted around the clearing as I sat up quickly, searching for the source until I saw what it was.


    At the edge of the clearing stood a large animal, a bit bigger than a wolf with the coloring of a red fox, familiar green eyes staring at me expectantly. Then it turned and disappeared into the woods, the white tips of its tails vanishing in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°Reyna?¡± Maybe he could tell something had me on edge.


    ¡°You ever get that feeling that something is off and then see something that you know shouldn¡¯t be there, but you can¡¯t put your finger on why?¡± My voice sounded distant.


    ¡°You alright?¡± I looked back at him over my shoulder with a smile that hid the unease that still nagged at my mind.


    ¡°Yeah, everything¡¯s fine.¡± I took a deep breath, willing the feeling away because I could almost trick myself into being happy here as I looked back toward my boys. ¡°Alright what were the rules to this game again? First found is the next hunter?¡± Loki took off running through the grass laughing, Zevi close behind despite the terrain while Kelly darted in the other direction.


    ¡°Guess that includes me?¡± He was at my shoulder when I glanced back at him again with a playful grin.


    ¡°They have to give me one easy one,¡± I teased and he feigned hurt at the words, but his quiet laugh betrayed him.


    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± he pressed his lips to my cheek, ¡°no peeking, no one likes a cheater.¡±


    ¡°First I¡¯m hearing of it,¡± but I covered my eyes anyway to begin counting, catching one last glimpse of his smile among the trees and the grass before he disappeared.


    A count of ten and I opened my eyes to call out that I¡¯d be searching, but my gaze met that of the fox again, almost nose to nose this time.


    She cocked her head to one side as if curious¡­


    ¡­then she ran, disappearing through the grass and leaving me with an urge to follow that was impossible to ignore.


    My foot slid on leaf mold when we reached the trees that didn¡¯t match the fauna I¡¯d usually see around Pembroke.


    The fox darted behind a tree and vanished even as I followed.


    My knees sagged beneath me under the weight of my duffel, stuffed full and wEaring on miles of exhaustion because my body didn¡¯t seem to match what I remembered being able to do.


    Maybe this was before then.


    An eerie, yet familiar laugh echoed from the woods in front of me and I looked up, forcing myself to take deep breaths while I tried to focus past the dehydration.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there, little fox,¡± the woman who spoke looked far younger than she was, the face and build of someone in her early 20s with a millennia in the depths of her liquid mercury eyes. She was beautiful in the way the icy wastes of the arctic are beautiful and moved with the sort of deadly grace predators moved with, little hints as to what she really was. ¡°If you can keep up with me, even a bit, you can outrun anything,¡± she laughed at my glare, ¡°sometimes being faster serves better than being stronger.¡± One last deep breath and I forced myself back to my feet; trying to catch her was like trying to outrun death and we both knew it.


    But it made me faster.


    So I took off running again, the pounding of my heart in my ears and my own breathing the loudest things in the woods nearby.


    The loch we¡¯d been racing toward was amazing: a still mirror with a thin layer of fog still clinging to its surface protected as it was here from the morning sun. Alix wore a proud smile as she watched my approach from her perch on the end of a tree fallen into the water and giving sign it was deeper than it looked. Keep, her hellhound guardian, wagged slightly from his place sitting beside her, but otherwise seemed more focused on listening to the quiet sounds of life in the area.


    ¡°You really are getting faster,¡± she nodded toward my duffle as I shed it against the log, ¡°and quieter. It¡¯ll be easier in a real hunt, you¡¯ll only have what you need and even that doesn¡¯t always end up being with you when the time comes.¡± I flashed a smile, there was something warm about getting praise from her, maybe because she was someone I respected. She remained silent while I caught my breath and got some water. ¡°What do you see in the shallows, little fox?¡± Her smile was gone when I looked up from where I crouched at the edge of the water, back to training it seemed. I looked over the water with an appraising eye, the kind of looked I didn¡¯t like to do because I tended to see things I¡¯d rather forget.


    Clean water, but I hadn¡¯t noticed much in the way of animal tracks coming to drink.


    I would¡¯ve smelled and tasted poisons or toxins if that was what kept the animals away which meant there was some other danger that kept them away.


    A predator maybe, but again, no tracks, which meant it likely lived in the water at least most of the time.


    I remembered reading that a lot of the lochs were connected underwater so whatever it was didn¡¯t necessarily have to be on the small side.


    Alix had a lot of books in her little castle, a library full of them and at least half of them were on monsters.


    I¡¯d read most of them by now.


    Most of the monsters classed as ¡°water demons¡± native to Scotland seemed to fall under previously assumed extinct giant sea snakes like titanoboa or reptile like tanystropheus (which aren¡¯t exactly known for coming up from the deep or they wouldn¡¯t fall under ¡°cryptid¡± to the rest of the world) or some kind of shapeshifting water horse.


    There were actual water horse type creatures too, but they¡¯re more like a fresh water relative of the hippocampus and usually less amphibiously inclined.


    So shapeshifting water horse then.


    The good news was it wasn¡¯t an each uisge or one of the more aggressive types or it probably would¡¯ve come out to attempt to seduce Alix while she was waiting for me.


    The bad news was it was still likely a shapeshifting water demon.


    ¡°Kelpie?¡± Those were the ones most often found hanging around lochs as horses and so long as you left them alone and they weren¡¯t hungry, they usually left humans (and humanoids) alone, so I figured that was the most likely. Her smile returned and she nodded toward the trees on the other side.


    ¡°It¡¯s over there,¡± just as she¡¯d said, there was a beautiful irish hobby lingering in the thinned trees, his dark almost blue roan coat serving almost as camouflage in the little light streaming through the leaves on that side. ¡°If you can tame him,¡± there was mischief in her gaze when I glanced back at her, ¡°I won¡¯t make you run home.¡± Wasn¡¯t sure I really liked either option, but something in her expression told me I didn¡¯t actually have a choice in the matter.


    Well¡­ at least I knew getting on him would be easy.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I straightened up, pulling a length of rope from my bag to fashion a makeshift set of simplified reins, though I doubted it¡¯d be as easy as putting it on him. He watched me approach with dark eyes, never shying and never showing any sign of spooking, but I could sense a sort of tension in him, as if he was waiting to see what I did.


    Managed to get on him and get settled there just long enough I started to relax.


    Then he bolted, charging toward the loch without throwing me with more speed than I¡¯d ever experienced on a horse.


    And there was Alix between us and the loch, her presence suddenly oppressive enough the kelpie skidded to a halt before her, throwing me to the ground as the temperature plummeted around us. I could barely shift my head as I struggled to keep breathing, but it was enough to see the kelpie apparently having similar problems, legs trembling as he struggled to remain standing under the weight of instinct. Alix¡¯s wings were out in a sort of semi-transparent image of six mangled and bloody wings with tattered feathers and bone visible in places, a crown of horns, a tufted tail, and a fiery halo that almost resembled a crown. Something, maybe the fact her eyes hadn¡¯t gone black, told me she was still restraining herself, but even this was enough to remind everyone present that she was the original Death. Then she smiled, the image and the oppressive weight of her presence vanishing in an instant as she caught the kelpie, a gentle hand on his chin as she stroked along his cheek in a soothing gesture.


    ¡°I know,¡± she spoke gently to him, making sure he was alright before she stepped aside and watched as he disappeared into the depths of the loch. Then she looked down at me as I set up with a quiet groan¡ªI¡¯d hit the ground harder than I¡¯d initially thought. ¡°Come along, little fox,¡± she pulled me to my feet, ¡°you¡¯d better memorize the path back because you¡¯ll be coming every day until you can ride him without problem.¡± I waited for her to take off ahead of me before swearing under my breath and glancing back at the loch¡¯s surface.


    All I could see then were faint ripples distorting a reflection of my younger self and dark grey clouds¡ªa storm coming in.


    And the fox was there waiting for me¡ªit seemed to smile before it darted deeper into the woods.


    I started after it again, forgetting my exhaustion and the weight of my bag as I chased it.


    The trees whipped by beneath a perpetually foggy sky as if I was watching through train windows.


    Then I was; running from car to car until I slammed the last door open and found myself on a boat crossing the ocean.


    ¡°You sure you¡¯re supposed to be going to Scotland by yourself, kid? Shouldn¡¯t you have a parent with you or somethin¡¯?¡± I glanced at the captain when he asked, a kid with far too many scars for about fourteen years reflected in the lenses of his glasses. He shrugged when I didn¡¯t answer and carried on, muttering about ¡°the inattention of parents these days¡±, or something like that. I watched a moment longer, inhaling the scent of the sea for what felt like the first time in years before I caught a glimpse of the fox in his lenses.


    So I turned and ran again.


    The crates and ropes of the boat became trees again, but west coast trees and now the ground was covered in snow and the fox¡¯s pelt was a stark almost blood red against the shades of silvery white and grey.


    She disappeared around another tree, but when I followed, the stark blood red wasn¡¯t of the fox¡¯s pelt.


    It was of real blood.


    Blood that splattered the walls and pooled beneath a body only recognizable as my mother in the still staring eyes as another fox, this one much larger than the first, it¡¯s pelt a dark grey and eyes filled with so much bloodlust fueled madness they seemed to glow with it.


    This wasn¡¯t how it¡¯d happened exactly, and that nagging voice in the back of my mind that had fallen quiet for a while returned louder now.


    ¡°Faither,¡± but my voice came out a child¡¯s and shaking with fear. I curled further in on myself, my knees drawn up to my chest as I tried desperately to disappear beneath the table as my father stalked closer, consumed by a madness I didn¡¯t yet understand.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.One I didn¡¯t yet know.


    But I¡¯d learn soon¡­


    ¡­sooner than most.


    I ran barefoot in still warm blood.


    My fingers burned on my mother¡¯s silver knife and I whirled to face the beast before me.


    Just like the first time.


    I found another scene unfolding, as if in a mirror beside me; myself as I am now¡ªthough I couldn¡¯t quite pin down who I might be¡ªstaring at another beast much like the one before me, lost to the madness.


    This other me, though, wasn¡¯t staring at her father, but at her reflection and the waiting madness that dogged my every step these days, slowly getting closer.


    I blinked.


    There is nothing to be afraid of when the real ¡®big bad wolf¡¯ is the one inside my head, the thought echoed through the back of my mind¡ªmy own voice, something I¡¯d said before but didn¡¯t quite remember when.


    The fox was there, staring back at me with black ears pricked to listen and tails fanned out beside it on the other side of the glass, back in my reflection and in my shadow and letting me, for a moment, feel that whatever I¡¯d felt was off before had settled back where it belonged.


    But I was still staring at the glass at the edge of this world as if the inspiration for wonderland and the looking glass.


    Maybe it was, it made sense if I thought about it.


    ¡°This is the edge, then?¡± My reflection cocked her head to the side, listening to my words with something akin to my own sort of scientific curiosity before it vanished, leaving me alone with the glass border. I reached out to press my fingers to the cold surface, magic thrumming beneath my touch like something alive.


    Well, I drew back my hand, curling my fingers into a fist, wouldn¡¯t be the first time I punched a mirror.


    My fist connected with the glass, my own magic focused in the contact


    and it shattered.


    A shower of mirror shards came with me when I crashed against the floor of what looked like a large conference room, biting into my skin on the sharp edges as they flew by with enough force to embed them in the floor and my back. It took a few minutes trying to wade through the mental haze for me to piece together what was going on. I struggled to get to my hands and knees, trying to ignore the ache set in my bones and the exhaustion that came as the backlash from breaking out of high-level magic.


    ¡°Christ.¡± My voice came out a quiet groan as I climbed to my feet using the wall as a crutch and rolled my shoulders before turning to look for my backpack. The room was empty aside from the large table and the dozen chairs taking up the center.


    Wasn¡¯t sure yet whether that was a good or bad thing, but I was definitely kicking myself for not keeping a weapon on my person despite the circumstances.


    It wasn¡¯t like I couldn¡¯t have found somewhere to hide a knife at the very least.


    Not that I really needed to be armed, but that tended to set me at ease and unease tended to have major consequences for me.


    I shook my racing thoughts away and took a deep breath, trying to focus and prioritize how to handle the situation.


    This wasn¡¯t the first time I¡¯d found myself blind and unarmed when things went to shite and it likely wouldn¡¯t be the last.


    So break it down into steps:


    Find my bag¡ªeven if nothing inside ended up being of use, I wasn¡¯t keen on the idea of leaving it lying around with a loaded pistol inside; I¡¯m not exactly the most responsible person, but I value my firearm safety practices.


    Find Jesse¡ªshe¡¯d probably be with everyone else in the theatre assuming I was the only one up and about aside from whatever had attacked us.


    And on that note, I needed to determine what it was in order to know how to deal with it.


    All I had to go off, for now, was that it had some seriously high-level magic to be able to put everyone to sleep like that.


    And based on what I¡¯d seen, it was likely related to granting happiness or feeding on emotions based in memories; I suspected that last memory had been sort of a last-ditch effort to keep me inside.


    Everyone else getting out alive and still unaware of the supernatural presence in the world¡­ well it¡¯d be ideal but given the situation, it wasn¡¯t likely¡­


    I might have to call the Council after all this is over to help with the cleanup.


    Damn.


    I took another deep breath, raking fingers through my hair to tie it up before heading out the door to figure out where I was. The door opened into a long hallway¡ªempty when I checked¡ªso I stepped out into it, ignoring the slight limp to the gait as I followed the sound of heartbeats from somewhere below me. There were plenty of creatures that could feed on memories or induce sleep to feed on dreams, but at that scale¡­


    Well, the only thing I could think of that fit totally were djinn, even as uncommon as they are these days.


    The door to the stairs stuck when I tried it and an annoyed growl fell from my lips before I slammed my shoulder into it. The lock broke that time, leaving the frame and the door warped around it as I stumbled through. I¡¯d just started to get my feet back under me when a tremor shook the building and I found myself tumbling down the concrete steps.


    ¡°Jesus fucking Christ,¡± I groaned the words as I forced myself up again; everything ached, I was stressed out and pissed off and I was really hoping I was just unlucky enough it was an earthquake and not¡ª


    It was just a minor earthquake.


    Better not to worry about the other possibility or it¡¯d only get worse.


    I had to break the door back into the building, too, and God did my bones ache.


    Magic could be a bitch sometimes.


    Voices of confusion and waking heartbeats reached my ears and I picked up my pace to a jog despite the pain.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Reyna?¡± Jesse¡¯s question reached me just as I pulled the door open and relief washed over me, short-lived as it was when the tremors subsided to a low rumble.


    Better not to think about it, I repeated to myself as I wove through the people, trying to focus and keeping my breathing steady despite how thick the haze of panic and confusion in the air felt.


    God, I hate crowds.


    ¡°Jesse.¡± She looked about to jump out of her skin at my apparently sudden appearance behind her, lilac eyes going wide as she looked me over; I s¡¯pose I looked about as beat to shite as I felt.


    ¡°What on earth¡ª¡±


    ¡°Djinn.¡± She stared at me, shocked silent, ¡°Pretty sure at least.¡±


    ¡°Did you¡­¡± She trailed off as if trying to think of a way to ask if I¡¯d already dealt with it without phrasing it so harshly.


    ¡°I woke up a few minutes ago upstairs, haven¡¯t exactly had time yet.¡± I crouched next to where I¡¯d been sitting and breathed a sigh of relief to find my backpack still slid under my seat.


    ¡°Then we have to do something,¡± Jesse found her voice again as I pulled it out to sling it over my shoulder.


    ¡°And by ¡®we¡¯ you mean¡­?¡± I trailed off with an eyebrow raised, though I suspected I already knew what she meant.


    ¡°Reyna.¡± Yeah, rose-colored lenses and some really poorly aimed adulation.


    Of course, I¡¯m territorial enough I¡¯d planned on tracking it down anyway, but when she put it like that I really wanted to say no just to be a contrary bastard.


    Before I could say anything at all in response, one of the guests¡ªan older man in a suit nice enough I was pretty sure he was some kind of producer or higher up at the studio responsible for the movie¡ªstood to speak over the group. I have enough clout in the entertainment industry you¡¯d think I¡¯d have an idea more specific than that as to who he was, but I also cared very little about the industry so I¡¯ve never paid it much mind even on days where I wasn¡¯t busy with other more pressing things.


    Case in point, I¡¯d only paid enough attention to know he was calling an emergency meeting in one of the conference rooms on this floor.


    ¡°You need to evacuate, you can have your emergency meetings all you want but do it outside.¡± No one paid me any mind, already shuffling out of the room in a rush to take shelter in the conference room so I exhaled through my teeth and trailed after them.


    -----


    And so we found ourselves gathering in the conference room beneath the one I¡¯d woken up in.


    I knew that it was the one below because of the massive fracture in the wall that continued down from where I¡¯d used to stand earlier.


    ¡°Shite.¡± Jesse shot me a pointed look at the swear, but it melted into concern when she realized what I was looking at. ¡°About the djinn¡ª¡± I stopped as one of the other actresses squeezed in next to us, a look of disgust crossing her face when she recognized Jesse.


    ¡°Oh Jesse, I didn¡¯t see you here, I thought you were one of the bit parts,¡± she spoke with a mocking smile and I glanced at Jesse in question. ¡°Is this one your latest fling?¡± She winced, ¡°Your tastes sure have gone downhill.¡± Ah, an ex then.


    ¡°Wow,¡± I drew out the word as I spoke before I could filter myself even if I¡¯d wanted to, ¡°if I ever decide to off myself, I think I¡¯ll use your ego as my stepping off point.¡± Jesse¡¯s gaze snapped to me in shock and the actress¡¯s expression twisted into a scowl.


    ¡°You¡¯re the conspiracy nut, right? The one she got those pages from.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    I might need to work on reading when that¡¯s not an appropriate response again because apparently, this wasn¡¯t it.


    ¡°What kind of person is insane enough to document monster mythology?¡± You know, if I wasn¡¯t already fully aware I was at least partially insane, I might¡¯ve felt insulted.


    ¡°Given that these things are real, it¡¯s just documenting information to be passed on like scientific or medical journals,¡± I shrugged, ¡°why would you waste the time reinventing the wheel when lives are at stake, your own included.¡± The smile on my lips was maybe more cruel than necessary and I was wasting time with this argument, but she was grating on my nerves talking about my livelihood like that and I was already annoyed with everything going on and feeling unnecessarily antagonistic. ¡°No wonder you got such a small part if you¡¯re too proud to recognize that someone has more knowledge on a subject than you, let alone to try to learn from them.¡± She was shaking, maybe the eyes on us made it more frustrating than just my talking back.


    ¡°Anais¡ª¡± Jesse tried to step between us just as the other actress raised her hand, but I recognized the signs before she did, pulling Jesse out of the way before I caught the incoming arm around the wrist and used her momentum to twist her around.


    ¡°Your ego is going to get you put down if you keep this up,¡± whispered the words in her ear as she struggled against the iron grip I had on her. Then I surveyed the guests who¡¯d gone quiet as the argument had escalated. ¡°Someone want to come claim her?¡± A few of them exchanged nervous looks so I exhaled through my teeth, ¡°Quickly now, cause I¡¯ve got more important things to do than deal with you lot.¡± Finally, someone stepped forward, someone whose scent was familiar, though he still seemed hesitant.


    ¡°S¡ªSir¡ª¡± the actress began, hope in her scent until he cut her off with a glare.


    ¡°Miss¡ª¡± He stopped, swallowing hard on the nerves I could smell on him, ¡°Miss Fox,¡± he began and I realized why I knew his scent: he was the man I usually went through the handful of times I did anything in the industry, ¡°we didn¡¯t know you¡¯d be attending today.¡± It was fair, I supposed, I¡¯d never gone to a premiere before despite the open invitation they always sent. The actress had gone still in my grip, a few shades paler and trembling; she slumped to the floor in tears when I released her. ¡°I apologize on behalf of our actress,¡± he continued amicably as if it had nothing to do with him.


    ¡°I suggest you do something about the way you train your people,¡± it didn¡¯t sound like a suggestion with the way I smiled, ¡°before they piss off someone they can¡¯t afford to,¡± it sounded more like a threat. Then I turned for the door, ¡°Deal with it because I¡¯ve got more important problems right now and I can promise you won¡¯t like the way I handle it.¡±


    -----


    Jesse caught up with me before I¡¯d gotten far to finish our earlier conversation, paused as I was with a knife in my hand just outside the door.


    ¡°You¡¯re Fox? The one they say could cripple the industry on a whim?¡± I pulled a face at that.


    ¡°Why the hell would I bother with¡ª¡± I shook my head, ¡°Most I¡¯ve ever done is push some scripts through and kick the odd corrupt individual out of the industry, you think I have time or interest in micromanaging the entertainment industry here?¡± She started to argue as I returned my focus to carving a sigil across the door that should block the djinn¡­


    ¡­provided no one broke the threshold once it was in place and it really was a djinn.


    ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± Thankfully Jesse was willing to let it go for the time being it seemed.


    ¡°Since your people are so keen on staying in here, this should keep all of them alive,¡± I stopped before finishing the last line, ¡°so long as they stay inside until I come back, you included.¡± Jesse seemed to hesitate, but she didn¡¯t resist as I steered her back inside.


    ¡°Stay safe, Reyna.¡± I hummed in answer.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in that?¡± I closed the door before she could call me out on the comment, carving out the last line and tucking the knife back into my pocket. I pressed my hands to the wood on either side of the sigil, closing my eyes as I forced probably too much magic into it if the smell of smoke was anything to go off of.


    The sigil looked as if it¡¯d been branded into the wood when I stepped back; I guess I was still having a hard time controlling my output.


    At least the tremors had stopped.


    -----


    I found the bar in the VIP section.


    I know how that sounds, but I needed a container and glass works better than plastic.


    Side note though: a VIP section in a movie theatre makes about as much sense to me as those little arcades do, but I s¡¯pose at least today I was glad for the waste of space.


    Slightly annoyed to find the trash and recycling empty, but having to finish odd a bottle of liquor was a bit of a silver lining.


    I¡¯d settled on the counter with my sharpie and now empty liquor bottle to draw out the symbols to contain a djinn¡ªwould¡¯ve etched them in, but I didn¡¯t have a pick and it¡¯s really hard on a knife and I loathe the sound that makes¡ªwhen the djinn themself appeared in a cloud of space across the space.


    ¡°How did you escape the dream?¡± I barely looked up from the bottle at their appearance, though the fact I could feel the heat off of them even at this distance told me I¡¯d struck a nerve even without having to see their face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t have a whole lot of happy memories for you to feed on and genetic madness pretty much curbs any hope I¡¯ve got for the future.¡± I paused, looking up with a smile that did little to hide my true feelings on the subject. ¡°Kelly was a nice touch though,¡± that image hurt, ¡°clever, very clever,¡± and I was pissed. ¡°Might¡¯ve worked on someone else,¡± my smile was gone then, no longer hiding the cold fury inside and they shifted back, their form beginning to lose shape as their gaze settled on the bottle in my hand¡ªa clear threat even unfinished for the moment, ¡°but I learned young that dead things should stay dead; what comes back isn¡¯t the same as what died and I would never wish the pain of that existence on my own child.¡±


    No matter how much losing Kelly had broken me.


    ¡°I will have the others,¡± the djinn replied, their voice distant¡ªalien almost, ¡°they are not as you are, they will not wake so long as you do not interfere further.¡± With that as a warning, they vanished completely once again. I hummed to myself in mild annoyance.


    ¡°Yeah, telling me to stay out of things usually had the opposite effect,¡± I spoke to the air on the off chance they could still hear me before I returned my focus to the bottle, ¡°good luck getting through that door though.¡±


    -----


    Remember when I said I was pretty sure God wanted me dead?


    I may have been too specific with that statement¡ª


    I¡¯m pretty sure God goes out of His way to fuck me over some days.


    Right at this moment, I say that because I heard something big moving through the hall chasing someone who sounded human-sized.


    I swore under my breath and stuffed the bottle and my sharpie into my backpack, dropping from the bar top and darting toward the sound. I came around a corner in time to see what looked an awful lot like a wechuge chasing one of the guests into the bathroom.


    ¡°Fuck.¡± I went after it, stringing more curses together as the man¡¯s scream broke off into a bloody gurgle with the sounds of flesh ripping and tearing. The thick haze that painted the back of my throat with the taste of iron and copper forced me to slow in my stride. I didn¡¯t want to, but I needed to know for sure about what I was seeing turn the corner to approach me on long bony limbs that felt disjointed, empty eyes staring at me with an insatiable hunger. Its skin was mottled with ice and frostbite and patchy fur and its head was the skull of an elk, the mangey fur spreading across his shoulders and down his pack. He looked like wechuge, but he didn¡¯t smell like one, he smelled more like something born of magic, like a tulpa of some kind¡ªa being born from the power of belief or will.


    Which meant it was likely the djinn¡¯s doing based on one in the movie.


    Though having been essentially unconscious for at least half the movie, I wasn¡¯t sure how accurate it was to a real one.


    Likely not very.


    Well, most books and movies that featured monsters gave them sort of invulnerability to silver, so I pulled my pistol as I started backing away, taking a brief moment to be glad I¡¯d loaded for supernatural today.


    I unloaded the entire clip into the thing as it advanced in long strides, scrambling back out into the hall and away, but it didn¡¯t seem to do more than hurt it for a second. I swore under my breath when it clicked on empty and stuffed it into the back of my jeans, pulling my knife instead; it was a pocket knife not very big and not silver, but it was better than nothing.


    The wechuge rushed forward, slamming me into the wall and pinning me there with one long forearm, barely fazed as I slashed across its chest, the flesh freezing over with ice and black. It pressed in on me baring too many bloody teeth and exhaling breath that stank of rotting flesh. I pulled myself up to lock my legs around its arm and neck to hold it in place while I drove the knife through the side of its face between the joints of its jaw and twisted, prying them apart. Then I dropped the knife to grip both to pry them apart. Its bottom jaw tore off in my hand and the wechuge let out a gurgled cry of pain as its tongue flopped uselessly against my leg. It fell back, taking me with me but not shaking me lose as I gripped its skull in both hands and pulled. The skull tore off with a squelch of decaying flesh and frost dried skin and tumbled back off of it as it slumped to the floor. It was still moving though, and I wouldn¡¯t have felt sure it was dead without handling it correctly anyway. So I rolled away with the head and turned to the still twitching body in order to draw the Lurakil rune for fire in the air, giving shape to my intent. ¡°Ignis,¡± I spoke the word and the body caught, burning up like dry kindling.


    Then I looked at the head still in my hands and lay back for a moment with a heavy sigh.


    ¡°Fuck me,¡± I groaned the words; everything hurt, I wanted to overdose on pain killers and sleep for days.


    -----


    I practically kicked the door to the conference room open, ignoring the fact they fell immediately silent as I came in and eyed me warily. They parted as I approached the table, probably good considering I was covered in a fair amount of blood and still carrying the wechuge head.


    ¡°This,¡± the gore splashed a bit when I dropped it on the table with a heavy thud, ¡°is why I said you need to evacuate.¡± I heard and could smell some of those present getting sick at the sight but continued anyway, ¡°If you lot had listened to me the first time,¡± I fished the bloody wallet I¡¯d pulled from the gory remains of the dead guy in the bathroom and flipped it open to read the name, ¡°Eli¨¢? Je?ek</a> wouldn¡¯t be dead in the bathroom,¡± I gestured in the direction of the body before tossing the wallet onto the table with the head. ¡°Lucky this thing was based on the one you had in the movie or it would¡¯ve been a lot harder to kill.¡± Then I looked up again, meeting the frightened gaze of the man who¡¯d called this emergency meeting. ¡°So since you¡¯re all apparently a bunch of morons who can¡¯t follow direction; your emergency meeting. Best take it outside, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Reyna, be nice.¡± Jesse¡¯s sharp tone had me glance in her direction, but I was tired and I don¡¯t exactly play too well with others even on good days so I hummed quietly as if considering it before looking back at them.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you¡¯re all fucking morons; please leave.¡± As if waiting for permission, they bolted for the door, fighting each other to get through just a half-second faster until only Jesse and I remained. ¡°I meant you, too,¡± I spoke as I pulled the bottle from my backpack and climbed up onto the table to settle in the middle, ¡°unless you fancy getting trapped in a liquor bottle with a djinn.¡± She looked like she wanted to argue with me, but her gaze drifted to the bottle and she seemed to think better of it. I listened to her leave with the others as I drew the last few lines and then stretched out, popping my neck and my fingers and trying to work at least some of the soreness out before I settled the bottle in front of me and fell into a rhythmic chant in Lurakil¡ªa language long dead in most circles but still incredibly powerful¡ªas I kept my focus on the container. The djinn swore at me as their form materialized within the smoke that began to fill the space before me before it dissolved and rebuilt themself over and over, struggling against my grip on their being. The world had lost color everywhere I looked but them; they were a silvery shape filled with a Soul that glowed a unique shade of electric blue.


    ¡°You meddlesome¡ª!¡± I couldn¡¯t help the smirk at their outrage as I continued the binding spell, keeping my focus on the bottle.


    The last thing I heard was their continued screams echoing away before the bottle¡¯s lid sealed itself closed.


    I had just enough energy to fall off the table and stuff it into my bag to hide while I dialed the Council.


    Then my eyes closed and I was far too tired to open them again.

 July, 2015 - Pembroke, Maine

    I woke on the sofa in the back room of the shop, most of my cuts still stinging a bit, but healing quickly and otherwise feeling pretty good all things considered. The curtains were open for the window onto the alley but it was dark enough outside it didn¡¯t cast much light in the room except when the odd set of headlights would pass. I stretched, rolling off of the sofa to my feet and moving to look out on the quiet town; it was nice to be back after the overwhelming sights, sounds, and smells that came with cities the size of New York.


    The door to the shop opened behind me, but I didn¡¯t look even when I recognized Michael¡¯s scent and heard him pause there in the doorway.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake, then.¡± He kept his voice low¡ªquiet enough not to aggravate the slight headache I had, the last repercussion from breaking the djinn¡¯s spell.


    ¡°How long was I out?¡± I glanced back at him as a tense smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.


    ¡°A day,¡± he closed the door and settled in the desk chair, ¡°I know you¡¯ve survived worse, but just because you¡¯re capable of that much magic doesn¡¯t mean your body will always survive it,¡± he paused to study me for a moment as if to make sure I was listening, ¡°especially when it aggravates the Wild Hunt.¡± I forced a smile that was meant to be more reassuring than it probably was before looking back out the window with a deep breath; the future the djinn had created for me was still fresh in my mind, as if I couldn¡¯t quite shake it. ¡°What did he show you?¡± Maybe I was being unusually quiet because Michael seemed to read in my body language just how much it was bothering me. I looked back at him again, thinking it over for a moment before I decided to remain silent and offered only a shrug in answer.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter; I¡¯ll be fine in a day or two.¡± He gave me a look like he doubted my answer but didn¡¯t press the subject, opting instead to pick up one of the books from the desk and opening it to pick up where he¡¯d left off. ¡°You should wear your glasses when you read,¡± I spoke after a moment, pausing to collapse sideways into the armchair with my legs draped over one arm, ¡°you make this face when you read without them that makes it look like you¡¯re gonna kill someone.¡± Michael looked up, eyebrow raised as he studied me with his mismatched eyes¡ªone his natural black and the other a milky white.


    ¡°I never needed them before, I¡¯m not used to needing them.¡± I¡¯m not sure if he intended for it to sound as sharp as it did, but it was enough to make me wince.


    ¡°Don¡¯ start with that,¡± I couldn¡¯t help the defensive tone to my words even if part of me still considered him a friend; there was something to be said for keeping someone around who grew up similar to how I did. ¡°You started that mess, not me.¡± He laughed at that¡ªshort, but genuinely amused.


    ¡°You started that mess, all I did was follow orders.¡± The sound that escaped me at that was somewhere between a groan and a growl as I hung my head back; he wasn¡¯t technically wrong, I was the one who decided to enforce the Caeleste Lex¡ªthe laws protecting us from humans and humans from us¡ªwithin the East Coast resulting in what the Council liked to call a massacre that took almost a year to end.


    He hadn¡¯t been the first Reaper they sent to kill me at the time, but he¡¯d been the only one to go about it without pride blinding him.


    ¡°Asshole,¡± I finally muttered the word as he stood, taking his book with him.


    ¡°I picked that up from you,¡± Michael spoke with a smile, relaxed and free of the tension he¡¯d been carrying around since our trip to Maryland.


    It felt easier this way, when I thought about it, we both knew we weren¡¯t exactly good for each other the way we¡¯d been before.


    ¡°Where¡¯re you off to?¡± He paused at the question, glancing back at me over his shoulder.


    ¡°To bed,¡± he paused, looking away again for a moment as he seemed to hesitate, ¡°you should eat something, Reyna. There¡¯re leftovers from dinner in the fridge upstairs from dinner.¡± I nodded slightly, listening as he disappeared quickly upstairs. Then I leaned back again, pressing the heels of my palms to my eyes to stave off the slowly growing headache.


    -----


    I must¡¯ve dozed off again curled up on the armchair because the sound of quiet footsteps coming down the stairs woke me.


    ¡°Mum?¡± I stifled a yawn and rubbed sleep from my eyes as I looked toward Zevi where he hesitated at the bottom of the stairs, listening for my location.


    ¡°Hey love,¡± my voice was soft and I caught a small smile flicker across his lips for a moment in the dark before he made his way carefully across the room toward me, stumbling over the coffee table along the way still mostly asleep, it seemed. ¡°What¡¯re you still doing up?¡± I scooped him up on top of me with one arm once he was within reach, wrapping my arms around him when I noticed the trembling in his grip on my shirt and the fear in his scent.


    ¡°I¡ªI had a bad dream,¡± his voice sounded small enough I began stroking my fingers through his hair and down his back almost unconsciously.


    ¡°Why did you come find me instead of Michael? Then you wouldn¡¯t have needed to come down the stairs by yourself.¡± He shook his head at the question, burying his face in my chest rather than answer so I let slip a breathless lap as I leaned against the back of the chair again, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m kind of on the fence with him too, lately.¡± Then I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, ¡°Do you want to talk about your nightmare? Or just sleep down here with me for a while?¡± Zevi was quiet for long enough that I thought for a moment that he¡¯d fallen asleep again, but eventually he raised his face from my chest just enough to be barely audible.


    ¡°We were at the park for a picnic,¡± he spoke slowly, ¡°Loki and I were playing in the grass while you guys made sandwiches,¡± I tipped my head slightly to one side, not sure who he meant when he said ¡®you guys¡¯, but I didn¡¯t ask. ¡°Then I heard a phone ring and Loki and I stopped, we thought you¡¯d have to go, but you shook your head when you checked yours and he answered his. He talked on his phone for a while and when he finally hung up, he looked so sad, and the park had gotten dark. He said he had to go and you smiled even though you looked sad, but when he started to walk away, you were crying.¡± Zevi paused just long enough to swallow, ¡°Mum, you were crying and smiling at the same time.¡± I studied him for a long time, unsure of what to say. ¡°Mum?¡± I swallowed and reminded myself I needed to breathe.


    ¡°Yeah Zevi?¡± My voice sounded hollow when I finally found it.


    ¡°He left, didn¡¯t he?¡± I tipped my head slightly in my confusion, running my fingers through Zevi¡¯s silvery hair as much for my comfort as for his at this point.


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Jack.¡± My breath caught again. ¡°He¡¯s coming back though, right?¡± I hesitated, exhaling slowly through my teeth to buy myself time.


    ¡°Is he who was leaving in your dream?¡± He nodded slightly. ¡°You miss him too, hmm?¡± He flashed a small smile and nodded again. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯ll come back.¡± I leaned back slightly as Zevi curled up in the small space between me and the back of the chair, his head resting lightly on my chest as he closed his eyes with a tiny, wolfish yawn.


    ¡°Promise?¡± He seemed to be drifting back into sleep as he spoke and I couldn¡¯t help my smile.


    ¡°Promise.¡± He gave another small smile as his grip on my shirt relaxed slightly and gradually, I could feel his breathing fall into the steady rhythm of sleep.


    It wasn¡¯t a promise I¡¯d usually be able to make, seeing as it was mostly out of my control, but based on the fact Jack moved to an entirely new country to stay nearby, I suspected he wouldn¡¯t be gone for long.


    Even if he was, it wasn¡¯t like I didn¡¯t have ways to get him to come back.


    -----


    I¡¯d fallen asleep again there in the armchair with Zevi on top of me when I found myself woken again, this time by the sound of someone knocking on the window into the alley. A quiet grumble of mild annoyance escaped my lips as I looked toward the window to find a vaguely familiar silhouette outside and quickly rolled out of the chair to my feet, supporting Zevi with one arm.


    ¡°Jack?¡± I whispered his name in question as I approached the window with silent steps and his all too familiar wicked grin flashed across his face. He waved me outside but I still hesitated, taking a deep breath as I shifted my grip on Zevi, using the moment to focus on my sense of smell and sort through everything I was picking up within the block at least.


    Sure smelled like Jack¡­


    Still weird for him to just show up in the middle of the night when he¡¯s supposed to be in another state though.


    There was a cool breeze blowing through the alley when I finally stepped outside so I paused again to close my eyes and take another deep breath, relaxing slightly under the night sky. Jack was grinning at me when I opened my eyes again, leaning against the old brick with all the ease as if he was some sort of fixture there. ¡°What¡¯re you doing here?¡± His smile widened slightly despite the wariness in my tone even now that I knew that scent was his.


    ¡°You look great,¡± his laugh was light and considering how ripped up and bloody my clothes were at this point, I was surprised when I didn¡¯t smell any alcohol on him, ¡°and kind of sweet.¡± His gaze drifted to Zevi where he still slept in my arms.


    ¡°I look like I was in a wrestling match with a wechuge. Answer the question, Jack.¡± My voice was a low growl, paranoia and mental exhaustion had me tense and hostile even with as long as I¡¯ve known him.


    Or thought I knew him¡­


    ¡­once upon a time, maybe.


    ¡°Jesse called, she said you guys ran into a djinn at her premiere.¡± Jack shrugged as if it really had nothing to do with him beyond playing the good brother, ¡°She sounded like she was still worried about you, so I promised I¡¯d try to get in touch.¡± I studied him, runnin my tongue over my canines almost unconsciously as I tasted the worry radiating off of him in waves.


    ¡°You do remember I can smell and see people¡¯s emotions, right?¡± He exhaled slowly, as if he didn¡¯t want to admit he¡¯d been worried to.


    ¡°Yeah, I remember.¡± He didn¡¯t correct the lie though.


    ¡°And that doesn¡¯t answer why you¡¯re here in person,¡± I continued once I¡¯d decided I didn¡¯t care enough at the moment to press the subject. ¡°I thought you were in Massachusetts. Do you have time to be coming back in the middle of the night on a work day?¡± He shrugged.


    ¡°To be perfectly honest, I probably shouldn¡¯t be here.¡± I started to agree, to send him back, but he wasn¡¯t finished, ¡°but I don¡¯t care.¡± Any argument I had died on my tongue at that. A small smile appeared on his lips for a moment, almost shy compared to what I was used to seeing on his face and therefore alien to me. ¡°I wanted to see you,¡± he moved closer¡ªslowly, as if he was approaching a wild animal.


    I took a sudden breath and started breathing again.


    I was forgetting that a lot tonight, it seemed.


    But I still had no words to answer him with.


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.We stood in silence like that for a long time before I heard a door open and close upstairs and glanced over my shoulder, listening.


    ¡°Reyna?¡± Michael called down the stairs in a stage whisper and I glanced back at Jack, pressing a finger to my lips.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± I called back without looking.


    ¡°You coming to bed tonight?¡± Jack seemed to flinch at Michael¡¯s question, but the look was gone so quick that I couldn¡¯t be sure.


    ¡°Eventually?¡± I paused for a moment, ¡°Just go back to sleep.¡± I could swear I could hear Michael¡¯s exasperated sigh from here before I heard the bedroom door close again as he went back to sleep.


    ¡°You forgave him?¡± Jack sounded genuinely surprised and I studied him while I hummed in thought.


    ¡°Define forgive,¡± I bit out the words before raking my fingers through my hair and exhaling through my teeth. ¡°We¡¯re not back together like that, that was an accident in the first place¡ª¡± He opened his mouth as if to ask, but I could guess the question so I didn¡¯t give him the chance, ¡°alcohol in December, you remember how I¡ª¡± I swallowed, ¡°how I get. Anyway, no, I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll ever trust him again, but he can¡¯t survive without me and that¡¯s my doing,¡± I forced a smile that probably wasn¡¯t all that convincing, ¡°Jesse¡¯s always on me about being more responsible for my actions, so here we are.¡± There was a cold to the fire in Jack¡¯s amber eyes that made me continue almost as if to explain, ¡°I sleep in the armchair most of the time I¡¯m here anyway, it¡¯s not a big deal.¡±


    ¡°Damn it,¡± he drew a hand down his face, ¡°why do you have to do that?¡± It was a rhetorical question¡­ or at least I hoped it was because I hadn¡¯t the faintest idea what he meant by ¡®that¡¯.


    Then he started laughing, a dry, frustrated laugh as if he¡¯d suddenly lost his mind¡­


    or what was left of it anyway.


    As a genius, it was hard to say if he had much of one to begin with.


    ¡°You were never supposed to mean so much to me; I was supposed to be fine when you took off,¡± there was something in his scent and his expression with those words, an odd mix of hatred, frustration, and desperation, ¡°but I wasn¡¯t fine, it hurt like hell when you left¡ªseeing you with that damn ring made me want to hate you and hate him and I couldn¡¯t because he was a good guy and he made you happy and I still love you.¡±


    ¡®Love,¡¯ present tense.


    I swallowed hard.


    ¡°Jack,¡± I began but I wasn¡¯t sure what to say when I wasn¡¯t sure how I felt about much of anything anymore¡­


    If I still felt anything.


    We stood in silence for a long time before he took a deep breath and dug a hand into his pocket to pull out a necklace chain with a familiar ring hanging on the end of it and my gaze narrowed slightly even as he held it out to me. ¡°Wow,¡± I drew out the word as I took it, ¡°you heard about the funeral and still stole the ring he gave me. That¡¯s a new low.¡±


    Not that I was one to talk when it came to ¡®new lows¡¯.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s bad, I don¡¯t know what I was thinking, I just¡­¡± He breathed a heavy sigh, ¡°I don¡¯t know, I didn¡¯t even realize I took it until I got back to the hotel that day. I wanted to give it back, but I wasn¡¯t sure how to bring it up. Sorry to wake you in the middle of the night like this.¡± I stuffed the ring and its chain into my pocket and scratched the back of my head as he started to drift toward the street, ¡°I¡¯ll see you around,¡± the way he said those words made it sound like he didn¡¯t plan on coming back.


    That thought drew out more pain in my chest than I would¡¯ve thought, maybe because of all of the references to him leaving I¡¯d been seeing or hearing lately.


    ¡°Jack,¡± my voice cracked slightly as I called out to him, but I barely noticed. Jack stopped at least, but he kept his back toward me for the time being. ¡°We missed you, too.¡± He looked back at me over his shoulder, his eyes alight with the familiar spark that had been gone the last time I¡¯d seen him before leaving, and I couldn¡¯t look away. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m glad you came back,¡± my voice was barely a whisper, as if I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted to admit the words aloud. An easy smile tugged slightly at the corner of his mouth at the words, the same smile he used to show me back in London.


    -----


    We¡¯d climbed up to the roof from the fire escape for a better view of the stars while we talked. Zevi lay sound asleep wrapped in Jack¡¯s coat between us while we pointed out constellations and swapped stories about life since I left London. They became more recent as I told him what I remembered of Jesse¡¯s movie and about the djinn and the off-brand wechuge.


    ¡°How¡¯d you kill it? If you didn¡¯t see the end of the movie it was based on?¡± He¡¯d rolled to face me as he asked and I hesitated under his gaze for a moment.


    ¡°Basically?¡± I shrugged as best I could laying on my back, speaking slowly, ¡°I tore its head off and burned the body.¡± Jack¡¯s laugh was short with disbelief.


    ¡°Jesse mentioned you dropped a head on the table, I thought she was exaggerating.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to make a point.¡± Another laugh escaped him and he shook his head slightly as if somewhere between disbelief and resignation. Then he changed the subject, using it as a segue into telling me about the pitch he had to make later today.


    The image came to mind of Jack¡ªthe man who¡¯d started his cybersecurity business by hacking into a handful of major firms and then walking in with a flashdrive to show them all of the holes he¡¯d found¡ªin a suit giving a presentation like a normal businessman and I couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    ¡°How is that funny?¡± He sounded almost indignant, but there was still a smile on his face.


    ¡°Cambion or not, I have a hard time picturing you giving a pitch without holding something over them,¡± I grinned as I rolled to face him, ¡°I mean the first thing you said to me was a bad pickup line.¡± His lips tugged into a smirk even as his amber gaze narrowed into a glare.


    ¡°It worked, didn¡¯t it?¡± I raised an eyebrow at that, humming as if in thought as he continued, ¡°Besides, you know me; I¡¯m well versed in the art of pretending to be a gentleman.¡± My laugh came a little harsher than I¡¯d meant it.


    ¡°I do know you, and that is debatable.¡± I reached out on impulse to touch him, running my thumb across his lip as if to feel his smile, marveling quietly at the way I could feel his breath catch and hear his heart rate pick up at the contact, ¡°And it only worked because I was looking for someone to eat,¡± I licked my lips slowly as my fingers traced down to his neck where I could feel him swallow whatever he might¡¯ve wanted to say, ¡°and you happened to taste delicious.¡± Jack closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before he rolled onto his back again, out of my reach to watch the colors in the sky change. His movement was enough to snap me out of my reverie and draw back, swallowing hard on whatever impulses I might¡¯ve been about to follow as I rolled back as well.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad I came back,¡± he finally broke the silence with a contented sigh, folding his arms behind his head, ¡°even if it was just for the night.¡± I started to reply even before I really knew how, but the sound of the back door cut me off.


    Damn was his heartbeat distracting.


    ¡°Reyna?¡± I exhaled through my teeth before rolling to my feet in a low crouch.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± I called back once I¡¯d reached the edge of the roof overlooking the alley, careful not to wake Zevi. Michael looked up, following the sound of my voice with mild surprise.


    ¡°What¡¯re you doing up there?¡± I shrugged, glancing back briefly when I heard Jack shift to prop himself up on an elbow.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t sleep, figured I¡¯d do some stargazing.¡± Michael studied me for a moment, his expression making me suspect he was debating whether or not to press for details considering he knew I was still hung up on the djinn¡¯s dream.


    ¡°You have the other kid up there with you?¡± Guess he decided against it so I nodded slightly.


    ¡°He¡¯s asleep.¡± He covered his mouth as he yawned and shook his head slightly.


    ¡°Alright then,¡± he waved it off, ¡°I guess I¡¯ll go back to sleep then.¡± I watched in silence as he disappeared back into the building, closing the back door behind him. Jack watched me, waiting while I cocked my head to one side, listening until I heard the faint click of the bedroom door before I moved back to my space beside Zevi. He remained silent again for a while, watching as the sun began to peek above the horizon.


    ¡°Hey,¡± even to me, my voice sounded almost hollow when I broke the silence, ¡°you should start heading back.¡± Jack was almost glaring at the sun through narrowed eyes when I glanced back at him, as if daring it to continue.


    It ignored him of course; Skoll was a bigger threat than anything he could do, really.


    After a moment, he seemed to give up, the dark haze around him dissipating some as he exhaled slowly.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he didn¡¯t exactly sound convinced as he met my gaze, ¡°guess I should.¡± So he said, but he made no move to get up just yet.


    ¡°It¡¯s a six hour drive minimum, Jack, you¡¯re gonna be late as is.¡± He let slip a defeated laugh.


    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± he reached out to me, ¡°give me a hand up?¡± I clasped his forearm and braced to pull him up, but instead found myself tumbling forward¡ªaround Zevi¡ªand landing on top of him with a surprised yelp. Jack clamped a hand over my mouth to muffle any other sound I might¡¯ve made as he pressed a finger to his lips and flashed a mischievous grin. ¡°You¡¯ll wake Zevi,¡± he whispered the words with a teasing tone as he uncovered my mouth in favor of an iron grip on my waist, pinning me where I lay. My gaze narrowed slightly, pupils constricting with the dim light and my focus on him, but he didn¡¯t give me the chance to speak, ¡°I¡¯d nearly forgotten how good you looked in a dress shirt.¡± I considered pointing out that my shirt was going straight into the fireplace when I changed, it was so stained with dried blood and viscera, but it didn¡¯t seem to slow him down any as he laced his fingers through my hair, shifting it out of the way to press his lips to the side of my neck. A low hum escaped my lips as he trailed more kisses along the vein there until I snapped out of it long enough to block him, my hand pressed over his mouth.


    ¡°Jack¡ª¡± my voice cracked¡ªcause, fuck me, of course it cracked¡ªand I felt him smile against my fingers before he gripped my wrist, pulling my hand away enough to nibble on my fingertips, grazing all of the hypersensitive nerves between the long faded scars there and sending an unconscious shiver down my spine.


    ¡°Mum?¡± We both froze at Zevi¡¯s quiet voice, though I was quick to extract my fingers from Jack¡¯s mouth.


    He only flashed a sort of devious grin that made me want to kiss him and punch him all at once.


    The bastard.


    ¡°Yeah, love?¡± It turned into a knowing smirk at my word choice¡ªI¡¯d picked that up from him, after all¡ªbut I was quick to ignore him.


    ¡°I smell Jack.¡± A chuckle escaped my lips and I pulled away from Jack¡¯s grip to scoop Zevi up into my arms again.


    ¡°I told you he¡¯d come back.¡± Jack raised an eyebrow at me in a question I was quick to ignore.


    ¡°Hey Jackie?¡± A wicked smirk flickered across my lips as Jack winced, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers at Zevi¡¯s use of the nickname.


    ¡°Yeah Zevi?¡± He sounded like he was having a hard time not commenting on it.


    ¡°If you stay, does that mean you¡¯ll be our dad?¡± My eyes widened in shock at the question.


    ¡°Zevi,¡± I began slowly, intending to choose my words carefully to put the idea out of his head, but Jack just flashed that infernal smile of his and cut in before I could figure out what to say.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know kid, that one¡¯s kind of up to her,¡± he was still laughing as he answered and all I could do was shoot him a dirty look.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have somewhere you need to be?¡± Even phrased as a question as it was, the look in my eyes must¡¯ve made it clear it wasn¡¯t because for once, Jack actually seemed to listen.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going,¡± he shifted close to me again, pressing his lips to my cheek in a quick kiss while he ruffled Zevi¡¯s hair before he was out of reach again with one last smile. Then he disappeared over the edge of the roof, ¡°I¡¯ll see you guys when I get back.¡± I took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of my nose while I listened to his steps recede down the fire escape and out into the street before I couldn¡¯t quite pick them out anymore. Zevi yawned in my lap, already dozing off again as I turned my attention back to the rising sun;


    I didn¡¯t want to go back down¡ª


    ¡ªnot yet.

 August, 2015 - Pembroke, Maine

    Normally, I¡¯m the one owed favors by other hunters rather than the other way around because I¡¯m who they call when no one else can handle the ¡®problem¡¯ whatever that might be.


    Also because I absolutely despise being in someone else¡¯s debt.


    The phone call I got earlier today was a perfect example of why I hate owing a debt.


    Loki and Zevi had finally stopped ageing at an accelerated rate and looked to be about two years old by human standards, so I was filling out paperwork to enroll them in a local preschool while I had a few minutes of free time, but of course the free time didn¡¯t last long.


    The old rotary phone on the shop wall started ringing and I reached out to answer without even looking back, only half paying attention to the call.


    ¡°Dogwood Apothecary, how may I help you?¡± The voice on the other hand chuckled.


    My muscles tensed and I straightened up as I recognized the sound.


    ¡°You know, even when you gave me this number and said it was to a place like that, I never expected it to be true.¡± I swallowed hard on the snarl that threatened to peel back my lips.


    ¡°Parker,¡± my voice was cold and even instead as I leaned back against the wall of shelves behind me, spinning the pen in my free hand across my knuckles as if it were my knife, ¡°what do you want?¡±


    ¡°You owe me, Wildes,¡± I bared my teeth at the way he spoke as if holding it above me, ¡°or did you forget?¡± Instead of taking the bait, I let an exaggerated sigh slip through my teeth.


    ¡°I¡¯m a busy person, Parker, I¡¯d appreciate it if you didn¡¯t waste my time, so I suggest you get to the point quickly.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all busy, save it for someone who¡ª¡± I didn¡¯t let him get further.


    ¡°Alright, bye then,¡± I started to hang up, but Parker began shouting into the other end.


    ¡°Wait! Really, I need to call in the favor.¡± I lifted the phone back to my ear.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like having to repeat myself.¡± He exhaled slowly, maybe in relief¡ªit was a lot harder for me to read people on their voice alone.


    ¡°I have this buddy trying to move something... rare... our kind of rare, and he needs someone with a reputation to confirm it or the buyer won¡¯t bite.¡± I pinched the bridge of my nose between my fingers, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath.


    ¡°And you want me to do it?¡± There was a grunt on the other end that I assumed was a yes. ¡°And what, pray tell, am I supposed to be verifying?¡±


    ¡°A B¨¦lu?.¡± I was quiet for a long time when he said that, struggling to keep myself from cracking the receiver in my hand as my grip tightened.


    ¡°So that¡¯s why it had to be me, not just some other hunter,¡± I was quiet when I spoke, ¡°because I have Soul Collector blood.¡± There was another affirmative grunt and I took another deep breath, exhaling through my teeth. ¡°Fine, but after this, you lose my number.¡± I paused, finally setting the pen down and putting the preschool paperwork in a folder under the counter before I broke the silence again, ¡°Where am I going?¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d do it¡ª¡± I could hear the triumph in his voice and it made me want to punch him.


    ¡°Where, Parker.¡± It was more of a growl than a question that time, but still it got the point across.


    ¡°Palm Bay, Florida. Give me a call when you hit town, I¡¯ll give you the address.¡± I frowned slightly, hanging up before I leaned heavily on the counter and let out a sound half groan and half growl.


    ¡°Fucking Florida,¡± I muttered the words¡ªI don¡¯t do so well in more tropical climates¡ªand took a deep breath, running my fingers through my hair as I tried to find a silver lining.


    If there was one, I wasn¡¯t finding it.


    After a few more minutes of pointless procrastination, I shook my head and straightened up, slipping through the door into the back where Michael was sitting at the desk with a book. ¡°Michael.¡± He looked up at me in question over the rims of his glasses, ¡°I just got a call about a job,¡± a sort of unspoken understanding filled his expression and he leaned back in the chair, ¡°if you need help with the pups, call Jesse.¡± He nodded slightly as I unlocked my cabinet and pulled out my duffel and a tungsten and silver glaive with a telescoping shaft. ¡°I¡¯ll see you when I get back.¡± I started to go without another word, but he caught my arm in his grip despite the fact I flinched away from the contact.


    ¡°I know I¡¯m still on thin ice with you,¡± he paused with a very obvious fake smile, though he was getting better at that, ¡°but come back safe.¡± I nodded slightly, not sure how to respond before he let go of my arm and returned to his book. I left my bag by the back door and took the stairs two at a time.


    ¡°Loki, Zevi,¡± I called through their door before opening it slowly to find the two of them immersed in a game of war with toy soldiers, legos, and lincoln logs.


    ¡°Mum,¡± Loki looked up excitedly and Zevi grinned when they heard me come in; it almost broke my heart that I had to leave.


    ¡°Hey, who¡¯s winning?¡± I crouched beside them, a smile playing at my lips as I observed the little battlefield while they¡ªLoki, mostly¡ªrattled off who was involved and why even if a lot of it didn¡¯t make sense in the real world. After a long pause, Zevi finally spoke up for more than a few seconds.


    ¡°You have to go, don¡¯t you?¡± I reached out to ruffle his hair and tried to sound light hearted.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be gone for a while,¡± I forced a smile, ¡°but I¡¯ll have lots of stories to tell you when I get back, alright?¡± They clung to me for a few minutes in silent goodbyes and I kissed the top of their heads in return, Alix</a>¡¯s words echoing in my head:


    Do you know why you never say goodbye? It''s because even though you know you may be going off to never come back, you also know that you might come back, and saying goodbye is preparing for the worst.


    Goodbye is a confirmation.


    ¡°Good hunting, mum.¡± I laughed softly as the boys drew me back from the memory.


    ¡°Be good, alright, go easy on Michael.¡± I climbed to my feet and started to leave, but Zevi clung to my leg a moment longer. I touched his back in a light signal before lifting him up to rest on my hip, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, love?¡± He pressed a toy soldier into my hand and I frowned.


    ¡°This one is you.¡± I laughed quietly as I examined the little green man; a sniper laying on an invisible hill, ¡°She¡¯ll make sure you come home, just like you do for other people.¡± My gaze shifted to look him over for a long time in silence.


    ¡°Who told you that¡¯s what I do?¡± Zevi¡¯s small smile lit up his pale blue eyes and I could swear it was infectious, tugging at my lips too.


    ¡°Jack did.¡± I took a deep breath, shaking my head slightly.


    ¡°He has a very different way of looking at things than most people do.¡± Still I smiled and tucked the little army man into my pocket, ¡°I¡¯ll come home,¡± I set Zevi back on the floor beside his brother and stepped back toward the door, ¡°promise.¡± Then I slipped back out the door and down the stairs to retrieve my duffle before heading out to start the long drive to Florida.

 August, 2015 - Palm Bay, Florida

    If I didn¡¯t already know what Hell was like, I would compare it to the long drive to Palm Bay in the August heat. The drive to the ¡®buyer¡¯s¡¯ house somehow felt even longer, largely due to my hatred of trying to navigate cities I was unfamiliar with around a ridiculous amount of traffic for the time of day I got there. The address Parker gave me was to a large house probably closer to being categorized as a mansion, but having spent a large chunk of my life living in a castle, my perception might be a bit skewed.


    I do know that my jeep, old and beat up as it is, stuck out like a sore thumb when I climbed out.


    Parker met me at the door accompanied by a tall, hawkish man with a reserved expression and the distinct air of someone who considered themself above others.


    ¡°You¡¯re the ¡®expert¡¯ this one was telling me about?¡± The man spoke with an eyebrow raised and a critical eye as he looked me over in a way that reminded me of a museum owner. ¡°How interesting.¡± I ignored the hairs standing on end at the back of my neck and drew my fake smile across my lips as I offered a hand in greeting.


    ¡°Reyna Wildes. I hear you¡¯re considering the purchase of a rather rare exotic mammal and need someone to determine whether it¡¯s real.¡± The man nodded slowly in confirmation but made no move to shake my hand so I stuffed it into my coat pocket instead.


    ¡°Reginal Bacchus,¡± his introduction was curt and clipped before he turned back into the house.


    ¡°He grows on you,¡± Parker broke his silence once the man in question was out of earshot; somehow I doubted that, but I didn¡¯t comment as I followed him inside. ¡°My buddy is waiting with the beast further in, we¡¯ll meet him there.¡± I took a deep breath, keeping my focus on the back of Bacchus¡¯s very expensive jacket to avoid getting sticky fingers while I followed his lead with Parker in stride close by.


    -----


    When Bacchus introduced the side wing of his house as the gallery, I was expecting art or artefacts like what you might find in a museum. Instead, that only fit if we¡¯re talking mostly of the zoology exhibit. A chill ran down my spine as I surveyed what seemed to be a massive collection of taxidermy creatures or artefacts most humans would only have nightmares about.


    ¡°This way,¡± Parker drew my attention from the pukwudgie¡ªa small, quilled goblinoid¡ªcurled in the fetal position in a jar that smelled of formaldehyde, glassy eyes staring out in the terror written clear across its face. I swallowed hard and followed him down the hall with deliberate tunnel vision until I picked up the sound of two new heartbeats and what sounded at this distance like a fast watch. There was a large cage at the end of the hall, 12 foot by 12 foot I¡¯d guess based on the fact the B¨¦lu?inside was about the same length as each side she paced.


    There was fear and anger coming off her in waves with the faint scent of milk¡ªshe¡¯d given birth recently, the poor bastard. She smelled of a caged animal, enough to cast a dark haze over my vision as I took in the relatively fresh straw with traces of blood in her otherwise empty cage.


    It took everything I had to keep my canines and my eyes from changing as my blood became an icy boil.


    ¡°You must be the expert Parker mentioned,¡± a tall, lean man I pegged vaguely as Middle Eastern or North African based on the faint lilting accent I picked up drew my focus away from the B¨¦lu? as we drew near, ¡°He didn¡¯t tell me your name though.¡±


    ¡°Reyna Wildes,¡± I spoke numbly as I offered a hand, looking away from the intense gaze he fixed on me as he drew my hand to his lips.


    ¡°Queen of the Wildes, a beautifully fitting name for such a woman.¡± I pulled my hand free in rising distrust, letting it linger near the knife on my belt, ¡°My name is Achar.¡± First name only¡ªhe¡¯s a veteran in the business. He moved away from the B¨¦lu? with a sweeping gesture, ¡°If you would?¡± The expression on my face must have betrayed my apprehension because there was a charming smile on his lips when I glanced his direction before crouching near the bars of the cage.


    ¡°Coliquie,¡± I murmured the Lurakil and watched the beast approach, her movements slowed and sluggish until she collapsed against the bars in front of me, chuffing quietly to herself. I stroked wirey fur in a soothing motion and closed my eyes for a moment, taking down the psychological walls I¡¯d put up to keep from ever really looking at anyone unless I needed to know what they were without their scent.


    When I opened my eyes again, my world was dark shades of grey with silvery lines detailing my surroundings and splashes of color in the living creatures nearby; Alix¡¯s blood ran thicker in me than it did in most Soul Collectors, she¡¯d told me once that what I saw was closer to how she saw the world. The beast¡¯s soul was black like smoke, with the odd flashes of reds and oranges as if an onyx stone catching firelight; she was truly as they claimed, a B¨¦lu?.


    An overwhelming wave of sorrow threatened to drown me from my connection with the beast and I jerked back, closing my eyes and dragging a hand down my face as I rebuilt the walls in my head. I sat back on my heels as I opened my eyes to the familiar warmth of color and the beast huffed, rising to her feet to continue her pacing.


    ¡°So what is your¡­ professional,¡± he sounded as if it physically pained him to call me that, ¡°opinion of the beast?¡± Bacchus awaited my answer with an eager gleam in his eyes and I thought about asking which one just to be difficult; Achar didn¡¯t smell completely human though I hadn¡¯t recognized what he was, Parker was capable of some pretty terrible things in the name of survival, and I¡­ I¡¯m the monster that gives monsters nightmares.


    Achar observed me with an increasingly unnerving degree of interest and any smartass quips I might¡¯ve made lost their appeal.


    ¡°She¡¯s real,¡± my voice was low as I straightened up and turned to leave. Their voices followed me back down the hall as they discussed a price.


    -----


    ¡°Miss Wildes,¡± Achar called as he approached but I paid him no mind, too focused on the very large muilti-tailed canid with the coloring of an African Wild Dog in the display before me. ¡°Miss Wildes?¡± Achar tried again, peering into my face, ¡°Are you alright?¡± His fingers brushed my arm and I jerked away with a fox¡¯s snarl¡­


    or I would¡¯ve normally¡­


    Instead, I almost leaned into the touch as if he was magnetic.


    ¡°Tell me, in your ¡®professional opinion¡¯,¡± there was no small amount of sarcasm in those words as I mocked Bacchus¡¯s manner of speech, ¡°how much would a hybrid of a Soul Collector and an Alcaimynder go for by your estimation?¡± He raised an eyebrow at the question.


    ¡°They¡¯re both pretty rare so either one would be quite pricey, but a hybrid¡­¡± he trailed off in thought, ¡°The only hybrid I¡¯m aware of is¡ª¡± he broke off with a laugh as he realized why I¡¯d asked, ¡°Something like that¡ª¡± he reached out to trace along my cheek, ¡°Something like you is far too beautiful for a cage, your highness.¡± I bared my teeth in an unconscious snarl at the title and his slight bow, but he only laughed again as if it were a game, ¡°and I¡¯d pity the fool who tried.¡± Some distant part of my brain registered that I don¡¯t like contact, but the complaint was lost somewhere in the haze that krept through my mind the same way it usually did each December. Achar¡¯s smile was charming, the gold in his eyes glittering in the light, ¡°Our host has offered you a room for the night,¡± he smelled of aftershave and cinnamon as he leaned just a bit closer, whispering the suggestion in my ear, ¡°I recommend taking him up on the offer.¡± Then he was gone, but the haze lingered and I¡­


    I felt as though I could only watch myself from the outside.


    -----


    There was a knock on the door to the room Reyna had agreed to stay in and she answered almost immediately, setting her journal aside and scrambling out of the armchair. Achar stood on the other side, his five o¡¯clock shadow painting him a little older despite the rather boyish grin he flashed her.


    ¡°You decided to stay,¡± it wasn¡¯t a question the way he said it but she still nodded slightly, stepping back to let him in before closing the door behind him.


    ¡°So what did you come here for?¡± Her voice was softer than it normally would¡¯ve been on those words as Achar began to close the distance between them.


    ¡°How far do you trust Parker?¡± Reyna was silent for a moment, thinking over how to answer.


    ¡°I¡¯d say about as far as I could throw him, but I¡¯m not sure I even trust him that much.¡± He breathed a sigh of relief at her answer settling his hands on both of her arms as if to hold her in place.


    ¡°Does he know what you are?¡± She cocked her head to the side.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe so, at least not anything specific beyond Soul Collector and something else,¡± she paused a moment, tapping her temple in reference to her eyes, ¡°it would take an immense amount of energy to hide my pupils long term, but Raposa are more common than Owhi or any other kind of Alcaimynder and we get mixed up often enough. Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°He has debts, big ones he planned to sell you to Bacchus to pay off, I was to be the broker for the deal but you¡­ you are not one I would make an enemy of lightly.¡± Reyna laughed at those words, annoyance creeping through the haze in her mind. She turned, started to leave but he tightened his grip on her arms to hold her in place, ¡°How would you do it without witnesses?¡± She knew why he asked, she¡¯d seen the tight security throughout the building and she could magically kill the system, but a system that runs the entire building would leave her with a nasty headache and there was a better option anyway as a slow smile curled devilishly across her lips.


    ¡°The B¨¦lu?,¡± she spoke simply, ¡°I¡¯ll let out the B¨¦lu?.¡± His grip would around her waist as she started to pull away again, holding her tight against him with one arm while the other traced up to her cheek, lifting her chin to press his lips hard to hers.


    ¡°Tomorrow,¡± he breathed the word when he pulled back. She offered Achar a brief smile before pulling out of his grip.


    ¡°Tomorrow, but tonight is the best time to unlock the cage,¡± Reyna left with those words, off to sneak back into the gallery.


    -----


    The B¨¦lu? watched with onyx eyes as Reyna approached the cage on silent feet.


    ¡°Coliquie,¡± she spoke the same Lurakil as earlier, but with more force behind her intent, enough that the beast took one staggering step and collapsed while her eyelids grew heavy, ¡°tomorrow morning when you wake, the door will be unlocked.¡± Reyna stroked through the B¨¦lu?¡¯s fur between the bars before shifting to the lock on the door, using the picks tucked into her belt to unlock the deadbolt before tucking them away again. Then she was gone, back to her room for the night as if nothing was wrong.


    -----


    Reyna woke to the soft sensation of someone pressing light kisses along her neck and sunlight streaming through the window casting mottled shadows across the bedsheets. She stirred slowly, looking back with an easy smile as Achar tightened his grip on her waist to hold her closer as he pressed another silent kiss to her shoulder. His eyes glittered like gold in the light.


    ¡°Good morning, Reyna,¡± he spoke softly with a smile and a light kiss.


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.She started to reply, but there was a knock at the door and she glanced that way with little worry.


    ¡°I guess I should get that,¡± she spoke the words barely a whisper, but still Achar chuckled, pressing a kiss to her cheek at the corner of her lips before loosening his grip on her waist enough to let her up. Reyna pulled a robe before answering the door with a stifled yawn.


    ¡°Miss Wildes,¡± the man outside gave a slight bow and she frowned, shaking her head slightly at the gesture, ¡°Master Bacchus has invited you to dine with him this morning,¡± the man looked past her, surprise flickering across his face for the briefest second before his composure returned, ¡°an invitation he extends to you as well, master Achar.¡± Reyna looked back over her shoulder to find Achar propped up on an elbow, listening quietly to the one-sided conversation. He gave a slight nod before rolling onto his back, arms folded behind his head.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Reyna turned back to the man at the door, nodding slightly, ¡°thank you. We¡¯ll be there once we¡¯ve dressed.¡± The man gave another slight bow before he turned on his heel and disappeared down the hall to deliver their answer. Then she closed the door, leaning back against it. Achar watched her, patting the bed beside him to call her back over.


    Reyna started to go, but something cut through the haze on her mind and made her stop.


    She remained silently by the door until he sat up with a look of confusion.


    ¡°Reyna?¡± She smiled at his voice, something distant in that expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she spoke softly, ¡°I need to take a shower and get ready to go.¡± She started toward the bathroom, pausing with a hand on the doorknob and flashing a smile over her shoulder, ¡°Did you want to join me?¡± Achar¡¯s expression fractured into shock for a moment before he grinned back.


    ¡°If I did that, we¡¯d be late.¡± Reyna laughed quietly before slipping through the door.


    -----


    Breakfast ended in blood.


    It went quite simply.


    Bacchus died with his heart in Reyna¡¯s hand, blood pouring from the wound and staining her fingers red.


    Not that she minded really, she was used to having blood on her hands¡­ and it was delicious as she licked her fingers clean.


    They left the body there, the B¨¦lu? would likely get to it soon.


    And I didn¡¯t care.


    Achar watched as I licked the last drops away, his eyes glittering like gold as he smiled. He started to speak, but another voice cut him off.


    ¡°I was right about you.¡± Achar and Reyna looked toward the voice in surprise. Parker stood in the doorway with a gun in his hand and Reyna smiled, a slow, wolfish curl of her lips to reveal sharp teeth in a chilling reminder of how easy it would be for her to tear open his throat. ¡°You¡¯re going to be just as valuable as I thought.¡±


    ¡°Parker,¡± Achar began but Parker ignored anything he might¡¯ve had to say.


    ¡°Move,¡± he gestured toward the door with the gun, ¡°to the gallery.¡± Achar and Reyna exchanged worried glances¡ªthe B¨¦lu? should be waking soon¡ªbefore Reyna took the first steps toward the gallery; she didn¡¯t see much choice at the moment, she was fast and a bullet wouldn¡¯t kill her, but it would still hurt. Parker walked behind the two, calling out directions from time to time and repeatedly jamming the pistol into her spine until Reyna finally lashed out, her eyes red-gold constricted to slivers and canines slicing into her lip. Her fist connected with his jaw and he stumbled back, but then the gun went off and a searing pain ripped through the haze of my mind¡­


    ...waking me up.


    Parker laughed, slamming the cage door in my face before I could get my hands on him. ¡°A beast like you should feel right at home until I need you.¡±


    ¡°Open this door Parker,¡± my voice was low, a smile curling across my lips again, ¡°let me show you why they call me a monster.¡± I slammed a hand into a bar with enough force to dent it and Parker took an unconscious step back, fear in his scent now. Then he grabbed Achar and dragged him deeper into the gallery. They disappeared around a corner and left me to pace.


    -----


    I was sitting on the floor against the back wall having grown tired of my mindless circles. Very faintly, I began to hear the click of claws on concrete and shifted to my feet in a low crouch. Moving very slowly, I approached the cage door to find on the other side the B¨¦lu?. She watched me with a certain intelligence in her eyes as I settled against the bars to watch her.


    ¡°You¡¯re not growling,¡± I observed softly after a moment, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you growling?¡± I cocked my head to one side curiously, ¡°Can you smell death on me the way I can on you?¡± She seemed to study me a moment longer before shaking herself and slipping away down the wall. There was blood on her muzzle and in her tracks and I wondered how many she¡¯d killed so far. I sat back on my heels, trying to make myself decide what to do.


    I felt the tiny toy sniper in my pocket.


    Then I pulled the picks from my belt and got to work on the door. It only took a few minutes to trip the lock and the cage door opened with a quiet click. I slipped out, careful to stay silent and hidden as I found my way back to the room I¡¯d stayed in.


    Never have I been so glad to see a beat-up old military duffle in my life.


    In a hurry, I unzipped the bag, shrugging on my shoulder holster with my .45 before I readied the tungsten glaive I¡¯d really hoped I wouldn¡¯t need. It was quiet outside my door so I poked my head out to check both directions before I slipped through the gap. Just around the first corner, I found the B¨¦lu? at the end of the hall, a low growl in her throat when I stopped in my tracks. ¡°Go away,¡± I kept my voice even, taking a slow step back, ¡°Leave me alone.¡± I wasn¡¯t ready to face her just yet.


    I took another step back.


    The B¨¦lu? followed.


    I bolted, praying to the Corvid Prince that he hadn¡¯t written ¡®mauled by a B¨¦lu?¡¯ as my cause of death. Hope came in the form of a security office around the next corner, complete with surveillance and a thick steel door. The door slammed behind me and I leaned my weight against it while I fumbled with the latch until it slid into place with a heavy thud. The B¨¦lu? snarled from the other side, slamming into the door a few times before it seemed to lose interest. After a few minutes of hesitation, I took a small step away from the door, pausing a moment to make sure she had really gone before I approached the bank of security cameras.


    Within every feed, I found death.


    Blood splattered walls and mutilated bodies draped over and inside displays throughout the gallery. Books, blood, and glass shattered across the floors of the main house with gnawed on bones in broken corpses.


    That much blood flickering on the screens made my teeth begin to itch with hunger, but I clenched my jaw and pushed the thought away.


    The B¨¦lu? is a killing machine from the wilds of Africa where it has to compete with lions and panthers for food or resort to taking down big game like rhinos or elephants and Bacchus brought one into his home as if it was just another lifeless display.


    I shook the thoughts away and started to map out the building in my head when movement on one of the screens caught my attention. Parker and Achar appeared on the camera, a line of static following Achar across until they stopped, the B¨¦lu? at the other end of the hall. The two men stared at the beast until it rushed forward and they turned, but not fast enough. She brought Parker down with teeth and claws and tore into his while Achar ran on. I adjusted my mental map and bolted through the door.


    Like a rat in a maze, I raced down hall after hall toward the sound of Parker¡¯s screams and the ripping and tearing of flesh. I slammed into Achar at almost a full sprint, both of us staggering from the impact before we caught ourselves.


    ¡°Reyna,¡± he began breathlessly, his scent a mix of surprise and relief, ¡°it¡ªit killed¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know, I saw,¡± I cut him off but didn¡¯t explain as I caught him by the arm and took off back the way I¡¯d come, shoving him in front of me.


    He tried to drag me after him once I¡¯d gotten him to the door, but I couldn¡¯t leave the B¨¦lu? loose.


    I didn¡¯t stop running until I¡¯d found the cage in which she¡¯d started. The B¨¦lu? found me quickly, stalking slowly forward with teeth bared teeth before she charged forward, claws outstretched to tear me into the same ribbons she had everyone else.


    The end of the glaive caught against the floor and the wall as I dropped to one knee to hold it steady.


    Momentum carried the B¨¦lu? into the sharp tungsten tip, driving it through her heart and out the other side as the body slammed into me.


    My back and head hit the wall and my world spun away from me with a flash of pain.


    -----


    I breathed.


    I opened my eyes to find emergency lighting and the wail of an alarm over head and ringing across my vision.


    With a groan, I shoved the B¨¦lu?¡¯s corpse off of me and climbed to my feet to pull my glaive free. My clothes were a bloody mess and I breathed a heavy sigh as I felt it slick them to me.


    A quiet whimper drew my attention and I relized I was still hearing that sound¡ªlike a fast watch¡ªbut there was no one around but me. In my curiosity, I began poking through the bloody straw until I found a tiny animal¡ªas much a ball of fur as anything else¡ªnestled in a back corner and whimpering quietly for his mother. His eye were still sealed and he didn¡¯t seem to have much in the hearing department just yet as I lifted him carefully in blood-slick hands.


    ¡°Hello little one,¡± I tucked him into my jacket and zipped him inside as the whimpering became something like quiet chuffing as he settled against me, ¡°s¡¯pose I¡¯ll be taking you with me.¡± Once the tiny B¨¦lu? was secure in my jacket, I took down my glaive and climbed around the corpse to lift my duffle. It was quiet now, outside of the alarm as I made my way back to the front door to load my duffle into the back of my Jeep outside. I paused briefly to settle the B¨¦lu? whelp in the passenger seat bundled up in my jacket before returning to the house. I drew a single rune into the threshold and whispered the words to give shape to the immense amount of energy I put into them and a sourceless inferno sprang to life inside, consuming everything it came into contact with.


    There would be little left once the fire was done, just charred walls and melted glass.


    I called the local authorities to give them a heads up and then put the inferno in my rearview as I started on the long drive home.


    -----


    It was mid morning the next day by the time I got home. Loki and Zevi slammed into me when I opened the back door, Loki shouting with entirely too much energy for as tired as I was, wanting to know everything that had happened while I was gone, and Zevi clinging quietly to my leg. They drew a smile on my lips as I reached down to ruffle their hair and pull them both into a quick hug¡ªcareful not to get blood on them as well¡ªbefore I slipped by with promises that I¡¯d tell them all they wanted once I¡¯d cleaned up. My glaive and duffle returned to my cabinet under the stairs and I paused to unzip the B¨¦lu? whelp from inside my jacket, balancing him in the crook of my arm as I pulled the toy soldier from my pants pocket.


    ¡°I guess it worked,¡± I pressed it back into Zevi¡¯s tiny hands and his face lit up with a smile. The door into the shop proper opened and I looked up to find Michael in the doorway.


    ¡°You made it back alright?¡± I nodded slightly as he took in the blood dried onto my clothes.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you two go on upstairs for now,¡± I spoke softly as I ushered the boys towards the stairs.


    ¡°I expected you back yesterday,¡± he trailed off as I straightened up again.


    ¡°Yeah well, things happened.¡± I knew full well I was being dodgy and it wouldn¡¯t be appreciated, but at the moment, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to care.


    ¡°Reyna,¡± Michael began slowly, but I could already guess what he was going to say, I¡¯d heard it enough times before.


    ¡°Leave it, Michael,¡± my voice came out more of a low growl but he didn¡¯t listen.


    ¡°You seem to be getting more reckless lately, you¡¯re not eating, you¡¯re not sleeping, and¡ª¡±


    ¡°I said leave it !¡± I snapped, sharpened canines bared in a snarl as my eyes glittered red gold around slit pupils.


    ¡°Jesse¡¯s worried about you too,¡± he continued with a low and steady voice as if to ease a wild animal, ¡°she¡¯s¡ª we¡¯re all afraid you¡¯ll get yourself killed.¡± I studied him for a long time, long enough he finally seemed to give up with a heavy sigh as he turned to head back into the shop.


    ¡°Michael,¡± I broke my silence with a bitter, broken smile, ¡°have any of you ever considered that maybe I¡¯m hoping to get myself killed?¡± He studied me for a moment longer before closing his eyes for a moment and heading back into the shop. I watched him go, taking a deep breath before heading up to the kitchen in search of something for the B¨¦lu? and a phone that wasn¡¯t dead. I settled him on the counter with a plate of fish before lifting the land line to dial a number I knew by heart.


    ¡°Hey Reyna, how¡¯re you?¡± Jack sounded distant, as if I¡¯d caught him in the middle of something.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡± I stopped, I didn¡¯t like lying to him if it could be avoided, ¡°things are fine.¡± I spoke quickly and changed the subject, ¡°Listen, I need a favor.¡± Jack was silent for a while.


    ¡°Go on¡­¡± he sounded as if he wasn¡¯t sure he wanted to know what I¡¯d ask.


    ¡°Would you be willing to take in a newborn B¨¦lu?? The pups are too small for me to keep him around here.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± he spoke with an exasperated sigh and I couldn¡¯t help the smile that tugged at my lips, ¡°I¡¯ll pick him up tomorrow, I can come back for a day or two.¡±


    ¡°Thanks Jack,¡± my voice was soft.


    ¡°Well, as it happens, I just got my own place a little outside of Pembroke, and it happens to have a decent yard; I¡¯d get lonely there by myself,¡± the way he seemed to try to cover himself had me laughing.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to bring a house warming gift then.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jack finally spoke again after a moment¡¯s silence; I could almost hear the soft smile in his voice, ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡±

 September, 2015 - Pembroke, Maine

    Fun fact about vampires: they don¡¯t produce a lot of body heat, so generally the ones living as far north as Pembroke go to ground until the next spring because sluggish and weakened vampires make a good meal for other monsters. Now imagine my¡­ amusement when one started dropping bodies in Calais just a short drive up the road from my little shop. To their credit, they limited their targets to the weak and dying; I don¡¯t watch the news but I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯d seen papers blaming it on some new virus. Body number six hit the news and I was breaking into the hospital morgue to get my own look at the bodies.


    Dr. Mortimer Finch came in as I was examining undisclosed body number seven.


    ¡°Hey Morty,¡± I spoke when I heard his stride quicken.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Wildes?!¡± I glanced up to find a frustrated haze lingering around him.


    ¡°Relax, I¡¯m wearing gloves.¡± I muttered the words before turning the cadaver¡¯s head away from me and moving the hair out of the way, ¡°I need a second opinion.¡± He closed the distance, keeping a wary eye on me, ¡°Is it just me, or does that look an awful lot like a vampire bite?¡± I already knew the answer based on the scent I¡¯d picked up under the sterile and fluorescent lighting, but Mortimer still peered over my shoulder at the wound.


    ¡°You found the same on the other victims?¡± He sounded resigned to it now as he cast a critical eye over the other six bodies I¡¯d dug out of storage.


    ¡°We have a new vampire in the area.¡± His brow furrowed at my conclusion.


    ¡°How do you know they¡¯re new?¡± A somewhat wicked smile tugged at my lips.


    ¡°Because the locals all know breaking the Caeleste Lex makes them fair game, b¡¯sides,¡± I paused to tap the side of my nose, ¡°if it were one of them, I¡¯d know the scent.¡± I have a good memory for scents and he knew it; Mortimer shivered at that thought.


    -----


    Later that day, I was covering the shop while Michael worked on a commission in the back. It was getting close to when I had to pick up the boys from preschool and I was itching for a kill¡ªfor that high. Word from my little network of information about some human asking around about my case got to me earlier today so I was stuck even if I wanted to close shop early. The itch got bad enough I was out front smoking when a VW bus pulled in up the street. I exhaled smoke when I picked up a human scent from the woman about my age who got out. I took a moment to study her curiously¡ªshe didn¡¯t carry herself like a hunter, or even someone with combat training, and dressed in some sort of fusion of almost goth and boho hippie with long wavy brown hair hanging loose around her shoulders. I straightened up as she paused to snap a photo of the street, putting my cigarette out and ducking back inside. I¡¯d made it around the counter before the bell rang over the door and I paused to close my journal.


    ¡°Hello?¡± I leaned on the counter to watch her approach.


    ¡°Good afternoon, welcome to Dogwood Apothecary. Can I help you with something?¡± She began to wander the shelves, running her fingers along the fronts of jars as she passed, pausing every now and then to examine the ones that piqued her interest.


    ¡°So,¡± when she finally spoke she glanced up at me briefly before averting her gaze again, ¡°Did you know there¡¯s been a string of unexplained deaths at the hospital up the road?¡± As a matter of fact, I did know about them, and I knew what was causing them, it was my case after all.


    ¡°It¡¯s been all over the news, they say it¡¯s an epidemic,¡± I lied. I lost track of her behind a shelf.


    ¡°Did you know vampires are actually just like us?¡± I¡¯m sure by ¡®us¡¯ she meant humans, but I could pretty much guarantee that they weren¡¯t ¡®just like¡¯ either of us.


    ¡°¡®That so¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t really a question but still she nodded enthusiastically.


    ¡°They are, really the only difference is that they can¡¯t die.¡± The muscles in my jaw tightened as I let out a quiet groan.


    ¡°And, you know, the fact they eat humans,¡± I pointed out, unable to keep the sarcasm from my words. She glared at me over the counter, though it honestly wasn¡¯t very threatening with how much shorter than me she was even with the three inch heels.


    ¡°They¡¯re just like us and they deserve to be loved just as much as either of us.¡± That comment brought up a whole new argument from me, but I wasn¡¯t going to share that with a stranger. ¡°And the best way to keep ghosts away is a salt line¡­¡± she continued talking but for the most part all of my responses were non-committal and quiet. ¡°Are you alright?¡± I blinked, shaking off the thoughts of rain and Scotch, and wood planks beneath my back.


    ¡°Yeah, fine.¡± She shrugged and continued her wandering.


    ¡°Do you think it could be a vampire killing those people in the Calais hospital?¡± I stared at her for a long time before I finally replied.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± She bumped into one of the shelves in her surprise at the question and I winced as a few of the jars crashed to the ground on the other side, sending broken glass and dried herbs everywhere.


    ¡°I am so sorry,¡± I exhaled through my teeth and closed my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose between my fingers.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, just,¡± I spoke through my teeth as I looked up again, ¡°don¡¯t touch, anything else.¡± She frowned, stepping away from the shelf in disappointment, ¡°So, who are you?¡± She blinked.


    ¡°What? Oh!¡± She smiled, approaching the counter, ¡°I¡¯m Echo,¡± I raised an eyebrow at her outstretched hand, ¡°just Echo. And you are?¡± I shook her hand rather apprehensively.


    ¡°Reyna Wildes,¡± I was quiet, crossing my arms across my chest and leaning back against the shelves behind me. ¡°So what¡¯re you doing here?¡± She looked slightly wounded by my short tone, dropping one hand to rest it against a patchwork messenger bag slung over her shoulder, as if it gave her some sort of comfort to know it hadn''t moved.


    ¡°I¡¯m a writer,¡± again, I raised an eyebrow, ¡°Well, I mean I write this podcast, The Echo Phenomenon</a>, maybe you¡¯ve heard of it?¡± I didn¡¯t answer, and after a moment, she looked slightly deflated, ¡°Oh, well, it¡¯s about everything from the simply abnormal to straight up supernatural and I heard about the deaths in the hospital and thought it¡¯s got to be something weird going on.¡± I studied her for a moment.


    ¡°So you thought you¡¯d benefit from the deaths of about seven people?¡± I deliberately loaded the question and she faltered slightly, as if confused, ¡°Look, it¡¯s a virus going around,¡± I had to suppress a dry laugh at the vampire-virus joke she probably wouldn¡¯t get, ¡°people in the area have gotten it too, the hospital is simply a largely concentrated cesspool of infection when they don¡¯t know how it¡¯s spreading. Go home.¡± It took everything I had not to growl those last words; the last thing I needed hanging around was a supernaturally obsessed human podcaster.


    ¡°But¡ª¡± she started to protest but I got up off the shelf and moved around the counter to open the door for her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got to close up, I have kids to pick up.¡± I ushered her out the door and locked it behind her, flipping the sign around just as Michael started to come back from the back room.


    ¡°Reyna?¡± I shoved past him into the back room.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask.¡± The back door slammed behind me as I climbed into my Jeep.


    -----


    I¡¯d tracked the vampire angel of mercy to an old house in Calais not too far from the hospital where they probably worked. As much as I hate to admit it, she managed to jump me.


    On any other day when I¡¯m armed for vampire, I can take out an entire nest and leave with little more than a few scratches.


    Today though... well, let¡¯s just say I¡¯ve been a bit half cocked for a while now, and it was starting to really affect my work.


    She slammed hard into me, knocking me back against the wall and ducking away again before I could swing the kukri at her neck. I swore as she snickered from the dark.


    ¡°You must be suicidal, walking into my home with only that little knife.¡± A smirk tugged at my lips in the dark, contrary to the overwhelming mess of colors from the scents of death and blood and vampire.


    ¡°Maybe just a little,¡± I took a deep breath, focusing on narrowing my senses the way Alix had taught me when things got too messy with the dark and the synesthesia. My vision went shades of silver with only a splash of color where her soul was as she rushed me. I caught her with a speed that matched hers and she let out a yelp of surprise muffled by my hand clamped against her mouth.


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re the suicidal one, setting up shop so close to a hunter¡¯s home, and here in the East of all places.¡± I spoke softly and her expression faltered slightly as I raised the kukri again in my free hand.


    The moment I moved to cleave her head from her body, there was a flash of light across my vision that temporarily blinded both of us.


    Once I¡¯d blinked the light from my eyes and the color back into my vision, the vampire was gone, but I did catch the scent of a vaguely familiar human.


    I swore under my breath.


    A moment later, I was tearing the tarp from the back of my Jeep and dragging a couple of gallon cans of gasoline out of it.


    I flicked my lighter to life, lit the dark damp line on the ground and the cigarette pressed between my lips and walked away.


    -----


    Michael met me at the door, took one look at my expression, and got out of my way. I pushed past him and dumped my duffle on the floor next to the sofa before continuing to the front window. I¡¯d seen the same VW bus Echo had climbed out of on the way out when I¡¯d gone to get the pups and it was pulling in again now.


    ¡°Did anything happen while I was gone?¡± Michael looked up in confusion from his book.


    ¡°Some customers dropped by, had a few commission requests; just the usual,¡± he lowered the book slightly, ¡°Why do you ask?¡± I was quiet for a moment as a source of the brilliant white flash came to mind.


    ¡°Did all of them buy something?¡± My follow up only made him look and smell more confused.


    ¡°Not all of them¡­¡± He spoke slowly and I turned back to him, ¡°We had this girl come in that seemed to have to touch everything, but she didn¡¯t buy anything. I figured maybe she just couldn¡¯t find what she needed.¡± I shook my head slightly.


    ¡°When did she come in?¡± He shrugged.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, just a little before you got back with the boys.¡± I made a sound half growl and half groan as I closed my eyes, kneading my forehead with my knuckle in an attempt to stave off the incoming headache. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± I didn¡¯t answer, I just grabbed my .45 and tucked it into the shoulder holster under my jacket before slipping through the door into the shop.


    The front door slammed behind me as I crossed the street with a long stride.


    I banged on the back door of the bus and waited, listening with my jaw clenched as the sound of a panicked scrambling came from inside.


    The door finally opened and a look of uncertainty flashed across Echo''s face before she beamed at me.


    ¡°Mrs. Wildes, I¡¯m glad you stopped by,¡± she began, but a sharp look from me and her voice petered out.


    ¡°First off, I¡¯m not married.¡± She looked slightly surprised, though if she knew me at all, she probably wouldn¡¯t have.


    ¡°But your kids¡­¡±


    ¡°Are adopted¡ªthat¡¯s not why I¡¯m here.¡± I took a deep breath before diving in. ¡°You¡¯re a podcaster, but you can¡¯t have that many serious listeners if you present no proof, so...¡± Echo glanced unconsciously towards her patchwork messenger bag and I knew where to look, ¡°I need your camera.¡± I finished as I snatched the bag from under a table littered with notes.


    It only took me a second to pull out the camera and set the bag back inside as I flipped through the recent photos.


    Beautiful pictures of scenery; hills and forests and mountains.


    The town, even the store front of my little shop, Dogwood Apothecary painted onto the window above a Dogwood tree in full bloom.


    The old house in Calais.


    I slowed down.


    There.


    Taken from some dark corner of the room was a photo of my wrestle with the vampire.


    I breathed a sigh of relief; by some stroke of luck, the image was a little blurry and no one was very recognisable.


    ¡°This,¡± I turned it to her, ¡°how did you get this picture?¡± My voice was low when I asked, an unspoken warning in the even tone that had always put even strangers on edge in the past.


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± I raised an eyebrow at her before a wicked smirk pulled at the corner of my mouth, revealing the sharp tips of two of my canines.


    ¡°Really? Because I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s me in the picture.¡± Echo¡¯s pale green eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms a moment before she made a lunge for it, trying to snatch it from my hands.


    I almost felt bad for her with how much faster I could move.


    The second she moved, I slipped the pistol from my holster and flicked the safety off with my thumb, stopping her short.


    ¡°As a matter of fact, it is my business, especially because photographs like this are what makes my job such a gigantic pain in the ass from time to time.¡± Echo frowned in confusion, hooking her thumbs in the belt loops of her black skirt.


    ¡°You¡¯re job... at the Apothecary?¡± I exhaled slowly, realizing what I¡¯d just let slip.


    ¡°Fuck.¡± I had gotten used to not having to deal with humans that lacked a knowledge of the supernatural or the Council that kept them secret¡ªof the world I lived in, and now it¡¯d come back to bite me. Echo stared at me, as if on the verge of figuring it out, so before she could think too much on it, I gave her something else to focus on.


    I quickly checked the camera for backups and pulled the memory chip out.


    It snapped so easily in my fingers¡­


    I handed her back the camera.


    ¡°You should stick with the landscape shots,¡± it was meant as honest advice, but her scent told me she didn¡¯t take it that way. I turned and walked away without waiting for a reply. The door into the back closed with a near inaudible click and I let out a quiet breath as I leaned back against it. ¡°I wonder if this is how Jesse feels about paparazzi,¡± I spoke more to myself than anyone else, shaking my head after a minute as I dismissed the idea, ¡°Nah, she seems to rather enjoy the attention.¡±


    ¡°Reyna,¡± Michael spoke slowly, ¡°That seemed like a rather harsh measure.¡± I looked over at him with a bored expression¡ªhe stood by the window so he probably saw my conversation with the human.


    ¡°Because of her, that thing is still loose out there,¡± I flashed a bitter smile, ¡°and now, I can¡¯t just use the patterns to find it again.¡± I growled in my frustration, ¡°All that work tracking it, completely useless.¡± I punched the wall beside the door hard enough to dent the drywall and swore again.


    The door to the shop slammed.


    The bell rang quietly to no one as a human heartbeat left the building.


    The engine of a VW Bus turned over and came to life outside.


    The sound began to fade into the distance and I swore again.


    The back door slammed.


    My duffel landed with a thud in the back of my Jeep and I slid the kukri into a hidden space between my seat and the center console as I coaxed the engine to life and sped out of the alley, scaring some pedestrians half to death when I nearly ran them over.


    -----


    I trailed Echo¡¯s bus a few cars back until finally, she pulled into the parking lot of an old warehouse, parking her bus under the only working light in the lot. I rolled to a stop just past the turn into the driveway, turning my headlights off as I waited, watching. Echo¡¯s bus quieted as she climbed out of the driver¡¯s seat, slinging her bag back over her shoulder as she turned to gaze up at the warehouse, her hands worrying the hem of her shirt as she stared up at the building.


    Then she set her jaw, straightened her back, and started to make her way to the door of the warehouse.


    The one light flickered slightly, and she looked up.


    The light flickered again.


    A heart beat.


    And the light went out and I lost Echo in the dark for a moment.


    I waited, my eyes adjusting quickly.


    I found her, if only for a second.


    She was gone with a shriek muffled by distance, and the metal door slammed shut again behind her.


    I was still trying to decide whether she was incredibly brave or incredibly stupid.


    Maybe even both.


    I breathed a heavy sigh before pulling my Jeep into the parking lot in the shadows around the building, turning off the engine and climbing out. I strapped my kukri¡¯s sheath securely to my thigh before reaching into the back for a leather bracer I normally wore under the sleeve of my coat when I hunted vampires. As the leather unrolled I checked each aspen stake with a careful eye before strapping it to my forearm.


    The thing about vampires is that there are typically two versions of the same legend, unless we¡¯re talking about certain specific species within the group like the Leanan Sidhe. Both versions go back to what¡¯s widely accepted as the story of the first vampire: Vlad Tepes, or Vlad the Impaler, whose head was removed and then sent to be displayed on the end of a stake¡ªan aspen wood stake, according to some of the older texts.


    Most hunters only subscribe to one of the methods.


    I say better safe than sorry.


    I locked my Jeep and turned back to the building. The door was unlocked when I tried it, and try as I might to avoid it, it still creaked as it opened into the pitch black inside. I paused for a moment as my eyes adjusted to the dark, letting the emptiness slowly take the shapes of shelving and machinery and everything else the company had just left behind because it was more cost effective than cleaning it out.


    There was a crash down the hall, followed shortly by a pained cry, and I turned to follow the sound, trailing my fingertips along the wall as I walked. I found Echo trying to fight off the vampire in a dimly lit room further down the hall; she was putting up quite the fight, for a human. I leaned back against the wall beside the door to watch for a while: now I was curious.


    The vampire managed to get a crushing grip on her throat and I breathed a heavy sigh.


    ¡°I suppose I should actually get involved¡­¡± I muttered the words and took a deep breath, ¡°Hey,¡± the two of them froze, their eyes snapping to me in an instant, ¡°you need some help with that?¡± The vampire turned on me with a hiss, letting go of Echo. I didn¡¯t move, just watched with a mix of boredom and apathy as the vampire stalked closer and Echo dropped to her knees gasping for air.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got this!¡± She shouted back and I started to laugh, crossing my arms across my chest.


    ¡°You again,¡± the vampire spat the words at me, fury in her voice, but I continued to ignore her, ¡°I¡¯ll skin you alive for what you did to my nest!¡± I raised an eyebrow as Echo struggled to her feet.


    ¡°Oh no,¡± I spoke somewhat sarcastically to the vampire, ¡°she¡¯s ¡®got this¡¯, skinning me can wait,¡± I waved one hand in a noncommittal gesture, ¡°by all means, continue. I¡¯ll just wait here.¡± The vampire stopped in her confusion, looking from me to Echo and back again until Echo, much to our mutual surprise, actually tackled her back to the ground.


    It didn¡¯t really matter though.


    Almost an hour later, I started checking my watch as the boredom began to really set in. There was another thud and I glanced up in time to see the vampire had finally managed to get a hold on Echo¡¯s throat again, her sharp fingernails starting to draw tiny trickles of blood that painted my vision with an iron haze and a thick copper taste in the back of my throat.


    I could see what came next before it could happen, my body slipping into motion without my having to tell it as I slammed hard into her side, sending her crashing to the ground as she was jerked free of Echo.


    There was legitimate fear in her eyes as I approached the vampire in a leisurely manner.


    ¡°Did you really not know who¡¯s territory you were hunting in?¡± I stepped over her and crouched down so that we were face to face.


    ¡°What¡¯re you on about?¡± The vampire¡¯s voice was shaky as she answered and a surprised laugh escaped my lips.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never heard about the Soul Collector out here, the Bloody Red Queen of the East?¡± She scoffed.


    ¡°That¡¯s a myth, like Azrael or the bogeyman, what of it?¡± A wicked smile tugged at my lips and I raised an eyebrow briefly before my eyes turned red gold and my canines bit into my lip.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°Tell me something, Vampire,¡± I lifted her partially from the ground, my fist knotted into the front of her shirt as I bit off the last word like an insult, ¡°how many of your kind, of any of you, have you heard about coming here? Not many, right?¡± She nodded slightly as it began to dawn on her, ¡°And how many of them come back?¡±


    ¡°I never thought¡ª¡± Her voice shook and I suddenly turned serious, my gaze narrowed.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, you never thought.¡± I drove one of the aspen stakes into her heart with practised ease, a single dying breath escaping her lips before I closed my eyes. When I opened them again they had slid back to their normal emerald green. I climbed slowly to my feet, drawing the kukri from its sheath and lifting it for the final blow.


    ¡°No!¡± I froze, taken entirely by surprise at Echo¡¯s sudden exclamation. I twisted slightly to look back over my shoulder at her, still not lowering the kukri, ¡°she was still a human being.¡± My gaze narrowed slightly.


    ¡°She stopped being human when she started eating them. Whatever was left of the life she had is long gone now.¡± I looked back down at the body in my grip and swung down, severing the head from her shoulders in one clean movement.


    Blood splattered my face, but I barely noticed.


    ¡°I said I had it.¡± From the look on Echo¡¯s face and the slight tremor in her voice as she stared at the body as I rose to my feet again, I could guess she¡¯d never seen one before; or at the very least, never one like this. I shrugged.


    ¡°I bore easily and you weren¡¯t moving fast enough.¡± She tore her gaze from the blood but it returned again in an instant, her face turning an unhealthy grey.


    ¡°I had it all under control. I didn¡¯t need your help.¡±


    I almost felt bad for her.


    Of course that didn¡¯t keep the bitterness from my voice when I replied.


    ¡°Of course, you were about to quite literally have your throat torn out and your body drained of blood, but you had it all under control.¡± She shot me a glare and I shook my head, ¡°Look, kid, I don¡¯t know what you were thinking that you decided to come here by yourself, but if you learn nothing else from this do me a favour and remember this: Vampires can die, so long as you cut off the head or put a wood stake through its heart, Vampires are not human, not anymore, and most of them will eat you sooner than sit down and have a conversation, and last,¡± I grabbed her by the upper arms, forcing her wandering gaze to meet mine, ¡°walk¡ª¡± I stopped, ¡°no, run the hell away from this world while you still have a chance.¡± She seemed too stunned to reply, so I let go of her and turned away.


    I left her there in the dark with a body that would turn to ash at first light.


    -----


    I honestly thought it¡¯d be over.


    I thought maybe she¡¯d be smart enough to listen when I told her to run away as fast as she could.


    I guess I was wrong though.


    Loki and Zevi chased each other back and forth around my feet playing our version of cops & robbers: Soul Collectors & Reapers.


    Michael was yelling at someone on the phone upstairs loud enough that I could make out his side of the conversation with relative ease.


    The rotary phone on the wall was ringing off the hook.


    All while Echo paced in endless circles in front of the counter, rambling on and on, about what I¡¯d lost track half an hour ago, only occasionally picking up a lot of excited ¡°I knew it!¡±


    I leaned heavily on the counter.


    I wanted to swear at her, but I didn¡¯t want to do it in front of the pups.


    ¡°Oh my God, finally real proof, like legit proof that this is real!¡± My gaze narrowed slightly.


    ¡°You can¡¯t share this.¡± Echo froze, her expression slowly deflating as she turned to look at me dead on.


    ¡°But,¡± her pale green eyes were filled with a mix of frustration and confusion, ¡°you hunt these things, right? The dangerous ones at least.¡± I nodded slightly in slow confirmation. ¡°Don¡¯t you want some credit¡ªa thank you every now and then?¡± I raised an eyebrow at her.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t thank me.¡± I pointed out and she frowned.


    ¡°I had it handled.¡± I scoffed. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it at least be easier if there were more of you doing it?¡± And that actually earned a dry laugh from me.


    ¡°No,¡± I spoke simply, ¡°I¡¯d have more messes to clean up.¡± Echo¡¯s look slowly changed, her face turning stiff as she glared at me.


    ¡°I finally have proof, solid, undeniable evidence that monsters are real¡ªthe supernatural is real, it¡¯s all real; I finally have proof that I¡¯m not crazy, and you¡¯re saying I can¡¯t share it?¡± I really didn¡¯t understand why she was having such a hard time with this, ¡°They all think I¡¯m crazy, do you know what that¡¯s like?¡± I set my jaw, resisting the urge to snap a reply, ¡°My own family thinks I¡¯m crazy and I finally have the chance to prove that it¡¯s not just in my head!¡± She fell silent for a moment, but still I said nothing, waiting for the rest of it, ¡°You know, I think I know why you won¡¯t let me write about it: you¡¯re a fracking, selfish bitch.¡± I didn¡¯t mean to react, I swear, but suddenly my canines had sliced into my lip again and my eyes flickered into red gold with pupils constricted to narrow slits.


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to not talk about it for my benefit, I¡¯m asking for my kids, and everyone else,¡± I paused as I thought about it, ¡°actually, I¡¯m not asking at all, I¡¯m telling you.¡± She grit her teeth and started to reply but I didn¡¯t give her the chance. ¡°You still don¡¯t get it? How about this,¡± I cocked my head to one side, a malicious grin plastered to my face, ¡°go ahead and talk about it, but if any of it goes online,¡± I grinned wider, ¡°I¡¯ll destroy everything important to you.¡± Because that¡¯s what¡¯ll happen to us, I left the words unspoken because I thought she¡¯d understand without explanation.


    And she really did seem to at the time.


    I didn¡¯t find out what she did until I got back from dropping Loki and Zevi off at school.


    There were cars lining both sides of the street as I turned onto it, some of them with back windows plastered with stickers for Bigfoot, Area 51, and quite a few had one with ¡°Don¡¯t be blind, Broaden your mind¡± paired with an image of Echo¡¯s seafoam green VW bus and the words ¡°The Echo Phenomenon¡± in bold, 70s style letters.


    My grip on the steering wheel tightened as I pulled hurriedly into my space in the alley, and I was halfway out of the driver¡¯s seat by the time I turned the engine off.


    I started to bolt through the back door, but I was in such a rush I¡¯d nearly forgotten to lock my Jeep.


    I jerked the door open again so hard that I almost stopped to make sure the hinges were okay before I locked it.


    The back door slammed behind me and seventy something sets of eyes, including those of Michael, Jesse, and Echo, all landed on me.


    God, I  hate crowds.


    A beat later and the people started chattering away again and asking Echo for autographs while Michael and Jesse tried in vain to usher them back into the actual shop.


    They hadn¡¯t just invaded my shop, they''d invaded my home.


    A trio of strangers sporting homemade t-shirts for The Echo Phenomenon approached me, if hesitantly, with something between admiration and awe in their eyes.


    ¡°Are you Reyna Wildes?¡± I guess they took my silent glare as confirmation, because they kept talking, ¡°Thank you for your service.¡± A part of me would¡¯ve been happy for the thanks, ¡°if it¡¯s not too much to ask, could we get your autograph?¡± But I¡¯ve never thought of myself as a hero, and I was in a bad mood that seemed to just keep getting worse.


    ¡°Fuck off.¡±


    My heart started pounding in my head.


    A beat.


    I shoved my way through the crowd to the lockers under the stairs, ignoring what was beginning to sound like a million voices all trying to be heard over each other.


    A beat.


    I fumbled with the lock, swore, tried again, and finally pulled it free leaving it crushed on the floor.


    A beat.


    I pulled a gallon can of gasoline from inside.


    A beat.


    I slammed it shut.


    A beat.


    I shoved my way through to the front door.


    A beat.


    The door slammed hard enough to rattle the glass panes.


    A beat.


    My stride carried me across the street in a few seconds.


    A beat.


    I tried the back door of Echo¡¯s VW bus, and to my brief surprise, it was unlocked.


    A beat.


    I jerked the door open hard enough I was pretty sure I¡¯d damaged the hinges; this time, I didn¡¯t care.


    A beat.


    I emptied the can, dousing the inside with gasoline.


    A beat.


    I pulled a pack of cigarettes from my pocket, pressing one between my lips.


    A beat¡­


    Magic snapped to life on my fingertips and I lit it.


    A beat¡­


    I inhaled, relishing the temporary sense of peace that finally started to set in.


    A beat¡­


    I flicked the little flame into the back of the little bus, stepping back as the fire roared to life, destroying everything inside.


    It took a few minutes for the strangers inside to start to notice the blazing fire outside; a few minutes of much needed silence alone. The strangers began coming out onto the street at a small trickle at first, but the more that came, the larger the groups became.


    ¡°Reyna Wildes!¡± I tilted my head slightly towards Echo, watching her with one eye as I stared after the smoke that escaped my lips to join the pillar that rose from the blazing fire before me, ¡°What have you done to Emerson?!¡± She stared in disbelief at the flaming bus. I exhaled slowly, pinching my cigarette between long fingers and tapping it lightly; the ash seemed to me to fall from the end in slow motion.


    ¡°Exactly what I said I¡¯d do.¡± She stared at me in disbelief, ¡°I told you to run from here, and you didn¡¯t listen,¡± I took one last drag on my cigarette before dropping it, putting it out under the toe of my converse. ¡°I told you that you couldn¡¯t talk about this,¡± I stalked towards her, ¡°I told you why you couldn¡¯t,¡± I grabbed her by the front of her shirt, forcing her to meet my gaze, ¡°and I told you what would happen if you didn¡¯t listen.¡± Echo looked away, tears welling in her eyes as her gaze was drawn like a moth back to the flames.


    ¡°I had to¡ªI¡ª¡± She stopped, swallowed, and began again, looking back at me as the tears began to track down her cheeks. ¡°They thought I was crazy, I had to prove I wasn¡¯t,¡± she shook her head slightly, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand.¡± I laughed aloud at that, forcing her back as I let her go.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t understand?¡± I laughed again, ¡°You¡¯ve seen my eyes, you¡¯ve seen them change, you have to have figured out I¡¯m not human, like you.¡± Echo shrank away from me, but I wasn¡¯t finished now she¡¯d set me off, ¡°You wanna talk crazy? I could turn feral any second and massacre everyone around me. You wanna talk about how the world¡¯s turned its back on you because of it?¡± I laughed harshly, my teeth bared as my eyes flickered red gold, ¡°All you have to do is keep your goddamned mouth shut and they¡¯ll accept you.¡± I¡¯d started out shouting at her, but now, my voice grew quiet, soft even, as if I was just realizing myself how much this was killing me, ¡°but me? It¡¯s in my genes, I can¡¯t escape it like you can,¡± I forced a small, tired smile, ¡°so I push my loved ones away, I distance myself,¡± I stepped back slightly as I felt myself begin to slip into oblivion, ¡°and the more I care about them, the harder I push.¡± My thoughts had turned back to the rain and the Scotch, the cigarettes and the wood floor boards beneath my back.


    To the oblivion and the blood.


    I took a deep breath.


    Echo glared at me, her pale eyes filled with anger and grief.


    ¡°Stop patronizing me!¡± She snapped at me and I closed my eyes, exhaling through grit teeth as I pressed my knuckles against my forehead, ¡°Just because you¡¯re too old to understand doesn¡¯t mean you can talk down to me like I¡¯m some child!¡± I don¡¯t remember ever talking down to a child, I¡¯ve always had a soft spot for children, but I didn¡¯t see how that could help me at all.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stop treating you like one when you stop acting like one,¡± my voice was a snarl.


    Echo turned with an unintelligible exclamation and started to storm away, but once again I found myself reacting without thought. I grabbed her by the upper arm and she started shouting again, trying desperately to break my grip as I dragged her around the burning bus.


    ¡°Get your hands off of me!¡± She clawed at my fingers and finally managed to pull away, but it only took me a second to catch her again. This time, rather than continue to fight with her, I threw her over my shoulder, wincing when her shouts turned into screams so close to my ears and lancing across my vision. I finally set her down on the other side of the bus, backing her up to the wall.


    ¡°Would you shut the hell up for five seconds?¡± She snapped her mouth shut as I growled the words and I breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Thank God.¡± I muttered the words before looking up again, ¡°Alright, you obviously aren¡¯t going to turn your back on this like I told you to, but¡ª¡±


    There¡¯s just so much Goddamned weight on my shoulders¡­


    I took a deep breath.


    ...All I¡¯m trying to do is live my mother fucking life¡­


    Echo stared at me in confusion as I stepped back.


    ...Supposed to be happy, but I¡¯m only getting colder¡­


    I fished my cell phone from my pocket and checked the ID.


    ...Wear a smile on my face, but there¡¯s a demon inside¡­


    I breathed an exasperated sigh, running my fingers through my hair.


    ...There¡¯s just so much Goddamned¡ª


    I answered, covering the mouthpiece with my hand for a moment as I looked back at Echo.


    ¡°Go inside, use the shop computer and take down the post. Send those people home, and then find Jesse, she¡¯ll explain why you can¡¯t just post these things without thinking of how it affects everyone involved.¡± She wore a look of furious disbelief as I started to return to the phone.


    ¡°¡®How it affects everyone involved¡¯? It put your shop on the map, it¡ª¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I cut her off, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, could you give me a moment?¡± I spoke quickly into the phone before shooting Echo a sharp glare, ¡°It didn¡¯t put my shop on the map, it caused a bunch of complete strangers to invade my home¡ª¡± I broke off as the man on the phone said something I didn¡¯t quite catch about my pups, ¡°Wait, what?¡± Echo started to make some retort but I held up a finger to signal her to wait with a sharp look before turning partially away from her.


    ¡°This is Miss Reyna Wildes, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± I swallowed a rising sense of dread.


    ¡°Your two sons, uhh,¡± he paused, and I could hear the rustling of papers, ¡°Ah, how interesting, Loki and Zevi Wildes?¡± I hesitated a moment, not sure I wanted to hear why he was calling.


    ¡°Yes,¡± my voice was low, quiet with worry.


    ¡°Well Miss Wildes, this is the Director at Willow Creek Academy and, well all I can really say over the phone is that your boys were involved in a fight on the playground today and... it¡ªit¡¯s best you just come talk to me, this is a little difficult to believe.¡± My sense of dread returned and I swallowed again.


    It didn¡¯t help.


    ¡°Yes sir, I¡¯ll be right there.¡± I hung up the phone and swore loudly, punching the brick wall beside me hard enough to tear open my skin and crack the brick. ¡°I have to go.¡± Echo¡¯s gaze narrowed.


    ¡°You can¡¯t just¡ª¡±


    ¡°I can and I will!¡± I rounded on her, cutting her off, ¡°Go back to the shop, Echo.¡± My voice was a warning, and I walked away before she could respond.


    -----


    When I finally finished talking to the school, I had a pretty good idea of what had happened. One of the larger boys, who the boys admitted had been verbally bullying them since they''d started there, got frustrated because Loki and Zevi would always either ignore him or, occasionally, Loki would make some smart remark right back. So he and a few others ambushed Zevi on the playground, though thankfully he wasn¡¯t hurt beyond a few scrapes and some bruising from when they¡¯d pushed him down. Loki, gods bless him and have mercy on whoever messes with his brother, ran to tell them off despite their size, though judging from the black and blue bruise that had quickly formed across his cheek, it hadn¡¯t gone well. So he¡¯d retaliated in kind, sending two of the boys to the hospital and the third home to his parents.


    I was quite proud of them, actually.


    And I thanked God that neither of them had changed.


    Mrs. Marsh¡ªthe woman meant to be ¡®supervising¡¯ their recess¡ªhad apparently not seen any of this, but the school operated on a zero tolerance policy when it came to physical violence, and so there we were: sitting on the curb out front of an ice cream shop with heaping cones¡­


    Of course, my swearing at the Director for not getting both sides probably hadn¡¯t helped.


    ¡°So,¡± I paused to lick some of the ice cream from the side of my cone, ¡°why did the bully suddenly escalate to violence?¡± I took another bite, ¡°I thought they normally stuck with one method.¡± Loki shrugged, his mouth covered in chocolate ice cream.


    ¡°He said now he had proof we were a family of freaks,¡± I stared at Zevi as he paused to wipe caramel from his mouth and lick his fingers clean for what I was pretty sure was the twelfth time he¡¯d done it since we¡¯d sat down, ¡°¡®cause of something called¡­¡± He trailed off, his nose wrinkling as he tried to remember. ¡°The Echo something?¡± I felt my jaw tighten and I let out a frustrated growl.


    ¡°Do you know what he¡¯s talking about, mum?¡± Loki spoke around his last mouthful of cone and I nodded slightly.


    ¡°Sadly.¡± I swallowed, ¡°remember the woman that was in the shop this morning?¡± Both pups nodded, ¡°She fancies herself a... supernatural investigator of sorts, is the best way I can think to explain it, The Echo Phenomenon is her podcast. She wrote about my last case and included at least one photo of the shop,¡± I paused briefly, ¡°probably even used my name, now that I think about it.¡± Zevi¡¯s milky blue eyes widened slightly and Loki swallowed his mouthful, almost immediately pressing his small fist to his forehead as the brain freeze kicked in. I climbed to my feet, popping the last of my cone into my mouth as I did so.


    ¡°Are you going to talk to her?¡± Loki was quiet.


    ¡°Yep,¡± I was trying to avoid the subject with them.


    ¡°What¡¯re you going to say?¡±


    ¡°Go wash up, boys.¡± Loki looked a bit disappointed at the lack of answer, but still they scrambled to finish up and hurried ahead to the restroom.


    -----


    Most of the cars were gone when we got back, and Echo¡¯s bus had been put out, but everything inside was black and charred. I pulled the Jeep into my space in the alley and got Loki and Zevi out of their car seats before letting them inside.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Michael looked up as I closed the door behind us and Jesse crouched down to fuss over the pups while she examined their already fading bruises.


    ¡°Where is she?¡± Both of them pointed towards the door into the shop. I paused beside Jesse as I crossed the room, placing a hand on her shoulder so that I could speak without the pups hearing. ¡°Would you make sure they don¡¯t go into the shop? Keep them entertained?¡± Jesse tipped her head slightly to one side.


    ¡°Reyna¡­¡± She spoke slowly and I forced a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill her.¡± She raised an eyebrow and my smile slipped, ¡°Please, Jesse, just keep an eye on them for me.¡± Finally she sighed, wearing a bitter sweet smile that somehow still managed to be gorgeous.


    ¡°Always, Reyna,¡± I matched it briefly, giving her shoulder a light squeeze in thanks before I approached the door.


    I paused, struggling to contain my hurricane of emotions; yes, a lot of what I was going through at this particular moment was at least in part because of Echo, but I didn¡¯t need to take out twenty-three years of mostly hell on her simply because she was the most recent thing to screw me over.


    I took a deep breath, sliding into a slightly more bitter version of the same mask I''d worn when hunting.


    I found Echo pacing in front of the counter again when I finally opened the door.


    She stopped when I closed it again behind me, her pale green eyes filled with guilt as she met my gaze for the briefest moment.


    ¡°Hi,¡± her voice cracked slightly when she finally fractured the silence.


    ¡°Hi.¡± My tone was low and clipped as I leaned back against the door, crossing my arms across my chest.


    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m really sorry about the post,¡± she started slowly, but the more she spoke the more her words seemed to run into one another, ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ª I didn¡¯t think it would go that far, or¡­¡± She trailed off when I simply continued to study her with a bored expression. ¡°Jesse explained why you were so mad,¡± I raised an eyebrow at her and her voice faltered, ¡°are¡ªwhy you are so mad.¡± She fell silent again, worrying the hem of her shirt while the other clung protectively to her messenger bag. We stayed like that until the weight of the silence grew to be too much and Echo began to squirm, making it clear that I was going to have to say something eventually.


    I exhaled slowly and Echo¡¯s gaze snapped to me before flicking away again.


    ¡°You heard the phone call I got earlier was from the director of the preschool my kids go¡ª¡± I stopped, correcting myself, ¡°went to?¡± She looked about to reply, but seemed to think better of it, choosing instead to simply nod slightly. ¡°Well,¡± I held her gaze, ¡°he was calling to tell me that my two year old boys had gotten into their first real fight.¡± I couldn¡¯t help the brief, bitterly sarcastic smile.


    ¡°Wh¡ªWhat happened?¡± She spoke with more than a little hesitation.


    ¡°Zevi is blind.¡± She winced, ¡°And small for his age. He was jumped by three of the larger boys. They shoved him down and Loki, being how he is, tried to stand up to them, by handling it diplomatically. They punched him.¡± Her eyes widened in horror.


    ¡°Oh my god.¡± I ignored her quiet exclamation.


    ¡°Long story short, Loki sent two of the boys to the hospital and the third to his parents with severe bruising.¡± She stared at me in confusion, ¡°They¡¯re not human, Echo. None of us here,¡± I gestured to the shop, ¡°are human. You putting that thing online, it risks all of us.¡± Echo looked horrified.


    ¡°I¡ªI didn¡¯t think that¡ª¡±


    ¡°No Echo, you didn¡¯t think. You didn¡¯t listen. That¡¯s it. End of story. And now? My kids have it on their permanent records that they¡¯re dangerous; they¡¯ve been blacklisted, no school in the country will take them. Mention Jesse and her career is over no matter how good she is. Michael was in hiding. I said that I¡¯m always cleaning up after other hunters? When hunters screw up, people die. This job isn¡¯t like the books, it isn¡¯t something you do as a hobby; this job is our lives. You invaded my life with that post.¡± I paused, letting that sink in, ¡°And that¡¯s not even including the hundreds of people out there that want me dead,¡± Okay, so hundred might¡¯ve been a bit of an understatement when I think about it. Echo gulped.


    ¡°Reyna,¡± she spoke softly, ¡°I had no idea. I¡¯ll take it down, I swear, I was just waiting for you to come back and¡­¡± She trailed off as I shook my head, my laugh harsh.


    ¡°You still don¡¯t get it?¡±  Another harsh laugh, ¡°You think taking it down now will fix it?¡± I shook my head, ¡°Go, just leave.¡± She started to protest, but I didn¡¯t give her the chance, ¡°It was too late the second you hit ¡®update¡¯. What comes next? That blood is on your hands.¡±

 November, 2015 - Aleppo, Pennsylvania

    Four women missing from Aleppo, Pennsylvania were enough to have one of the supernatural locals passing word along to me. They knew it wasn¡¯t human but thought it ¡®d be something any half-decent hunter could handle with relative ease, but they still called me.


    Just once, I¡¯d like not to have to deal with the easy jobs for which I was usually overqualified¡­


    though I guess I got what I wanted this time.


    I tracked him deep into the Appalachian mountains but he found me first, rushing me on sight. I unloaded an entire clip into him but it barely made him flinch, so I pulled my mask over my eyes and ran like hell.


    Now I leaned against my Jeep and watched smoke curl up from my lips as I waited for backup.


    It¡¯s widely believed that I¡¯m one of, if not the, best hunters in the Americas, but even I had to learn from someone.


    My teacher was a woman called Alix Mc¨¢ed¡ªa woman I later learned was the original Death in the world and often called angel of death, a god of calamity, or the god slayer in stories I¡¯d heard as a kid.


    And I still have her on speed dial.


    So I stood watching the road and waiting for some sign of Alix, be it some shift in the shadows or her sleek black ¡®67 Firebird.


    And the car it was.


    I took one last drag on my cigarette and put it out on the rain-damp pavement while Alix¡¯s car purred into the little lot. She flashed me a smile as she got out, but it didn¡¯t reach the liquid mercury of her eyes. Still, I forced myself to smile back, however briefly.


    ¡°How¡¯ve you been?¡± Her gaze hardened to cold steel for a moment and I had to suppress a shiver.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been.¡± she paused and I felt myself relax slightly at the soft scottish burr in her familiar mixed accent, ¡°How¡¯re things going with you?¡± I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d met more than one time since what happened with Ryan and my subsequent escape back to the states, but my thoughts slipped quickly to scotch and wood and cigarettes in the dark¡­


    and broken promises¡­


    ¡°They¡¯re going,¡± I finally answered, my voice low and quiet enough to tell more than I¡¯d said.


    ¡°You¡¯ve started using your mask again,¡± she said in quiet observation, ¡°it¡¯s good to see.¡± Alix seemed to lose herself in thought for a moment, fingers unconsciously finding the ancient silver cross that hung around her neck.


    ¡°Alix.¡± Her gaze flicked back to me, ¡°Thanks for coming.¡± A wicked cold smile lit up her eyes to match the predatory smile that tugged at her lips.


    ¡°You said he was tall, ancient, and hideous?¡± I nodded my confirmation and she breathed a heavy sigh, ¡°I knew I should¡¯ve brought Keep,¡± she muttered the words as she raked her fingers through her hair.


    ¡°Why would we need Keep?¡± I spoke slowly, uncertain I wanted the answer; Hellhounds are big¡ªabout the same size as me in beast form (which is to say almost as big as a small horse)¡ªbut Keep in particular was almost more Colossus than hound when unsealed. Alix wore a sombre expression as she seemed to debate how to answer.


    ¡°Because that sounds a lot like Koschei the Deathless.¡± I leveled her with an all too familiar blank stare.


    ¡°Koschei the what-less?¡± Alix smirked, something like amusement in her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯d have been surprised if you knew of him.¡± She drummed her fingers on the roof of her car as she seemed to debate how to explain, ¡°He¡¯s closer to a true immortal than most of the false immortals are; the story goes that he hid his soul from Death centuries ago, but in reality it¡¯d be more accurate to say he found a way to separate his soul from his body and Daniel and I got enough of a laugh out of where he hid it that we sort of just let him be. Usually some young hunter or hero-hopeful came along before he left the realm of non-lethal fairy tale villain, but I guess things have changed.¡±


    ¡°So how do I kill him?¡±


    ¡°Unless you fancy a quest to the island of Buyan, you show the way and then let me handle it.¡± A part of me wanted to argue¡ªI don¡¯t like letting go of prey once it¡¯s in my sights¡ªbut Alix wasn¡¯t just my mentor, she was the original Death in this world and no one would beat her in a hunt.


    So I backed down, proverbial ears flat and tails tucked in submission.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll lead the way.¡± Truthfully, I was lucky she let me be involved at all.


    -----


    It didn¡¯t take long to retrace my path up the mountain even through the woods, Alix trailing behind to look over the mountainside with eyes that saw far more than mine. I stopped when the light reflected off some of my brass and I crouched to pocket it; it was still warm from my encounter with Koschei. Alix was crouched beside a makeshift fire pit when I looked up again.


    ¡°Looks like he was still here recently,¡± she tossed a still smoking coal back into the ring and stood to kick some dirt over it, smothering the remaining embers. ¡°Should¡¯ve brought one of the hounds,¡± she muttered again before glancing my way and continuing a little louder, ¡°unless you think you¡¯re up to tracking him.¡± She eyed the mask on my belt and I hesitated on memories of scotch and wood and rain and cigarettes; it was risky for an Alcaimynder to spend a lot of time in beast form when they¡¯re sick, even more so if they¡¯re not in a good place mentally, the wall between rationality and feral beast was thinner¡ª


    easier to slip through.


    At least if something went wrong, Alix was here to take care of it¡ª


    of me.


    ¡°Guess we¡¯ll find out.¡± I shook myself out of the dark, pointedly ignoring that cliff as I stripped and stuffed my clothes in my bag before passing it to Alix to carry¡ªI¡¯d already lost one set of clothes today and wasn¡¯t keen on losing another so soon.


    That is a lot funnier in hindsight than it should be.


    I pulled my mask over my eyes and a part of me welcomed the familiar dull ache of bones cracking and breaking and reshaping and the itch of thick fur spreading across my skin as my nails grew into long and sharp claws.


    -----


    Koschei¡¯s scent¡ªlike sickly sweet decay¡ªled us South a half a day even at a fast lope before we came to a cave so thick with the scent I was pulling the mask off and changing back just to lessen the severity of it. The woods were silent around us as I took my bag back from Alix and pulled my clothes back on.


    I don¡¯t know that either of us expected what we saw inside.


    The cave opened into a great hall, filled with more gold and precious gems than I could name¡­


    though that wasn¡¯t saying much¡­


    More precious gems than Jesse could name.


    But they felt too bright and came with the same scent of blood and death and decay as a rotting corpse.


    My Soul Collector genes kicked in and as I blinked, the gold and gems were replaced with mountains of bodies in varying degrees of decay.


    I glanced Alix¡¯s way and found cold steel eyes that made me shiver even though they weren¡¯t directed my way.


    Between two mountains of flesh and bone sat Koschei on a throne of stone.


    All 7ft¨C68lbs of him.


    Having watched him continue without flinching after I¡¯d unloaded a full clip into him earlier, he was a lot more intimidating.


    His bones creaked as he stood and his voice was like old, dry paper when he spoke. It didn¡¯t matter, he spoke in some ancient form of barely recognizable Slavic.


    Alix on the other hand understood him perfectly and, judging from his reaction when she replied, she held the same untempered disrespect she tended to in ancient Slavic as she did in English. He spoke again, she let slip a cruel laugh, and the next thing I knew, I was being knocked aside as Koschei advanced on Alix. She was tossed like a rag doll against the far wall after he ripped one of her arms free of the socket, crashing through a pile of bones before she disappeared from view. He advanced on her again and I scrambled to my feet; whatever he did wouldn¡¯t kill her permanently, but whether I survived while she healed was another matter altogether.


    I will say this for Koschei¡¯s decorating: my best magic revolves around life and death and I was in a room full of dead bodies and lingering spirits which meant I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about backlash later if I just grabbed something to act as a channel.


    I didn¡¯t do that, but it was an option.


    Alix had never been fond of necromancy, even when I¡¯d used it unconsciously as a kid to have someone to play with, but given the situation, I think I could make a decent case for myself later.


    ¡°D¨´sgrich,¡± I called the command out as I gestured to the masses of flesh and bone before pointing to Koschei. There was a low rumble as bones shifted in the masses to snap together into bodies before they reached and clawed for Koschei¡¯s form, their own anger toward him fanning the flames my intent had sparked in them. They kept him from approaching Alix, but not from me, I hadn¡¯t thought that far ahead as he loomed over me. ¡°Alix?¡± My voice cracked as I backed away piling into other bones that stretched for him, but I still couldn¡¯t see her past the masses.


    Then he broke off one of the bones that restrained him and drove it through me.


    I clutched at it as he let go, the taste of blood slick in my mouth as I looked down at the piece of broken femur that went through my midsection.


    ¡­a relieved smile tugged at my lips as I fell to my knees¡­


    The spell flickered out and the bones crashed to the floor around us.


    Then Koschei the Deathless stiffened and I looked up again.


    In a state of euphoric numb, I watched him collapse to reveal Alix¡¯s fist, an ancient soul flickering with hellfire from between her fingers.


    ¡°Reyna?¡± She rushed over to me, black hellfire eyes flickering back to liquid mercury as she looked over my injury. I grinned up at her, bloodstained teeth sharp with delirium from the blood loss combined with backlash from the spell.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be fine once I bleed out.¡± I¡¯d probably heal before I bled out and we both knew it, but still.


    At the worst, I¡¯ll be really hungry later.


    Alix didn¡¯t return my smile, only gave me a sharp look before pulling the bone free and pressing a hand over the hole.


    I slipped out of consciousness as she began whispering something in Lurakil I was too far gone to catch.


    -----


    I remember waking up once on the way to the hospital, but only long enough to see trees speeding by much faster than was legal and someone following Alix¡¯s car in my Jeep. When I opened my eyes again, I was in a painfully sterile room with deafening white walls. Alix leaned in stark contrast in the doorway. She smiled when she saw me awake, the relief barely touching the turmoil of emotion in her eyes before she leaned over me to press the nurse call button.


    ¡°The missing women?¡± Her smile turned grim as she shook her head slightly, but I couldn¡¯t say I was surprised at the answer. ¡°And Koschei?¡± My voice sounded almost as bad as his had when I finally got the words past my parched lips, but I needed to know it hadn¡¯t been some sort of fever dream caused by severe blood loss on my part.


    ¡°He¡¯s gone,¡± Alix said quietly with a slight nod and I breathed a sigh of relief. The nurse bustled into the room a moment later and earned a sharp inhale of mock surprise at her presence, ¡°So she does exist this early in the morning.¡± I started laughing, but it only made me begin to cough violently and the nurse, for her part, fixed Alix with a sharp stare that only had me laughing harder¡ªa tiny little Hollen nurse was staring down literal Death, how could I not laugh at that.


    ¡°Visiting hours don¡¯t begin for another ten hours, miss. She needs as much rest as she can get, and she doesn¡¯t need you lurking in the doorway to do it.¡±


    ¡°Let her stay,¡± I laughed the words¡ªno one really needed Death lurking in their doorway. The nurse faltered, looking back my way while I tried to stifle my giggling because gods did it hurt.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other for a few years and we¡¯re family. I just got to the States recently so I came to visit. Today¡¯s my last day free, I have to leave by nine.¡± I think, had the nurse not breathed an exasperated sigh in defeat and left without continuing to fight her on the subject, Alix would¡¯ve continued to spin lies from half truths and vague implications. But the nurse did leave, so Alix relaxed slightly and moved to stand by the bed.


    ¡°I hate hospitals.¡±She laughed quietly at my tired bitterness, but didn¡¯t question it; she remembered my reason.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she exhaled the word, ¡°feels like I¡¯ve spent a lot of time in them lately.¡± I cocked my head to one side and she flashed a wry smile, ¡°Another time, maybe, for now, just get your rest.¡± She leaned over to kiss my forehead in a silent farewell and I caught a glimpse of who she must¡¯ve been to her sister and her children. The edges of my vision were growing fuzzy again as the man who¡¯d driven my Jeep here appeared in the doorway.


    I remembered him now, he was the man from the library in Edgewood.


    That¡¯s right.


    His name was Logan.


    -----


    I woke up later with the sun streaming through the blinds. It created a halo effect behind his head and in my delirium, I forgot the scotch and the cigarettes and the rain that¡¯d been haunting me and smiled.


    ¡°Jack,¡± my voice was still dry and raspy, ¡°Would you mind closing the blinds, please? The light¡¯s giving you a halo, it¡¯s throwing me off a bit.¡± Jack laughed quietly and closed the blinds.


    Gods, I¡¯d missed his laugh.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to hear you¡¯re alright enough to be a smart ass.¡± I thought about pointing out that I was always a smartass but instead just smirked briefly and struggled to sit up in my bed.


    ¡°Just a bit dehydrated.¡± He held out a water bottle and I smiled my relief. ¡°Thanks.¡± I didn¡¯t notice until I paused to catch my breath that Loki was curled up and sound asleep in a chair next to Jack¡¯s and Zevi was much the same in his lap.


    ¡°They wanted to be awake when you woke up, but¡­¡± He trailed off and I smiled, reaching out to stroke Loki¡¯s dark hair. ¡°Someone left a box for you, by the way,¡± Jack gestured to the table on the other side of the bed, ¡°it was there when we got here, so I don¡¯t know who.¡± I looked at the small wooden box resting on the table with a bittersweet smile. When I opened it, I was looking at a beautiful .357 Magnum with a set of 12 black, opalescent bullets encased in a layer of unmistakable frost. Inside the lid was a note in Alix¡¯s sharp script. I call it Lucky. I opened the note to read the rest. You can probably guess why. Good Hunting. ¡ªA. I could guess, the frost gave it away for me. Alix had given me 12 bullets of pure hellfire; those bullets would kill anything. ¡°Reyna?¡± I looked up at Jack again as I closed and latched the lid on Lucky¡¯s case, ¡°The Doc said you¡¯d been in some sort of freak accident¡ªlike you¡¯d fallen back onto something sharp.¡± I swallowed and dug a knuckle into my head for a moment; it was a supernatural hospital or I¡¯d be in some quarantine chamber or on a dissection table, but sometimes it was still better to lie about how I got injured when I make my living hunting the same people hospitals like this cater to.


    ¡°Well, you see¡­¡± I trailed off as Jack¡¯s gaze narrowed slightly and something made me decide to do something I rarely did when it came to work-related injuries: tell the truth, ¡°I met Koschei the Deathless. He was less than friendly.¡± I spoke bitterly, refusing to meet his gaze.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t explain the injury.¡± I shrugged, apathetic to Jack¡¯s apprehension.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit difficult to explain.¡± I stopped and we sat in uncomfortable silence for a moment before I looked at the clock and changed the subject. ¡°Hey, Jack,¡± he looked up from Zevi¡¯s hand wrapped around a couple of his fingers as if it was completely normal for him, ¡°Didn¡¯t you have a sales pitch today?¡± He shrugged as if it was nothing.


    ¡°Jesse said that you were in the hospital, so I came the second I hung up the phone.¡± A wry smile flickered across my lips, a hint of grief in it.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t just leave in the middle of work even if you are freelance, it gives you a bad reputation.¡± He smirked, the same nonchalance in the look as had been there the day we met.


    ¡°Wow,¡± he drew out the word, his eyes widened slightly in surprise and something like concern at the edges of his scent, ¡°what¡¯ve they got you on, love?¡± A breathless laugh escaped my lips.


    ¡°Morphine, pro¡¯ly. I dunno what else, but I feel fantastic,¡± and giggly. Jack laughed quietly and Zevi blinked the sleep from his foggy blue eyes as he opened his mouth in a tiny yawn.


    ¡°Is mum awake?¡± Jack had just started to reply when Michael burst through the door; in hindsight, I¡¯m not sure whether I should¡¯ve been surprised or impressed Jack beat him here.


    They locked eyes and time teemed to stop.


    ...took everything in me not to start laughing again.


    ¡°What in Hell¡¯s name are you doing here?¡± Michael¡¯s voice was as cold as it¡¯d been when be first met and he practically towered over Jack¡ªI sometimes forget just how tall and solid Michael is¡ªbut Jack either didn¡¯t notice or, more than likely, didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Someone I cared about is in the hospital after puncturing her lung with something¡ª¡±


    ¡°It was a bone,¡± I cut in as I tried not to wince at his use of past tense, ¡°a femur, I think.¡±


    ¡°A femur¡ªbloody hell, Reyna¡ªand I¡¯m not allowed to visit?¡± Jack, for his part, barely lost his stride as he corrected himself, ¡°Even after an ten hour drive for that exact purpose?¡± I shook my head slowly, laying back again with a tired sigh¡ªten hours? I¡¯d been out longer than I thought, would explain the amount of sun coming in the window.


    ¡°You¡¯re not family, how¡¯d you even get in here?¡± That got a snicker out of me for obvious reasons, but I was too far gone to point it out to Michael.


    I was slipping out of consciousness again when Jesse hurried through the door after Michael.


    Well that¡¯s fine then, Jesse should be able to break them up if they actually get into it, or at the very least she could use some of that Cambion charm of hers¡ªhers had always been especially strong.


    Then I lost myself again in the blood


    and the oblivion.


    -----


    When I woke this time it was evening outside the window and Echo of all people sat in the chair next to my bed, wringing her hands as she stared down at them with a vacant look. She looked far more soft-spoken now than she had the last times I¡¯d seen her and the smell of guilt was coming off of her in waves to match her eyes.


    ¡°Echo,¡± I spoke softly and Echo jumped, looking up at me in surprise, ¡°What¡¯re you doing here?¡± I don¡¯t think I meant that to sound as pointed as it did, but I don¡¯t think she took it too personally either, thankfully.


    ¡°I¡ªI heard about what happened,¡± she spoke slowly and I exhaled to match, ¡°are you alright, Reyna?¡± That is a good question, I thought to myself as I took a shuddering breath as if to test the healing wound.


    ¡°I heal fast.¡± It wasn¡¯t an answer and she knew it.


    ¡°Really? Because you look awfully pale, still.¡± A sharp look and she fell silent so I closed my eyes and took another deep breath.


    ¡°Hey, Echo,¡± I looked back over at her, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your bus.¡± She looked up in surprise again.


    ¡°Emerson, his name was Emerson.¡± I couldn¡¯t help my laugh.


    ¡°Why am I not surprised you named it.¡± I looked up at the ceiling in an attempt to stop laughing, ¡°You lived out of that bus, right?¡± She nodded slightly. ¡°There¡¯s an extra room above the shop, if you want it, as long as you be careful what you write,¡± I paused, ¡°and I¡¯ll fix¡­ I¡¯ll fix Emerson... once I¡¯m out of here.¡± Echo beamed at me.


    ¡°I came to apologize,¡± she looked back down at her hands for a moment, ¡°for the post, and for what happened to your kids, and everything.¡± I nodded slowly.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± it wasn¡¯t, but she seemed to have learned her lesson so I cut her some slack¡­ whatever medication they had in my IV was really mellowing me out, I think, but that was fine¡ªI was fine.


    ¡°Reyna?¡± Echo¡¯s voice seemed so far away as I sunk deeper into the pillow.


    ¡°Goodbye.¡± I whispered the word as I closed my eyes.


    I never say goodbye¡­


    ...but it seemed fitting.


    -----


    I was awake again the next morning; the nurse brought breakfast but I didn¡¯t have much of an appetite what with my history with hospitals so I was still poking the food around on the tray when Jack knocked on the door and slipped inside. He stood awkwardly to one side, watching as I pushed the tray away to give him my full attention now that I wasn¡¯t doped halfway out of what little remained of my mind.


    ¡°How are you feeling, Miss Wildes?¡± I winced and lashed out in kind.


    ¡°What¡¯s it to you, Matlock?¡± Pain flashed through his scent and something twisted inside me despite the victorious smile that flashed across my lips at the thought I might¡¯ve hurt him as much as he hurt me¡­


    ...even though I knew I was the one who started it.


    ¡°Jesse¡¯s worried¡ª¡± he began, but my gaze narrowed into a sharp glare.


    ¡°Oh come off it, Jack. Jesse wouldn¡¯t send you if she were worried about me, especially not for something like this.¡± It was a lie and we both knew it, but somewhere a long time ago we¡¯d silently agreed never to mention that Jesse was a self sacrificing idiot when it came to me and the little happiness I sometimes managed to sink my claws into around Jack.


    I took a breath, ignoring the itch in my fresh scar as I dug my knuckles into my forehead for a moment, ¡°Please,¡± my voice came softer than I realized when I looked up again, ¡°can we just pretend for a moment that nothing happened to us?¡± Jack was colored with surprise for a moment, but he nodded slightly and settled his weight on the edge of the bed as I shifted over to make room.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± when he finally spoke, he was almost as quiet as I was, ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± I winced again, but this time the sharp stabbing pain wasn¡¯t temporary. I laid back with a thud against the pillow as I pushed away the wheeled table, staring up at the ceiling pretending it was stars like my room when I was little. Jack watched for a moment as I patted the bed beside me and then pointed at one of the shapes on the ceiling.


    ¡°It looks like a rabbit.¡± He lay down beside me, looking up at where I pointed.


    ¡°That one looks like a fox.¡± A brief, sad smile tugged at the corner of my mouth.


    ¡°I was wrong.¡± Jack looked over at me out of the corner of his eye, waiting, ¡°When I said nothing hurt anymore, I was wrong about that.¡± He turned to study my profile. ¡°This mess I¡¯ve made of us¡ªit hurts.¡± My voice dropped to a whisper; he was close enough that I could feel warmth radiating from him.


    ¡°Reyna¡­¡± he began and a part of me wondered if maybe I was still doped up too much because I found a soft smile on my lips.


    ¡°I like the way my name sounds when you say it... and the way you taste after¡­¡± Yeah¡­ I was still drugged and I wondered if he could tell when he seemed to study me as I trailed off. I glance his way just as he reached out to cup my cheek in his palm, pressing his lips to mine.


    I pulled back.


    Or, I was going to pull back.


    I was going to¡­


    I¡­


    I blame the drugs.


    Jack moved and suddenly he was leaned over me me, the hand cupping my cheek moving to wrap around my waist as the other supported his weight. My arms wrapped around his neck and fingers knotted in his hair without me telling them to.


    My body was acting without my telling it to.


    I rolled us over, causing him to pull back in a breathless laugh as I started to kiss along his neck.


    It felt strange, almost like touching him was an addiction.


    He was an addiction.


    He lifted my chin with one hand and kissed me again, but¡­


    Well¡­


    There was a cough from the doorway and we sprang apart, suddenly snapped back to ourselves. In my scramble to get off of him, I crashed to the floor and I winced as I pulled against fresh scar tissue.


    Echo stood in the doorway, trying to look anywhere but at me sitting on the floor trying to breath again through the pain, and Jack laying in his cursed nonchalance propped up on an elbow with his damned grin. Her cheeks were flame red, and she seemed to be having a really hard time containing a smile as she fiddled with one of her bracelets.


    ¡°H¡ªHi... sorry¡­¡± I swear, if she turned any more red, she¡¯d start looking like a tomato, ¡°I could¡ªI could leave if you guys want me to?¡± She trailed off with a gesture back out toward the hall as the two of us responded at once.


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Jack and I spoke over each other and I felt the heat begin to rise in my own cheeks as I drew my knees to my chest.


    ¡°Please stay,¡± I don¡¯t trust myself around him. My voice was soft and Jack looked at me with an unreadable expression and hurt in his scent as I watched his grin slip away.


    ¡°Alright,¡± then the scent was gone, the mask of nonchalance returned as he¡¯d apparently learned to disassociate in our years apart and his scent went as hard to read as his face, ¡°get better soon, Miss Wildes.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry,¡± she spoke slowly, watching him go in confusion before she looked back at me with a question in her gaze.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± I kept my voice quiet as I climbed back into the bed and inhaled; it still smelled like him¡­


    ¡­it was hard to focus on Echo¡¯s chatter, but I really did try if only so I wouldn¡¯t be alone with my thoughts.


    -----


    Jack was back when I woke from a short nap in the afternoon. He sat staring at his hands, leaning on the arms of the chair as his knee bounced in what smelled like nerves. I watched him through half-lidded eyes for a long time before I finally spoke.


    ¡°Hey.¡± He jolted as if he¡¯d been shocked despite my barely audible voice; I¡¯d been about to say something, but there was a look in his amber gaze that made me stop.


    It scared me, that look.


    It looked like regret.


    Or guilt.


    Jack blinked and the spell was broken; I tore my gaze away and fell into a confused silence.


    I glanced back for a second as if to make sure I hadn''t imagined it.


    I wasn¡¯t so lucky as to catch another glimpse.


    The look had vanished almost as soon as I¡¯d seen it.


    I looked up again at the ceiling, searching for answers in the little dots like stars and wanting to be angry with him for that look, but too tired¡ªtoo drugged to actually speak my mind. Echo paused again in the doorway, taking in our uncomfortable silence a moment before she sat down timidly in the still empty chair with a certain degree of her own awkwardness. I smiled briefly at her, laughing breathlessly as she crossed her legs away from Jack; she seemed unsure of what to think of him, and I didn¡¯t blame her.


    The silence was suffocating.


    If it weren¡¯t for the nurses and security outside¡­


    ...and the tubes and wires I was attached to in here¡­


    ...I¡¯d have run screaming from the room.


    Actually, I was still considering it.


    I didn¡¯t get the chance though.


    A cheerful voice drifted to me from outside, someone chatting briefly with one of the nurses at the desk before the voice stopped and someone turned the doorknob. I looked over in curiosity; if it¡¯d been someone I knew, I would¡¯ve recognized the voice or the scent, but all I got was human in the sea of supernatural. The woman who opened the door beamed brightly, holding two cups of coffee carefully in her hands. It smelled delicious, but the doctor had said I was on nothing but water until he said otherwise. The strange woman¡¯s gaze swept the room, lingering briefly on me with a look of thinly veiled disgust before she moved to settle into Jack¡¯s lap, her smile never faltering. Jack seemed completely unfazed by any of it, simply wrapping one arm around her waist and taking the coffee with his free hand.


    I looked over at Echo, making sure that she looked as confused and surprised as I did before my gaze returned to Jack.


    There was so much pain shooting through me, despite the medication, that there was nothing I could do to keep from slipping into the icy oblivion of madness.


    And blood¡­


    I bit down on the urge to let my eyes change, slicing open my lip without even needing my extended primary canines to do it.


    ¡°Matlock,¡± his name slipped past my teeth in a barely restrained growl. Jack looked up from his coffee in brief surprise.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± He looked from me to the woman and back again, ¡°Oh, right.¡± He set the coffee very carefully on a side table as if buying himself time to explain, ¡°This is Rosemary, we met in Concord while I was there for the pitch, and when Jesse called, she agreed to come back with me.¡± The way he looked at her made me want to stab someone, it¡¯s a miracle I didn¡¯t pull Lucky.


    Well, no.


    That would¡¯ve been a waste of a bullet.


    But the point remains the same.


    Rosemary said nothing, at least not that either Echo or I could make out, she only whispered something to Jack and laughed softly.


    Her laugh sounded like church bells.


    No one laughs like that in real life.


    What the Hell?


    I groaned, more to myself than anyone else as her green eyes glowed with false light and Jack ran some of her auburn hair through his fingers.


    He was smiling, but it seemed so fake to me.


    Maybe that was just wishful thinking, though...


    ¡°Reyna?¡± I tore my gaze away from the pair to look at Echo, trying and apparently failing to hide the pain in my chest. ¡°Are you alright?¡± There was nothing but worry in her eyes and I softened slightly, taking a moment to press a knuckle into my forehead before I let my hand drop again.


    ¡°Hey Matlock,¡± there was a bitter edge to my words and Jack winced so subtly I barely caught it, but it was enough to bring a smile to my lips; at least I knew he was hurting too, ¡°and you,¡± I didn¡¯t bother with her name as I waved noncommittally in the woman¡¯s direction, ¡°would you mind giving us a minute?¡± I nodded towards Echo and Jack, regaining his composure in only a second, nodded slightly before ushering the intruder out the door to my room, closing it softly behind them.


    ¡°Did you have something to talk to me about? Or did you just want them to leave?¡± Both.


    ¡°Would you do me a favor?¡± I kept my voice measured and even, trying to ignore the pain.


    ¡°Sure?¡± She spoke with caution and I gave a breathless laugh.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing illegal.¡± For some reason, that only made her look more worried. ¡°Would you leave the back door to the shop unlocked tonight?¡±


    -----


    Hospitals, in my experience, don¡¯t see a lot of Alcaimynder and even fewer Soul Collectors, let alone a combination of the two, so they tended to treat me as a type of Hollen when I come in regardless of the fact my ability to heal is closer to that of a demon¡¯s. I¡¯ve broken out of enough of them by now that it¡¯s practically child¡¯s play, the only concern is any drugs that might linger in my system at least until I get to the car. I made sure they got paid, stole my affects, and made it to my Jeep before the scar tissue began to ache and itch.


    Of course, there¡¯s also the little detail about the medication they had me on and operating machinery, but I have a fast enough metabolism that I was fairly certain it was out of my system by the time I managed to unlock the Jeep¡­


    I managed to make it home without incident.


    Echo had done as I¡¯d asked and left the back door of the shop unlocked so I didn¡¯t have to figure out the keys in my stupor.


    I slipped inside and locked the door before dropping my duffle on the floor and curling comfortably in the armchair, letting sleep steal me away now that I was free of the painful sterile of the hospital.

 October, 2015 - Pembroke, Maine

    I was going through the motions, pretending I could go back to when Michael and I had just opened the shop.


    But I couldn¡¯t.


    It was far too late for that.


    I winced every time the phone rang or someone came through the door...


    and every time someone tried to touch me.


    I¡¯d pulled a knife on Echo, eyes changing and fangs bared, but there was no feeling behind it.


    I was too focused on the pounding of her heart, the hum of blood pumping through her veins¡­


    What it felt like to punch my hand into her chest and tear it out¡­


    The taste of blood and flesh in my mouth¡ª


    ¡°Reyna?¡± I blinked and pulled the knife back, knotting my fingers in my hair as I realized what I¡¯d been about to do.


    I was hallucinating.


    Whether I liked it or not, I was going to see them die one by one.


    And at my hands.


    And part of me, a very feral part of me, couldn¡¯t forget the taste of her blood.


    A part of me had enjoyed it.


    ¡°Reyna, are you alright?¡± I shook my head and stood up suddenly, knocking into the shelf just hard enough to knock a jar off.


    I caught it.


    I¡¯d never knocked anything off the shelf before.


    I flinched as the bell over the door rang quietly, looking up. Jack stopped in the doorway, ducking to the side as the jar smashed against the wall beside his head.


    I didn¡¯t remember whipping it at him, but there it was.


    Funny, I felt exactly the same as I had a moment ago.


    ¡°What the Hell?¡± Jack looked at me with something like wounded disbelief as Rosemary piled in behind him.


    ¡°Get out,¡± The words came cold and even¡ªdetached.


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°Get the fuck out!¡± I shouted over him and he took an unconscious step back before resetting his mask of nonchalance and turning to Rosemary.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go,¡± Rosemary looked severely confused as Jack moved her back out the door.


    ¡°She seems nice,¡± Echo broke the silence as I slipped back into the cold, ¡°Still though,¡± she began, looking back at me. I shrugged.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. They can do whatever they want as long as they stay out of my shop.¡± I left before Echo could reply. I walked past Michael and up the stairs to my studio.


    I had planned to read¡­


    Or draw¡­


    Do anything really.


    But I found myself utterly without motivation.


    Without passion¡­


    It felt as though I were dead inside.


    -----


    ~Third~


    Reyna dropped off the map within the hour. Jack returned to the shop after, looking for Jesse. He and Rosemary found her wearing through the carpet in the back room. She was worried enough, she¡¯d even managed to set Michael on edge. He sat on the sofa, wringing the shaft of his scythe that had gone untouched since the shop¡¯s opening, his empty eyes staring straight ahead and every muscle in his body ready to spring into action at a moment¡¯s notice. Echo sat on the other end of the sofa, twisting one of her woven bracelets between her fingers as she watched Jesse pace.


    ¡°Jesse, there you are¡ª¡± Jack began, but Jesse stopped pacing and shot him a glare straight from Hell.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± Her voice was enough to almost scare him, but he didn¡¯t let it show.


    ¡°What¡¯re you talking about?¡± Jesse threw her hands in the air and marched off in a huff.


    ¡°Reyna¡¯s missing,¡± Echo spoke quietly, her gaze flicking to Jack for a second before it returned to the wicked curve in the blade of Michael¡¯s scythe. Jack rolled his eyes in disbelief.


    ¡°Oh come off it, she disappears without a word all the time, just¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not like this, she doesn¡¯t.¡± Michael cut him off, his gaze never moving as he spoke evenly, ¡°She hasn¡¯t been well lately¡ªshe¡¯s been slipping. Do you realize what that means?¡± Michael finally looked up at Jack. ¡°It means there¡¯s no way for us to find her without a lot of luck, and she¡¯s not walking around fully in control anymore. Someone might be killed.¡± Jack and Michael stared at each other for a long time, a sudden silent understanding finally passing between them.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s missing?¡± Rosemary shattered the silence with a lilting voice, ¡°Oh my, that¡¯s terrible.¡± She seemed utterly unfazed by Michael and his scythe, ¡°Have you tried the police?¡± Jesse¡¯s gaze snapped to the girl, but before she could say something she might later regret, the landline began to ring. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Jesse plucked up the phone in delicate fingers.


    ¡°Hello?¡± She was quiet for a long time, listening with a straight face until she hung up the phone again with a silent click.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Echo watched Jesse with worry filling her eyes.


    ¡°That was Captain Horn¨ªk¡± she spoke slowly, ¡°They have Reyna in custody.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Jack stared in shock, Reyna didn¡¯t spend time in jail unless she called something in and chose to spend the night like she was checking into a hotel.


    ¡°You know where she is now, that¡¯s a good thing, isn¡¯t it?¡± Rosemary¡¯s voice was too sweet for any of them to be too annoyed with her, she meant well, after all. Jack put an arm around her and pulled her against his chest, pressing his lips to the top of her head in a silent kiss. He seemed forced, but it was nearly imperceptible to those watching except maybe Jesse, who knew him too well.


    ¡°Go home, Rosemary. I¡¯ll meet you there once everything is settled.¡± He spoke softly, but she just shook her head


    ¡°No, that¡¯s alright. You all seem awful worried about her, I¡¯d like to see that she¡¯s safe.¡± Jack frowned slightly and looked back at Jesse.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to go now, and someone¡¯ll have to stay and watch the pups.¡± She was all business, leaving no room for argument.


    ¡°I can stay,¡± Echo spoke quietly, raising her hand to volunteer, ¡°I don¡¯t know her that well, anyway.¡± Jesse started to respond, but Michael didn¡¯t give her the chance.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help,¡± he spoke evenly, standing to return his scythe to its hook over the little bookcase behind the desk now they knew they wouldn¡¯t have to go out hunting Reyna.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll call with what we find out.¡± Jesse spoke after a moment¡¯s consideration. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she turned Jack around and led them to her car.


    -----


    Captain Horn¨ªk met them at the station¡¯s front desk. He gestured for them to follow him once they¡¯d piled inside.


    ¡°So what happened?¡± Jesse was the first to break the silence and Hon¨ªk breathed a heavy sigh.


    ¡°Reyna called us from the phone at a local bar, all she said over the phone was that there was a fight and to send a couple of ambulances.¡± He paused to sign in with the officer in charge of the little batch of holding cells. ¡°We got there with the ambulances and found her sitting against the bar with seven unconscious and badly injured men on the ground around her.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how it happened?¡±


    ¡°The bartender said this guy rolled in with his posse and started trying to chat her up, one of them got a little handsy and she cracked his head open on the bar top. According to him, the whole thing just spiralled from there.¡± Jack muttered a swear under his breath because Michael had been right; Reyna didn¡¯t like being touched on the best of days unless it was her idea or she was comfortable with the person, on the worst days it was lucky if she didn¡¯t kill someone if they did. The group rounded a corner and found Reyna in a cell by herself, laying on the metal cot with an arm thrown over her eyes to block out sensory stimuli.


    ¡°Reyna!¡± Jesse didn¡¯t seem to care that shouting would further aggravate Reyna¡¯s current state. Reyna flinched visibly at the sound before lifting her arm partially to glance over, her emerald eyes dull. ¡°Get your ass over here so I know you¡¯re listening.¡± Jack blinked in surprise; Jesse never swore unless it was for a role. Reyna made a noise half growl and half groan, like some impetuous teenager; she did as she was told though, moving painfully slow to lean against the bars of her cage.


    ¡°What.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question the way she said it, but rather a challenge.


    ¡°This is one stunt I won¡¯t allow you to shrug off, Reyna! You could¡¯ve killed someone!¡± Reyna didn¡¯t blink at Jesse¡¯s shouting.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning to shrug it off; I can¡¯t shrug anything off. I dislocated my shoulder,¡± she spoke so simply it shocked everyone within earshot into silence.


    ¡°My God, you poor thing!¡± Rosemary¡¯s exclamation jolted them out of their shock as she rushed the bars of the cell. Reyna recoiled, baring her teeth in a low growl.


    ¡°Other than that, are you okay?¡± Jack finally spoke to her and her mask fractured for a second, but it was gone before anyone could see it.


    It was gone so fast she didn¡¯t realize it herself.


    ¡°The Hell do you care? Why are you even here?¡± He flinched, but before he could get a word in edgewise, Jesse pounced.


    ¡°Reyna, just answer the question!¡± She stared at Jesse for a long time, her gaze narrowed as if debating how to respond. Then she breathed an exasperated sigh, put her arms behind her head and turned away from the bars.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I mean I¡¯m really not,¡± she stopped, letting her arms drop back down to her sides, ¡°but I¡¯m fine.¡± Jesse stared in disbelief.


    ¡°It was self-defence right, so you should be able to get off,¡± Rosemary, ever the optimist, spoke up and Reyna scoffed.


    ¡°Yeah, self-defence meets temporary insanity.¡± She spoke the words with sarcasm, but it didn¡¯t find her eyes; it was as if she said the words with no feeling at all.


    ¡°¡®Temporary¡¯, right¡­¡± Jesse jabbed her elbow into Jack¡¯s ribs. Reyna had ignored him though, moving back to lay down on her cot again.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take you home, alright?¡± She didn¡¯t respond, only rolled over to face the wall.


    -----


    Captain Horn¨ªk took little convincing to let Reyna walk, she wasn¡¯t someone he wanted to get on the bad side and the fight really had started as self defense. Regardless, she vanished again almost as soon as she had her things back. Jesse made a quick call back to the shop, but Michael and Echo hadn¡¯t heard from her. They loaded the pups into the back of Michael¡¯s truck and started making rounds, hoping to find some sign.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.They didn¡¯t.


    Reyna watched from a shadow as they climbed into the truck, waiting for them to leave before she slipped through the back door.


    Jesse, Jack, and Rosemary pulled up about a half an hour later, stopping long enough to drop off Rosemary and split up to join the search. Rosemary stood for a long time in the dark of the shop before she made her way into the back room. Reyna slipped in between the shelves packed with books and herbs and waited while Rosemary turned on one of the old lights.


    The light cast the room in long shadows and danced like a fire in Reyna¡¯s cold gaze.


    ¡°You know something, Rosemary?¡± Rosemary jumped at Reyna¡¯s sudden appearance.


    ¡°Oh, Reyna! Everyone¡¯s so worried about you, they¡¯re out¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like you.¡± She continued as if the girl hadn¡¯t said a word, ¡°I know everyone else seems to like you, but I don¡¯t. Maybe it¡¯s that you work so hard to make people like you. Maybe I¡¯m just a contrary bastard. But I don¡¯t like you, and I don¡¯t like the way you¡¯re taking my family from me.¡± Reyna¡¯s voice was cold and even, despite the emotion those words should have carried, and that thought made Rosemary¡¯s blood turn to ice.


    ¡°H¡ªHow dare you¡ª¡±


    ¡°You know, the only thing keeping me from killing you, is Jack.¡± She said it as if it was nothing, but it was more honest than anything she¡¯d said before.


    -----


    ~Reyna~


    Blood¡­


    The scent¡­


    The taste¡­


    The sound of it


    drip¡­


    drip¡­


    dripping¡­


    I opened my eyes to find myself lying just beneath the surface of a creek in the woods. I sat up suddenly, gasping for air as droplets of icy water rained back down on me. I scrambled to my feet and climbed up the bank in a rush before finally stopping to check my clothes for blood. Having found none, I breathed a sigh of relief and started, shivering, the long walk back home.


    -----


    I stumbled through the shop door and froze as my blood ran cold. The door fell shut behind me and nine eyes stared my way. I stared back. Jack¡¯s eyes returned in solemn silence to the countertop. Michael and Jesse returned to their quiet discussion of what the scene entailed. Echo had chewed her nails to the quick, still shaking from the initial shock of another body.


    Or part of one.


    If I¡¯d cared about anything right then, I¡¯d have felt sorry for her.


    Or guilty.


    ¡°Echo,¡± The poor girl nearly jumped out of her skin when I rested a hand on her shoulder. I forced a smile, ¡°Would you please go make sure Loki and Zevi are alright?¡± Echo nodded slightly, a look of relief filling her gaze at the excuse to leave.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I watched as she stepped back before turning to go. I let my false smile fade and looked down at the counter; really looked.


    It was simple enough: a single eyeball, the nerves still attached, an arm, and a leg.


    The rest of the body was God knows where, but we all knew who it was.


    ¡°This has Reaper written all over it,¡± Jesse broke the silence and Michael shook his head.


    ¡°None of us were that twisted. This is something else,¡± he paused for a moment, ¡°a message.¡± A small smile tugged at the corner of my mouth; this was all a game to me.


    A challenge.


    ¡°¡®I see you¡¯,¡± I spoke softly, struggling not to laugh, of course I knew what it said, ¡°the Reapers are here.¡± All of them turned their gazes to me, but I kept my eyes fixed on the one on the counter.


    Somehow, it seemed more alight with life now that it had when she¡¯d been alive.


    A flood.


    A sea of scarlet.


    The thick, sticky scent.


    The taste of the coppery drug.


    My thoughts were far from here and memories were fragmented shards.


    Like broken glass.


    The window shattered into the shop behind us and we spun toward the sound, every one of us on edge.


    It was just a rock.


    I lifted it, staring at the message painted onto the smooth surface in Greek. I smirked briefly, I was right. ¡°They¡¯re coming for me, first,¡± I looked back over my shoulder at the rest of the room, ¡°guess that answers that question.¡± I flashed a wicked smile at Michael before climbing through the broken window to check the street outside. On an opposing roof sat a silhouette, a girl, watching. I lifted the rock as a nod in acknowledgment and waved. She stepped back off the far side of the roof and vanished. ¡°¡®I see you, too¡¯,¡± I whispered the translation as I turned away.


    ¡°It¡¯s another message?¡± I nodded slightly, handing the rock to Michael as I passed him to slip into the back room. It only took me a second to change into my hunting gear and pack my duffel bag. Jack followed me into the back room.


    ¡°Reyna?¡± I checked the clip of my .45 and fastened the holster to my thigh.


    ¡°No.¡± Jack locked the door behind him.


    ¡°Reyna,¡± he began again.


    ¡°Mr. Matlock, I need to lead them away from here before my house becomes a war zone, so if you don¡¯t mind¡ª¡± I stopped when I saw the look on his face.


    ¡°About what happened at the hospital,¡± he spoke slowly and my gaze narrowed slightly, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have done that,¡± I raised an eyebrow at him, but said nothing, ¡°It¡¯s just, I needed to do something to distract me from you, and¡­¡± he trailed off, running his fingers through his hair, ¡°Well, the point is, I screwed up and,¡± Jack finally met my gaze for more than a few seconds, ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± I turned back to my duffel, slinging it over my shoulder. ¡°Reyna, please. How can I fix this? What¡ªWhat should I do?¡± I stopped, turning slightly so that I could really see him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I paused in a moment¡¯s thought, ¡°and you¡¯re right about what happened,¡± I turned back to the door, ¡°It was a mistake.¡± I slipped out the door before he could reply.


    The door opened out and I stumbled through into the cool night air.


    I stopped.


    I couldn¡¯t ask for a better view of Portland and the ocean at night.


    But my view was blurred by rain.


    Just like the river.


    I pulled out of it, breaking the Reaper¡¯s grip on me as I slammed an elbow into his ribs hard enough to break something. Within the next second I had slit his throat and shot the next Reaper in the head with a silver bullet before I bolted. Deeper into the woods and I¡¯d lose them in an instant, but I didn¡¯t want to lose them.


    So into the city I ran.


    I moved with the wind.


    Swaying on the edge of the wall.


    I stared down in the rain, too lost for vertigo.


    Or fear.


    It made me feel sick.


    Like a blow to the gut.


    It winded me.


    And dropped me to my knees.


    The reapers laughed as my knees sent the dirt and the dust into the air, but still I only grinned up at them, despite the blood that dripped from my mouth.


    ¡°They must¡¯ve really wanted me dead if they sent this many of you for one girl.¡± The group parted slightly as the girl from the roof approached me with a silver knife.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself so short, Owhi, we sent our best and you put him out of commission, you have a reputation for turning New England into a virtual dead zone for us,¡± she leaned closer, ¡°and that was when you were still making human mistakes.¡± The girl smiled wickedly and her soul hummed inside her.


    It was an act, this enjoyment; she hated her work.


    ¡°So tell me, what¡¯s a Siren doing so far from home?¡± She blinked in surprise for the briefest moment.


    ¡°What¡ª?¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°Call it curiosity.¡± I smirked, ¡°I just ask because your kind always struck me more as the flying rats people are so insistent on calling seagulls.¡± The girl began to fume, her grip on the knife tightening.


    ¡°They used to say that though a lucky few might escape our song, none shall escape our silence¡ª¡± She cut off when I twisted free of someone¡¯s grip to land a kick into the side of her knee, dropping her to the ground in front of me.


    ¡°Sorry, I know I interrupted you, but you really shouldn¡¯t let your guard down around me; I just can¡¯t help but take advantage of it.¡±


    ¡°No matter, we¡ª¡±


    ¡°Jesus, is that how they want to execute me? To have you talk me to death?¡±


    She moved, patience lost.


    I slipped away.


    Someone bled, I¡¯m not entirely sure who.


    The blade was in my hand.


    The silver flashed.


    Like lightning over the city.


    I watched it, shaking, but not from the cold.


    Blood dripped from the corners of my mouth,


    from my fingers,


    and from my eyes.


    Alcaimynder aren¡¯t meant to succumb to the madness in human form.


    It didn¡¯t hurt like I thought it would; it wasn¡¯t just pain.


    It was a sweet sort of pain.


    Like the taste of that coppery drug.


    The thick, sticky scent.


    The sea of scarlet.


    The aftermath of the flood.


    I¡¯d loved it too much to not know what had to be done.


    All it took was one step forward,


    and everything would be alright.


    I closed my eyes and started to move.


    ¡°Reyna,¡± I stopped.


    The door onto the roof closed behind me and I glanced back.


    ¡°Stay away, Jack,¡± my voice cracked and I could feel the tears welling in my eyes, ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± I swallowed, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt anyone else.¡± He took a hesitant step forward and I shook my head slightly, shifting my weight back. ¡°No,¡± my voice was soft, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡± Jack took another small step forward.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you will,¡± he was at the outer edge of my reach now, but he made no move to grab me.


    He was letting me come to him, just like he would a wounded animal.


    ¡°Come on down,¡± He smiled falsely, ¡°we can work through it together.¡± I wanted to deck him, but I didn¡¯t want to leave my perch so I settled for a sharp look.


    ¡°A long time ago, you said you loved me,¡± my laugh was broken and manic, just like the crooked smile the split her lips to reveal sharp canines extended there, ¡°I remember that like it was yesterday.¡± Another laugh as she raked shaking bloody hands through her wild hair and the birds took flight in a frenzy in her head, ¡°You said I was a monster, too.¡± Tears that weren''t hers welled in her eyes and tracked down her cheeks over the drying blood as Jack watched. ¡°I think you got it right with that one.¡±


    ¡°Please, Reyna,¡± he took another small step forward, looking up at me again, and I faltered in my resolve.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot,¡± I spoke with a laugh of disbelief and he flashed a small, honest smile.


    ¡°If it¡¯s a choice between being an idiot with you and a genius without you,¡± he offered me a hand, ¡°I think I¡¯ll take being an idiot.¡± I hesitated before reaching out slowly to take the hand he offered.


    I took a tentative step forward.


    He smiled in relief and wrapped an arm around me, using his free hand to wipe the blood and tears from my face.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be alright,¡± he spoke softly before pressing his lips to the top of my head in a silent kiss. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, quiet as I decided this was home.

 Halloween, 2015 - Pembroke, Maine

    I have a sort of love-hate relationship with Halloween. The general population uses the opportunity to make light of the monsters I¡¯ve spent my life fighting, but that¡¯s more refreshing than insulting. The hate stems largely from Jesse¡¯s insistence we celebrate it every year.


    Although, this year I suppose I¡¯ve the pups to consider, and they wanted to dress up and go trick-or-treating.


    Correction:


    they wanted all of us to dress up and go with them.


    It took some doing to make them understand that adults don¡¯t go trick-or-treating, but there was no winning against Jesse now she had Echo on her side when it came to dressing up.


    Heh, I don¡¯t remember agreeing to wear what they¡¯d picked out for me, in fact, I remember being rather adamant in my refusal, but here I was in costume¡­


    the skirt felt much shorter than it¡¯d looked.


    ¡°Come on, Reyna, smile for me,¡± Jesse beamed as she fastened a heavy red cape around my neck despite my glare.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Echo clapped her excitement, ¡°you look so good!¡± I leveled my glare on her.


    ¡°I blame you for this,¡± I said bitterly as she pulled a mirror over from one wall of Jesse¡¯s room.


    My reflection surprised me; I¡¯m not fond of being in pictures and it¡¯s been so long since I saw my reflection as anything other than my beast that I think I¡¯d almost forgotten what I looked like.


    I didn¡¯t recognize it at first¡ªwas surprised not to be meeting the bloodlust eyes of my beast.


    Maybe for the irony, I was dressed as Little Red Riding Hood, complete with a long red cloak the fell across my shoulders almost to the floor. Jesse had done my wild red hair in a loose sort of half-braid and makeup softened slightly features I remember being on the sharp side. The mirror was enchanted somehow, I recognized the smell of magic in a vague sense of static, but the Alcaimynder ¡®curse¡¯ couldn¡¯t be overwritten enough to hide the bloodlust in my reflection¡¯s emerald eyes.


    I started to make some bitter and/or sarcastic remark when Loki rushed into the room with Zevi on his heels, both of them already dressed up, so I kept my thoughts to myself for once.


    ¡°Hurry up, let¡¯s go!¡± Loki was a bundle of energy, but Zevi seemed fairly calm by comparison, his fingers tracing and adjusting his costume until everything was exactly in place.


    ¡°What do you think of your mum¡¯s costume?¡± Jesse asked as she adjusted her hair in the mirror, finishing her look as the Red Queen of Hearts. Zevi smiled.


    ¡°You look beautiful, mum,¡± I laughed.


    ¡°Well thank you,¡± I mussed up his hair and turned back to Jesse and Echo as Jesse moved to sit at the edge of her bed.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to go by the shop to pick up Michael and make sure he dressed up,¡± she said as she strapped on her heels, ¡°he said he would but there¡¯s no one to make sure he does.¡± I raised an eyebrow at her.


    ¡°What about Jack?¡± Her lilac eyes narrowed into a glare just at the mention of his name.


    ¡°He has work apparently,¡± she came closer to growling than I¡¯d ever heard, ¡°he said he¡¯ll meet us later.¡± Then Jesse gave me a knowing look with an almost victorious smile, ¡°I bet he¡¯d be happier about today if he knew it was¡ª¡±


    ¡°No Jesse,¡± my voice almost came more snarl than words, my teeth lengthened and eyes red-gold. ¡°It¡¯s bad enough you know.¡± Echo looked from Jesse to me and back again.


    ¡°What¡¯s today?¡± She broke her silence and Jesse¡¯s smile widened.


    ¡°Reyna¡¯s birthday.¡± Echo¡¯s eyes lit up.


    ¡°No fracking way, really?¡± I breathed a sigh of defeat.


    ¡°I was born at thirteen hundred hours on the 31st of October twenty-three¡ªsorry, four years ago today, so yeah.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t 13 considered unlucky?¡± A bitter smile flashed across my lips; I¡¯d actually rounded down, I was born at 13:13.


    ¡°Explains a lot, doesn¡¯t it?¡± My voice matched my smile when I answered. Then I focused on the boys, ¡°Come on boys, they¡¯ll meet us at the shop.¡± I spoke as if to flee the subject and I had Loki and Zevi out the door before anyone could call me on it.


    -----


    Michael was, by some small miracle, actually in the costume Jesse and echo had assigned him.


    He didn¡¯t look very happy about it, but the heavy black hood made him hard to read on expression alone so I had to go off the black haze of his scent.


    The idea of an ex-Reaper dressed as Godfather Death from Grimm¡¯s Fairytales was enough I almost laughed. To be fair, he seemed to be having a similar struggle after giving my own costume a once over.


    ¡°I think the big bad wolf would¡¯ve fit you better.¡± I snickered, one hand shooting up to stifle the sound. Michael mirrored me as a smile pulled at his lips and we made a silent agreement not to laugh. Then we lowered our hands and stood in silence for a moment.


    ¡°Are we¡­¡± Micheal paused to pull his hood back as he searched for the right way to put it, ¡°okay?¡± I blinked.


    ¡°How do you mean?¡±


    ¡°We were¡­ I mean I don¡¯t think we ever named it but we weren¡¯t just friends.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± I thought for a moment, looking through our relationship for feelings I couldn¡¯t be sure I¡¯d had. ¡°Do you ever get the feeling maybe we never really loved each other like that? Like we were just going through the motions?¡± He nodded his agreement after thinking it over. A bittersweet smile found my lips for a moment, ¡°Maybe we¡¯re better off like this.¡± His smile matched mine.


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right.¡± I reached up to pull his hood forward again to block his eyes before I slipped past to look up the stairs.


    ¡°Loki, Zevi,¡± I called up, listening as the boys paused whatever they were playing, ¡°Come on down, they¡¯ll be here any minute.¡± They called back, voices still clear to me despite the walls.


    ¡°Reyna.¡± I glanced back at Michael where he¡¯d fixed his hood, ¡°Happy birthday.¡± A fragile smile flickered across my lips.


    ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯d really rather not talk about it.¡± He started to reply but the boys came rushing down the stairs with pillowcases in hand just in time for the bell over the front door to chime. Jesse and Echo waited in the shop when I opened the door to let us through, Michael tugging his hood forward to shade his eyes again. Jesse, as always, looked ready for the red carpet and Echo wore a stunning rendition of mother nature.


    I wasn¡¯t the only one staring, either.


    Michael¡¯s gaze, despite attempts to look anywhere else, kept slipping back.


    ¡°Can we please go now?¡± Loki, in all his excitement, completely bypassed the tension in the air and I smiled in relief.


    ¡°Yes, we can go now,¡± I opened the door and let the group out onto the sidewalk before locking up for the night.


    ¡°Where¡¯s¡­ Jack?¡± I blinked in surprise at Michael.


    ¡°Working,¡± I trailed off as a smirk tugged at my lips, ¡°does this mean you¡¯re finally warming up to him?¡± He exhaled slowly as if buying time to answer.


    ¡°No, just wanted to know how he got out of this,¡± there was a defensive note in his voice that had me raising an eyebrow at him. He frowned at me before breathing a sigh of defeat, ¡°If you can warm up to him then I have no excuse.¡± I gave him a sharp look but couldn¡¯t stop my laugh.


    ¡°Fair point.¡± I paused to change the subject, ¡°Jesse said he¡¯ll meet us out here.¡± We paused outside the first house as Loki and Zevi charged up to the door to ring the bell. Michael got dragged into Jesse and Echo¡¯s conversation and I, master wallflower that I am, allowed myself a small smile as I watched them and the boys. Then I turned my gaze up toward the stars I could see beyond the streetlights. Just as I caught the scent of nutmeg and half-demon, I felt someone tug at one of the leather straps of my corset and the buckle came free. My hand shot up to catch it, to prevent my loose shirt from slipping down. Then I froze as I felt his warm breath just beneath my ear.


    ¡°You look good enough to eat,¡± Jack¡¯s voice was husky, something between a growl and a purr and it sent a shiver down my spine, ¡°I just might have to have a bite now.¡± I felt teeth graze my skin, about to nip at my neck but I pulled away, eyes wide as I realized what I¡¯d been about to let happen.


    ¡°Jack, for the love of god,¡± I spoke loud enough to draw Jesse¡¯s attention.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mess with Reyna¡¯s costume, we spent a really long time on it.¡± I struggled to get the strap buckled again for a moment before Echo helped me with it.


    ¡°I was just playing the part, lighten up, will you,¡± his voice turned soft as his wolfish gaze found me again, ¡°you really do look nice, Reyna.¡± I stared, unsure how to react after his sudden appearance.


    ¡°Jackie!¡± I was relieved when Loki and Zevi came rushing down the driveway, plastering themselves to his legs in excited hugs, ¡°What did you dress up as?¡± Jack blinked in momentary surprise as if just remembering something.


    ¡°Yeah, Jack,¡± Jesse¡¯s gaze narrowed as she crossed her arms across her chest, ¡°where is your costume.¡± He glanced at me as if to ask for help, but I just gave him a helpless shrug.


    ¡°Here, Jesse,¡± Jack pulled a Ben Hogan hat from his coat pocket and pulled it on. Jesse started to tell him off, but before she could get a word in, a set of rather realistic ears sprouted out of the hat and a tail uncurled from under the back of his jacket, ¡°happy now?¡± The ears pricked towards her, as if daring her to still be mad. She was, but she expressed it in a frustrated groan rather than in words before turning to the boys.


    ¡°Come on, kids, let¡¯s go to the next house.¡± Echo stayed a moment longer, staring in awe at the ears and tail until Jesse caught her wrist and dragged her along with the boys. I stared too, impressed as always by his skill with illusions, until Jack turned his gaze on me and I forced myself to meet it. Michael gave me a pointed look before drifting off after Echo, much like his namesake for the night.


    ¡°What?¡± I couldn¡¯t resist, I reached up with careful fingers to touch one of the ears. It laid flat as I ran the tip gently through my fingers.


    ¡°It feels like one of mine.¡± I spoke without realizing it, but Jack only smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad someone likes them,¡± I laughed lightly as my hand returned to my side.


    ¡°We should go catch up,¡± I spoke quietly, averting my gaze as I turned away to follow the pups. Jack trailed behind, almost as if he really were a wolf in the woods, hunting some poor girl. I shook the thought away as we caught up at the next house.


    -----


    I¡¯d lost track of how many houses and shops the boys had gone through, but they still ran from one to the next as if they were still the first few. The rest of us were growing tired. Jesse¡¯s cheerful demeanour was beginning to strain her. Echo looked about ready to pass out on her feet, leaning heavily on Michael even though he seemed just as tired, though he was probably more accustomed to it. Jack¡¯s almost feral slink had slipped into more of a lazy saunter at some point in the night, and it took everything I had not to veer off towards the nearest bar. We paused to wait at the next house as Loki and Zevi bolted up the driveway and Jack slipped an arm around my waist, despite the watchful eyes of the other members of our rather dismal party. He rested his chin on my shoulder and I glared back at him, slapping his hand away. I didn¡¯t step away though, and the moment they were distracted by something else, I leaned close.


    ¡°Later,¡± I smiled softly as I whispered the word, ¡°Have some patience, Jack.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure what made me say those words, but there was no taking them back once I had. Jack¡¯s annoyingly self-assured smirk appeared for a moment and something carnal sparked in his wolfish gaze. I heard a disgusted huff from nearby and turned, fearing the worst, though what that might be, I¡¯m not sure. It wasn¡¯t though. I watched as the mother ushered her children away from us, giving us a dirty look as they disappeared down the road.


    I couldn¡¯t help my laugh.


    Jack smiled, wrapping an arm around my waist again.


    ¡°It could¡¯ve been worse,¡± he turned his gaze back to me, pressing his lips to my exposed shoulder, ¡°we were only talking.¡± I bared my teeth at him, finally stepping out of his reach.


    ¡°What did I just say?¡± Jack started to reply, but Loki and Zevi, thankfully, chose then to come charging back down the hill. I opened a small pocket watch, checking the time before I tucked it away again. ¡°Alright boys, we¡¯d better head home.¡± Both boys groaned, trying to protest around tiny, gaping yawns.


    ¡°But,¡± Loki rubbed one eye, ¡°we¡¯re not tired.¡± I smirked and crouched in front of them.


    ¡°Not tired?¡±


    ¡°Not a bit,¡± Zevi spoke softly and I grinned wider, untying my mask¡¯s strap from my father¡¯s leather belt.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s make a deal, my little lost boys,¡± I couldn¡¯t help my wicked grin, ¡°we¡¯ll race home. If I win, it¡¯s dinner and straight to bed. If you win, both of you, then you get to watch a movie before bed.¡± The boys cheered and I smiled softly before leading them to somewhere out of sight¡ªa park bathroom¡ªso that we could shift without tearing our costumes.


    ¡°Aunt Jesse.¡± I handed her our costumes bundled into the pillowcases with the boys¡¯s candy as Loki spoke, ¡±Will you tell us when to go?¡± Jesse forced a tired smile at the boy¡¯s excitement and I put a hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°Just make sure no one¡¯s looking when we come out.¡± I whispered the words and she nodded slightly. ¡°Alright boys, line up,¡± we lined up and I tied my mask¡¯s strap behind my head like it was a pair of sunglasses.


    ¡°Ready,¡± I waited while they changed shape. ¡°Go!¡± Loki bolted forward through the door, Zevi carefully staying behind, his gait making his brother¡¯s mad sprint seem like nothing. I started more slowly, quietly pulling my mask down as my bones cracked and stretched and changed and a coat of fur grew from my skin. I took a moment to stretch, opening my mouth in a yawn and stretching sharp claws before I shook out my coat and loped along behind the pups. Had I wanted to, I could¡¯ve stretched out my lope and overtaken both pups in a few seconds, but I just wanted to get them home, and so I stayed behind, their excited barking causing a wolfish smile to find my expression.


    -----


    I sat at the bar an hour later. The pups had won the race home, just as I¡¯d planned, but when I was about to call it a night and curl up with them to watch a movie, Jesse had broken out a birthday cake. I¡¯m not proud to say that I was back out the door before the cake touched the counter. It had become a custom over the years; Jesse would drag me around town all night for Halloween and then try to get me to celebrate my birthday, and I¡¯d be sitting here nursing a bottle of scotch a few minutes later. The bartender here knew me fairly well by now. I downed the glass in my hand and he reached out to snap a cardboard birthday cone on my head before refilling it, ignoring my growl.


    ¡°One of these years, I¡¯m going to be closed on Halloween.¡± I flashed a bitter smile.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to find another bar,¡± He shook his head slightly.


    ¡°You should be with your family, tonight of all nights.¡± I glared at him for long enough that he just shrugged and moved down the bar. A fellow patron approached me with a joke and I turned my glare on him; he turned around and rejoined his friends without a word. I was about to fall asleep on the bar when the bartender got me up another hour or two later, the phone already in his hand to call the shop. I grumbled something unintelligible and he laughed before talking briefly into the phone.


    I don¡¯t remember what happened after; just someone speaking briefly to the bartender before lifting me over his shoulder to carry me home.


    There''s nothing quite like the warm embrace of sweet oblivion.


    -----


    I woke up to the delicious smell of food I hadn¡¯t had to make...


    Again.


    If it were just that, it probably would''ve taken me a lot longer to piece together an idea of what was going on. But it was a list of details that alone I would¡¯ve been able to write off. It wasn¡¯t my bed or my room, but with as much travelling as I did, it''ve been stranger for me if it had been. I wasn¡¯t clothed at all, but I''ve woken up in stranger circumstances. No, what really raised the red flag was the tiny B¨¦lu? cub that I found myself nose to nose with when I opened my eyes. He wagged slightly, staring at me for what felt like a long time before his red tongue flicked out to lick my nose. I smirked, forgetting my confusion long enough to scoop him into my lap as I sat up.


    "I know you, don''t I," it wasn''t really a question as I stared down at the little cub; I''d been the one to orphan him. I took a deep breath and set the cub beside me on the bed, climbing out from the sheets and gathering up my costume as quickly as I could. Then I stopped, studying the skirt a moment before plucking Jack''s jeans and shirt up from the floor and pulling them on, "I''m borrowing these." I cinched the pants in with my father¡¯s belt before securing my costume in a small bundle and opening the window to look out.


    I''d survived worse falls.


    I landed lightly on the balls of my feet, wincing as the impact pulled slightly on my freshest scar. A glance toward the house betrayed no signs of change, so I straightened up slightly and slunk towards the garage, where I assumed Jack¡¯s car would be. The door was louder than I would¡¯ve liked, but his car was unlocked and my phone lay dead beneath the passenger seat, just as I had hoped. I was about to start walking but something made me pause, leaning into the driver''s seat as I studied the car and a cruel smirk twisted across my lips.


    I was in the middle of hot wiring Jack¡¯s car when it started suddenly, and not by my doing. I jumped, knocking my head against the steering wheel as I straightened up.


    "Well," Jack leaned in the doorway into his house, a coffee mug in one hand and his car keys in the other, as if he¡¯d been watching for a while, "Good morning to you, too." I was too torn between exhaustion and confusion to return his greeting.


    "I need to leave," I muttered the words, climbing out of the car to start walking.


    "But I made breakfast," there was a hint of indignation and I glared, but I didn¡¯t turn back.


    "I''m not staying for breakfast!"


    "So you''re going back to the shop?" I paused just long enough to shoot a glare at Jack as a crooked smile spread across his mouth, "Not even going to shower first?"


    "No."


    "You were a lot more fun when you were drunk." I stopped dead, my misdirected anger suddenly giving way to cold terror. I turned slowly to face him.


    "Excuse me?" He laughed lightly, waving a hand at me dismissively.


    "Relax, I didn''t do anything," I breathed a sigh of relief as Jack took a thoughtful sip of his coffee, "Mmmm... You, on the other hand..." I swallowed, trying to force back the rising sense of embarrassment, "I didn''t know you got a new tattoo." It was useless, I could already feel the heat rising in my cheeks as he tapped the line of his hip in reference to my most recent tattoo.


    "Oh dear lord," I groaned as I buried my face in my hands. Jack laughed and pulled my hands away with an uncharacteristically gentle smile.


    "Come eat breakfast with me, then I''ll drive you home," he was a lot closer when I finally looked up, and he reached into the front pocket of the jeans I was wearing, ignoring my half hearted growl, "happy birthday, by the way," he kissed my cheek lightly and pulled my cardboard birthday hat from the pocket. I couldn¡¯t look away when I finally met his gaze. Before I knew it, I was nodding weakly and letting him guide me back into his house.


    What in the world had I been thinking...

 January, 2016 - Pembroke, Maine

    The scent of garlic, chicken, and olive oil filled the kitchen as I chopped up an onion and a couple of bell pepper halves to add. I don¡¯t know why I was cooking, I wasn¡¯t hungry, but there I was. I was making Chicken Penne, darting around the room as if I were a pinball in a machine. I barely noticed the door to the kitchen opening, let alone a half asleep Jack stopping to stare at me from the doorway.


    ¡°Reyna,¡± I nearly jumped out of my skin when he spoke, ¡°this is getting ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m making Chicken Penne.¡± He looked about to say something, but shook his head instead.


    ¡°It¡¯s two in the morning,¡± he sounded more exasperated than angry.


    ¡°But¡­¡± I stopped, I had no argument; I¡¯d just started compulsively cooking, ¡°I have to finish.¡± Jack breathed a heavy sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose briefly.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s it,¡± he picked me up around the waist and slung me over his shoulder, turning off the stove and the light as he passed, ¡°no more cooking until the sane population of the house is actually awake.¡± I growled at him, but there wasn¡¯t much I could actually do short of breaking something. He carried me back to the bedroom and practically tossed me under the covers before laying down behind me, wrapping his arms around me when I started to get back up.


    ¡°But I need to at least put it away.¡± Jack growled under his breath.


    ¡°It can wait, besides,¡± he smirked, ¡°I got used to how warm you are,¡± he pulled me against him, ¡°I might freeze if you leave again.¡± I glared, but could think of nothing to say before he seemed to have fallen back asleep. I breathed a heavy sigh in defeat before curling closer to him and closing my eyes.


    -----


    I went back to the shop later that day, going inside long enough to set the bag I¡¯d brought to Jack¡¯s on the floor beside the stairs. I glanced up at Jesse where she sat on the sofa as I passed, but she wore a ridiculous grin that made me scowl and stare at my shoes instead. I darted back out the door before she could say anything, moving out to the alley and taking apart the engine of Echo¡¯s bus to check for damage. I had pretty much gutted it by Halloween, now it was just a matter of replacing what I needed to and putting it back together. I was working on something under the van when the door to the shop opened and I heard footsteps approach me.


    ¡°Fuck off, Jesse, we¡¯re not talking about it.¡± The steps stopped and I heard a familiar chuckle.


    ¡°I had no intentions of bringing December up,¡± Michael crouched down and peered under the bus at me as I looked over, ¡°and last I checked, my name wasn¡¯t Jesse.¡± I blinked, my gaze flicking away for a second before returning to him.


    ¡°Oh,¡± it wasn¡¯t much, but it was all I could think of to respond, ¡°hi,¡± I spoke weakly and he flashed a small smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a commision I need to finish, would you mind covering the shop?¡± I shrugged my indifference.


    ¡°Sure, I would¡¯ve come by to say hello, but Jesse¡­¡± I trailed off, and from the knowing look he wore, I didn¡¯t need to explain further. ¡°Just give me a minute to finish this and clean up,¡± Michael nodded slightly.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± he straightened up and disappeared back into the shop while I got the bus to the point I could leave it.


    -----


    I was sketching in my journal when the bell over the door rang and I looked up. The couple that came in were normal enough, which was in itself strange to me. I straightened up, slipping the journal away as I studied them. They were dressed in business casual and their scent was entirely human; the two combined piqued my curiosity.


    ¡°Welcome to Dogwood Apothecary,¡± I plastered on a fake smile as I drew their scrutiny away from the shelves, ¡°can I help you find something?¡± The man glanced briefly at his wife before he stepped up to the counter, the woman following quietly.


    ¡°We¡¯re looking for our daughter.¡± I raised an eyebrow, not entirely sure what I was supposed to say to that; every now and then I got requests like that, they were over the phone calling me as one would a PI.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I began slowly, trying to think of a reply, but thankfully I was saved by the door into the back opening.


    ¡°Reyna, would you¡ª¡± Echo stopped when she saw the couple, frozen in place as she stared at them with a suddenly blank face.


    ¡°Sarah Grace?¡± The woman broke her silence and Echo seemed to suddenly come back to herself, turning on her heel and disappearing back into the back of the shop without a word. We all watched her go, as if we needed a moment to process what had just happened. The man, apparently Echo¡¯s father, was the first to react.


    ¡°Sarah Grace, you show some respect to your mother and come back here!¡± He raised his voice as he called after her. I was still processing everything when he pulled open the door into the back, I assume to go after her. I darted after him, temporarily escaping my confusion. ¡°I did not raise you to act this way!¡± Echo darted up the stairs when he followed her, and I stepped in front of him, barring him from getting any further.


    ¡°Sir, please return to the shop.¡± I spoke evenly, hoping not to have to drag him out.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t raise me at all!¡± Echo shouted back down the stairs, emphasizing her words with the slam of her bedroom door.


    ¡°Sir,¡± the man tried to push past me, but I didn¡¯t budge, ¡°if you don¡¯t leave,¡± my voice had become a low growl, ¡°I¡¯m going to have to call the police.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my daughter up there!¡± He voiced his outrage and I flashed a bitter smile, folding my arms across my chest.


    ¡°She is an adult and this is private property,¡± I repeated my statement, my voice on the edge of a full blown snarl, ¡°Please leave before I have to get the police involved.¡± The man glared daggers at me for a long time before his wife put a hand on his arm and turned him away.


    ¡°He said this might happen initially, we should just do as he said and wait for him.¡± She spoke softly and I watched as the man squared his shoulders and made for the front door. I followed them back into the shop in silence.


    ¡°Figures she¡¯d be at a damn hippie shop.¡± I bit back a sharp reply and locked the door behind them, flipping the sign around.


    ¡°Hippie shop my ass,¡± I muttered the words as I went to climb the stairs. Michael stood in front of Echo¡¯s door, as if he was about to knock but didn¡¯t know what he¡¯d say. I smiled briefly when I saw him, pausing long enough to knock for him before I continued to the kitchen.


    ¡°Reyna,¡± he said my name like a question and I laughed softly.


    ¡°Commit, Michael,¡± I said teasingly, ¡°You¡¯ll just be in the way if you never make up your mind.¡± He stared after me as I disappeared into the kitchen. ¡°Well,¡± I spoke to myself, killing time as I pulled a mug from one of the cabinets, ¡°I guess I¡¯ll make hot chocolate.¡± I started pulling everything from the cupboards at once, until I had a stack on the counter.


    -----


    By the time Michael left Echo¡¯s room, I had a steaming mug of hot chocolate. I knocked on the door to Echo¡¯s room and opened it slowly, but I was suddenly at a loss for what to say; I couldn¡¯t even begin to understand what she was going through. So I glanced over at the hinges on the door, as if inspecting them for damage.


    ¡°Here and I was worried I¡¯d have to come replace these,¡± I spoke with a laugh, reaching out to touch one of the hinges. Echo didn¡¯t laugh, she looked more distraught than ever.


    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry, I just¡ª¡±


    ¡°Echo,¡± I cut her off, ¡°don¡¯t apologise, you did nothing wrong.¡± I smiled and stepped into the room. ¡°Here,¡± I held out the mug, ¡°hot chocolate.¡± She set the folded stiletto knife she¡¯d been holding on the nightstand and took the mug with careful fingers. She peered at it apprehensively for a moment.


    ¡°Is there alcohol in it?¡± I laughed, sitting on the edge of her bed a few feet away.


    ¡°What do you take me for, an alcoholic?¡± I spoke jokingly, well aware of the hypocrisy of my words. Echo only smiled briefly and took a sip. Her eyes lit up and another small smile crossed her lips.


    ¡°Oh my God,¡± she took another sip and I smiled, ¡°this is really good.¡± I laughed again.


    ¡°It¡¯s just cocoa, sugar, a bit of salt, caramel, and cinnamon,¡± I counted the ingredients off on my fingers as she kept drinking.


    ¡°Where did you get it? It¡¯s delicious.¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°The kitchen,¡± I looked away and changed the subject, ¡°so those were your parents.¡± I trailed off, leaving it open for interpretation.


    ¡°Biologically? Yes,¡± she glared into the now empty mug, as if it were the root of all her troubles, ¡°but they don¡¯t deserve to be called parents. Parents don¡¯t try to fix their kids, they don¡¯t drag them from doctor to doctor just because they¡¯re different, they don¡¯t have them institutionalised,¡± I winced at that one, ¡°and they don¡¯t just dump her on her grandmother because they give up.¡± I started to say something but she didn¡¯t let me, ¡°Please don¡¯t give me the crap about understanding what I¡¯m going through and how I feel.¡± A dry laugh escaped my lips, much to her surprise.


    ¡°I can¡¯t even begin to understand, my parents¡ª¡± I choked on the words when I remembered the blood, the sound of my mother¡¯s knife slipping from my fingers to the floor echoing in my head as I¡¯d tried to stop the bleeding. I swallowed and tried again with a small sheepish smile, ¡°they died when I was little.¡± She wore a bitter smile that looked so out of place on her.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky they didn¡¯t get the chance to hurt you.¡± I flinched, but I didn¡¯t let it show as I looked down at my hands.


    ¡°Do you mind if I tell you a story?¡± Echo seemed to hesitate a moment before she answered.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± She spoke as if she wasn¡¯t sure if she wanted to hear what I was going to tell her.


    ¡°This story,¡± I flashed a bittersweet smile, ¡°it¡¯s like the Romeo and Juliet of the supernatural world.¡± I took a deep breath, ¡°A long time ago, there was a woman, a bairn of Artemis, who was said to be beyond beautiful. And there was a fox who was wildly cunning, but he had a monster inside him, and because of it, he never allowed himself to fall in love. The bairn of Artemis heard stories about this fox and, curious, she went to find him. They fell in love. Intermarriage between races was, and still is, nearly unheard of, though, and so they were constantly criticized and berated.¡± Echo looked sorry for them when I glanced up briefly, ¡°Still, they were happy for nine long years.¡±


    ¡°Why so short?¡± She asked as if she were holding her breath.


    ¡°The fox, he slipped. He succumbed to the monster, and though the bairn of Artemis had faced monsters all her life, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to kill this one. He, on the other hand, had lost all recognition of her and so, she was killed. The fox turned then, to try to sate his bloodlust elsewhere¡­¡± I grew quiet, ¡°their bairn; she took her m¨¢ither¡¯s knife, and when he went after her¡­¡± I swallowed, trying to detach myself from the pain of the old wound, ¡°He became her first kill,¡± my words were hollow, ¡°and she never cried again.¡± I fell silent, staring vacantly at the floor in front of me.


    ¡°Oh my God,¡± Echo spoke, her eyes wide. I exhaled through my teeth, drawing my hand down my face as I reset my wall.


    ¡°Anyway, the point is that everyone has ¡®damage¡¯ from their parents and how they grew up, but you can¡¯t keep running away from it,¡± I forced a smile, ¡°you face it and learn from it what you can. Then you move on.¡± I took the empty mug from her as I stood to go.


    ¡°Reyna?¡± I paused in the doorway.


    ¡°Hmmm?¡±


    ¡°What happened to their daughter?¡± I rubbed the back of my neck with a bittersweet smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m still running,¡± I spoke softly and left before she could reply.


    -----


    I was up late. A couple more hours and the sun would be peeking over the horizon. I was up late a lot lately, but not usually like this. Usually, work was the thing keeping me up, but this time was different. The old anxiety had returned, as it did sometimes, and brought with it memories of a bloody kitchen heavy with the taste of blood in the air and slick in my throat. Every time I closed my eyes, the nightmares were there waiting. I¡¯d been curled in the armchair for hours, staring blankly up at the ceiling while my ears strained for any sound, as if waiting for the familiar sounds of flesh ripping and tearing. Finally, I breathed a heavy sigh and rolled out of the armchair, taking one of my mother¡¯s silver knives with me as I climbed the stairs to the library. I left the door open and collapsed into the window seat, curled up against the window.


    I¡¯d started humming at some point, a rock ballad stuck in my head underneath the replaying blood and death.


    Maybe Echo heard me moving around because I heard a cupboard closed in the kitchen, though I barely noticed it. I leaned my head against the window, the cool glass somehow comforting.


    ¡°Reyna?¡± I looked back in surprise, suddenly drawn back by the soft voice.


    ¡°Echo,¡± I said with a shy smile, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Did I wake you?¡± Echo was sitting on the bench of my piano, as if it gave her some comfort. She looked at it silently a moment before speaking.


    ¡°Does Michael play?¡± I smiled slightly.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s mine.¡± She looked surprised at my words as I climbed to my feet, moving to sit beside her on the bench. ¡°Alix insisted,¡± my voice was a whisper, as if I held my breath as I carefully uncovered the piano¡¯s keys.


    ¡°Alix?¡± I smiled softly, a smile I hadn¡¯t shown anyone in a long time as I touched the keys with light fingers.


    ¡°The woman who trained me to hunt.¡± I took a deep breath, glancing at her from the corner of my eye before I changed the subject. ¡°What¡¯s with the salt?¡± Echo blushed, her eyes widened as she glanced down at the salt shaker in her hands.


    ¡°I¡­ I heard the humming¡­ and I thought it was a ghost.¡± I couldn¡¯t help my laugh.


    ¡°Really? A ghost in my home?¡± I smiled, ¡°You do remember I hunt monsters for a living, right?¡± she blushed brighter.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s 3 o¡¯clock in the morning.¡± She spoke defensively and I leaned back on the bench.


    ¡°It is, isn¡¯t it,¡± I took a deep breath, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I woke you up, go back to sleep, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Why are you still up?¡± I blinked, distracting myself as I ran my fingers across the piano cover. I was stalling, and maybe it was clear, because she seemed to figure out the answer on her own, ¡°It¡¯s something to do with your parents, isn¡¯t it?¡± The piano cover slipped from my fingers and closed with a thud that echoed loudly in the silence. I exhaled slowly, trying to steady my shaking hands. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Echo,¡± my voice cracked and I swallowed, ¡°Echo, just go back to sleep.¡± Echo looked like she wanted to push, but I guess something made her change her mind. Instead she just nodded slightly and stood.


    ¡°If you ever want to talk, I¡¯m here.¡± I nodded slightly, my gaze fixed on my knuckles as they turned white and my grip tightened on the edge of the bench; talking never helped me, it was just exhausting, but I wasn¡¯t going to tell her that.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I breathed the word and waited for her to leave before I let out the breath I was holding and rested my forehead on the cold polish of the piano.


    Another deep breath and my eyes turned back from red-gold to emerald green.


    -----


    Michael was working on his latest commission, so I was working the shop again¡­ or, we were working the shop; Echo was acting like my shadow, so much so that I¡¯d almost bumped into her a few times. I was about to say something to her about it when the bell over the door rang and Echo¡¯s parents walked through again. I glanced at Echo, gauging her reaction but keeping my mouth shut.


    ¡°Sarah Grace¡ª¡± Her father began, but he didn¡¯t get far.


    ¡°Dear God, leave me the Hell alone,¡± I hid a smirk behind my hand, although I have to admit I was worried I might be rubbing off on her.


    ¡°Listen to me, you ungrateful¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± A third person came through the door, exuding confidence and charisma like a pheromone, ¡°Mr. Montgomery, this line of conversation won¡¯t solve anything.¡± I stared at the man¡¯s smile; it took everything I had to keep my eyes from changing.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Achar stared at me as I flashed a cruel smile, ¡°you drove all the way up here from Florida, but it just wasn¡¯t a good enough night for a repeat.¡± He glared at my words.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here for you, Reyna¡ª¡± I raised an eyebrow at him, my gaze cold as he corrected himself, ¡°Miss Wildes. I¡¯m here with Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery.¡± Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery looked from Achar to me and back again in their confusion.


    ¡°You know each other?¡± I started to answer, but Achar jumped in before I could say something to screw up whatever he had going.


    ¡°Yes, we had a¡­ business plan together a while back, but unfortunately it ended in failure.¡± Echo looked over at me and I shrugged, but I said nothing to confirm or deny his story; while he¡¯d been vague about it, he wasn¡¯t exactly wrong.


    ¡°So what do you people want?¡±


    ¡°We are here to save our daughter from people like you.¡± Mr. Montgomery spoke and I bit back my reply, folding my arms across my chest as my jaw clenched. It took everything I had not to make some smart remark back; this was really none of my business and I didn¡¯t want to get involved if at all possible. Achar must have picked up on the tension because he stepped up with a hand on Mr. Montgomery¡¯s shoulder and an easy smile.


    ¡°I believe what he means to say is that we¡¯re here to¡­¡± he paused as if looking for the correct word, ¡°help miss Sarah Grace here with her symptoms and, if at all possible, to repair her relationship with her parents.¡± Echo rolled her eyes beside me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need saving from Reyna, so get the hell out!¡± I exhaled through my teeth; I¡¯m prone to turning homicidal but she didn¡¯t need saving from me¡­ yeah, sure.


    ¡°Now, Sarah Grace¡ª¡± Achar began but Echo made an exasperated sound and disappeared into the back, slamming the door behind her.


    ¡°This is your doing¡ª¡± Mr. Montgomery turned to me but he snapped his mouth shut when I gave him a look like a wild animal ready to attack him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be closing the shop now, so if all of you could leave¡ª¡± Achar cut me off mid-sentence.


    ¡°It might be best if I talk to her alone first,¡± he spoke to the Montgomery¡¯s, ignoring their protests, ¡°just to get an idea of where to start with treatment.¡± After a moment, they seemed to come to a reluctant agreement and left. I moved around the counter to turn the sign around and lock the door, but Achar blocked my path. ¡°You know, since I¡¯m here¡ª¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I spoke bluntly and tried to move past but he didn¡¯t let me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t enjoy¡ª¡±


    ¡°I said no.¡± I tried again, but he grabbed my arm.


    ¡°Reyna¡ª¡± I knocked his arm off of me, gaze narrowed into a glare. A bell rang somewhere, but I barely noticed it.


    ¡°Save your breath, Achar, you¡¯ll need it to inflate your date tonight,¡± my voice was low as I flashed him a cruel smile.


    ¡°Reyna,¡± I looked past Achar at the door and my smile relaxed slightly, ¡°who¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°Jack, this is Achar.¡± Jack raised an eyebrow at me and slipped past Achar to wrap an arm around my waist almost possessively while realization twisted Achar¡¯s expression into a bitter frown.


    ¡°Achar from Florida?¡± I nodded slightly at his question.


    ¡°Apparently he¡¯s convinced Echo¡¯s parents that he can ¡®fix¡¯ her,¡± I shook my head slightly and looked up at Jack, ¡°would you give us a minute?¡± Jack looked like he wanted to say no, but after a moment studying my face, he gave a slight nod, pressed his lips to my cheek in a silent kiss, and disappeared into the back. I waited for the door to close before I looked back at Achar with a cold look in my eyes.


    ¡°So that¡¯s Jack¡­¡± Achar spoke slowly, like he was trying to think of ways to use the information against me, but I ignored it.


    ¡°Achar, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re planning with all of this ¡®fix their daughter¡¯ bullshiteshit, but I want to make something very clear,¡± my cruel smile returned, ¡°I figured out how you played me so well in Florida, and if you touch her,¡± my smile turned into a malicious grin, my low voice a warning, ¡°I¡¯ll make you wish I¡¯d just kill you.¡± Achar stared at me a moment, as if trying to decide if this was still a salvageable situation, and left without a word. I exhaled slowly and locked the door behind him. After a moment, I moved to the back of the shop and found Echo flopped on the sofa. ¡°Echo,¡± she looked over at me with a dull gaze I never thought I¡¯d see from her, ¡°I¡¯m going to say something you¡¯re not going to like, but I want you to listen and at least think about it.¡± I sat in the armchair, leaning on my knees. Echo rolled toward the back of the couch and I breathed a heavy sigh. ¡°You can¡¯t keep ignoring them, it won¡¯t make the problem disappear. You have to stop running away and face them, because they will keep coming back.¡± Echo gave a harsh laugh.


    ¡°I have to stop running?¡± She laughed again, ¡°Why the Hell should I listen to you? You know nothing about facing it, you told me yourself you¡¯re still running.¡± I winced, closing my eyes and swallowing the rage that flashed through my head at her words.


    ¡°Echo,¡± I practically snarled her name before I stopped to take a deep breath and begin again, my voice still low, ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice; I can never stop running. If I do? If I stop to rest? Then the darkness that always follows one step behind has a chance to catch up. You have a choice, and the fact I¡¯m still running is exactly why you should listen to me; I know how much pain comes with that road and you don¡¯t go down that path and reach the end the same person you are now; you never reach the end at all.¡± I got up and climbed the stairs before she could answer. I found Jack in the boys¡¯ room, playing toy soldiers with them on the floor.


    ¡°Hey ,¡± Zevi spoke softly when I paused in the doorway and Jack looked up to meet my gaze as I forced a smile.


    ¡°Hey guys, do you mind if I borrow Jack a moment?¡± I tried my best to sound like nothing was wrong, but Jack saw through it, already on his feet before the pups could answer.


    ¡°Sorry boys,¡± he ruffled Loki¡¯s hair and flashed an easy smile, ¡°I¡¯ll come back in a bit.¡± He followed me out the door, closing it behind him. ¡°Are you alright?¡± I nodded slightly, but when the smile had slipped from my face, I¡¯m sure it wasn¡¯t very convincing.


    ¡°Come on,¡± I led him down the hall to my little library and shut the door. ¡°Echo¡¯s parents showed up,¡± he started to reply but I hadn¡¯t finished, ¡°the first time was actually yesterday, and it didn¡¯t end well.¡±


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t have been too bad if they were both still alive to come back today,¡± he spoke teasingly but it was like his heart wasn¡¯t behind it.


    ¡°It ended with me telling Echo how I lost my parents,¡± I hurried on before he could say anything to that, ¡°I was trying to make a point, that she has to face her parents and deal with this or it¡¯ll haunt her for the rest of her life.¡± Jack still looked concerned but when he spoke, he didn¡¯t ask about my parents.


    ¡°She does have to deal with it, but she doesn¡¯t have to do it alone.¡± I growled quietly and shook my head, turning away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go where I think you¡¯re going with this,¡± I muttered the words but Jack ignored them.


    ¡°Jesse didn¡¯t deal with our parents until she met you, she said meeting you made her believe it was possible to go against them. I didn¡¯t deal with them until my father attacked you at a restaurant for being honest,¡± I glared at him as his voice gradually grew louder, ¡°Echo looks up to you whether you like it or not, and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Jack, stop.¡± I raised my voice, cutting him off with a shout, ¡°I''m not getting involved any more than I have to. Don¡¯t push it.¡± Jack met my glare with one of his own, backing me into the corner because I didn¡¯t want him within my reach when I was that angry.


    ¡°Your support might just be what she needs to be able to face them.¡± My eyes changed and my canines bit into my lip.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t need my help, Jack! She needs to do it on her own!¡±


    ¡°Reyna¡ª¡±


    ¡°No!¡± My voice had turned into a snarl again as I shouted the word. ¡°Why do you have to be so contrary!¡± I growled in my frustration, turning to put my fist through the drywall next to me and swearing under my breath when I really registered what I¡¯d just done. Jack¡¯s laugh was harsh behind me.


    ¡°This coming from the girl who picks a fight with everyone she meets!¡± My fingernails bit into my palms hard enough to draw blood, ¡°Why can¡¯t you accept that sometimes people just need some help?!¡± I turned on him like a cornered animal.


    ¡°Do you think I want to fight everyone?! I''m afraid of hurting the people I care about, so I try to make sure they don''t want to be around me! And some people needing help?! What the Hell do you think I do everyday of my life?!¡± I felt like I was numb, but tears still welled in my eyes.


    ¡°Reyna, I¡ª¡± Jack began, reaching out to touch me but I backed out of his reach.


    ¡°No, Jack,¡± I growled at him, tears beginning to fall even though I wasn''t sure why, ¡°just leave,¡± I flashed a cruel smile and gave him a harsh laugh, ¡°Isn''t that what you do best?¡± Jack looked as hurt as I felt, but I couldn''t say anything else as he turned and made his way to the door. There was a crash outside the door, like something shattering against the wood floor as a door closed down the hall. Jack pulled open the door and disappeared down the stairs around the corner, leaving me to collapse against the wall as my unfocused gaze found the pics of glass on the floor of the hall.


    -----


    I was still crying silently, though I still wasn''t sure why, about a half hour later. I had pried myself away from the wall and gotten a trash bin from next to my desk to collect the broken glass in. Loki poked his head out their bedroom door to look for Jack and I wiped my face in a hurry.


    ¡°Hey mum?¡± I forced a smile and looked up at him, ¡°Where''d Jack go?¡± I laughed shakily.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry bud, he had to go.¡± The disappointment wrote itself into Loki¡¯s face as he studied me a few more minutes before he seemed to decide not to ask. I watched him slip back into the room and looked down at my hands again as the tears came back. There was blood on some of the glass that hadn''t been there when I''d started. I checked my hands trying to figure out where it''d come from; there were cuts patterning my palms and dripping blood down my wrists like external veins. Another door opened down the hall but I barely registered the sound as I started to pick up the glass again. Echo joined me in cleaning up the pieces, no doubt noticing the blood, but still we continued in silence.


    And I kept crying silently without any idea why.


    -----


    Echo and I didn¡¯t speak beyond the usual mumbled good mornings as we waited for the coffee pot. Then she went to help Michael in the shop and I went to work on scrubbing the last of the smoke residue from the inside of Emerson. She¡¯d moved into the back when I came inside an hour or two later for a quick drink and my headphones; her parents and Achar were all wedged onto the sofa having what almost resembled one of my old counseling sessions. I didn¡¯t pause to listen because it really wasn¡¯t my place, I just grabbed my things and went back out, turning the music up loud enough that even my ears couldn¡¯t pick out their words over it, but not loud enough it impaired my vision too much. I¡¯m not entirely sure how long they talked, but I was in the middle of installing new front seats when the back door slammed loud enough for me to catch it up even with the music. I pulled the headphones down around my neck and looked towards the door, trying to see what was wrong as my vision faded from dark dancing stars when I picked up a salt tinged vivid blue haze. Echo was walking past, turning away to head down the alley, but not before I caught a glimpse of an already forming bruise on the side of her face. I scrambled out of the van to catch her by the arm, taking her chin in gentle fingers and lifting her chin to get a better look at the bruise.


    ¡°What happened?¡± My voice was low and cold when I met her gaze, but she looked away a second later.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± she mumbled the words and tried to turn away, but I grabbed her other arm and held her in place.


    ¡°Echo, this is not nothing. Who the Hell did this to you?¡± It sounded like a threat, but it wasn¡¯t directed at her.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, no one ever believes me anyway.¡± She muttered the words bitterly and tried again to walk away, but I didn¡¯t let go.


    ¡°Was it your faither?¡± She didn¡¯t answer; she didn¡¯t need to, her silence combined with the look in her eyes when I asked was enough to confirm my suspicion. ¡°Come back inside.¡± I let go of her and started to pull open the door, but Echo shook her head and started to leave. ¡°Echo, this is your home. If anyone is going to leave, it¡¯s going to be them,¡± my gaze was cold; seeing the bruise had jumped me straight into ¡®business mode¡¯ because I didn¡¯t want to think about the memories it triggered.


    ¡°Home? That¡¯s something I haven¡¯t had in awhile,¡± she spoke quietly, apprehension in her eyes as she looked at the door. A small smile crept across my lips.


    ¡°Well you have it now for as long as you need it,¡± I paused, glancing down at my hand on the door, ¡°and I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t try to help before it came to this.¡± I pulled it open and stepped inside, Echo trailing reluctantly behind. I moved to stand next to the sofa, studying the Montgomerys with a cold gaze. ¡°Achar left?¡± I spoke more to myself than anyone else, but still Mr. Montgomery saw fit to answer.


    ¡°Yes, the snake oil salesman ran the second things got too messy.¡± I tipped my head slightly to one side as I studied him.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like messy much, do you.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question, and I didn¡¯t give him the chance to answer, ¡°Look, Mr. Montgomery, there¡¯s something I should¡¯ve told you the first day you two showed up, but I didn¡¯t want to get involved before. This though,¡± I gestured to Echo¡¯s already bruising face, ¡°this is too far.¡± He fumed, climbing to his feet and causing Echo to step back with wide eyes.


    ¡°You little brat! What¡¯d you do, run crying to this one?¡± I bared my teeth quietly at his words.


    ¡°Sit down, Mr. Montgomery¡ª¡± I tried to keep my voice calm and even, but he started toward Echo again, so I moved between them, arms folded across my chest. ¡°Sit. Down.¡± I spoke slowly, my voice low and cold now. Mr. Montgomery sat back down as if the wind had been knocked out of him. ¡°I really hate having to repeat myself, so I¡¯m only going to say this once,¡± I flashed a cruel smile, ¡°this thing I should¡¯ve told you, it¡¯s something I tell every monster who comes to the East Coast,¡± I meant quite literally, but I¡¯m sure that¡¯s not how they took it, ¡°I didn¡¯t say it before because I didn¡¯t realize just how bad you are; I will not continue to make that mistake.¡± I stepped closer to him, flashing my sharp canines in a malicious smile, ¡°The East is my territory; everyone here is under my protection, and if I ever hear that you step foot in my territory again,¡± I moved my hand to my side, very deliberately drawing attention to the knife there, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure they never find your body.¡± I let the smile slip back into my icy mask, ¡°Is that clear enough for you?¡± Mrs. Montgomery stared at me in horror, a look I was fairly used to getting from humans by now, but her husband just glared daggers at me.


    ¡°Stupid little girl,¡± he growled the words and stood, and if he weren¡¯t moving to grab Echo, I probably would¡¯ve laughed at them. Instead, I moved on instinct, intercepting his arm as he reached for Echo and twisting it behind his back while my other hand drew the knife from its sheath with one fluid movement. In a second I had him essentially pinned with his arm pinned painfully to his back and the blade pressed to his throat so that all he had to do was swallow and it would bite into his skin and all it would take to dislocate his shoulder was a little pressure in the right place, an awfully tempting thought at the moment.


    ¡°Get off of my property,¡± I spoke coldly, leaving no room for arguments, but stupidity made him go against instinct and try anyway.


    ¡°Not without Sarah Grace.¡± My laugh at his attempts to get out of my grip was a harsh one right behind his ear.


    ¡°Did I not make myself clear?¡± I spoke with a smile, the scent of fear coming off him almost intoxicating.


    ¡°N¡ªNo,¡± his voice was filled with defeat when he finally answered, much to my disappointment.


    ¡°Then get out and never come back.¡± I released him as his wife stood and shoved him towards her. I watched them get to the door into the shop, tapping the flat of my knife while I waited. ¡°Oh, one more thing before you go,¡± they looked back at me with a mix of fear and frustration that was enough to tinge the air with the taste of rust and cocoa butter, ¡°her name isn¡¯t Sarah Grace, its Echo.¡± They left, slamming the door behind them, but I waited for the bell over the front door to relax my stance and put the knife away. The semi-tense silence was broken by Echo¡¯s laugh, much to my surprise, and I turned to face her, eyebrow raised in question.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone talk to him like that.¡± A wicked smile tugged at my lips as I offered her a mock bow.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Reyna Ailith Wildes, I¡¯m not sure we¡¯ve met,¡± I trailed off to a laugh of my own when she started again. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get something on that bruise,¡± I spoke with a gentle smile and led her up the stairs to the medicine cabinet in the bathroom, ¡°sit down.¡± Echo seemed about to protest but sat down anyways while I opened the cabinet for a jar of calendula and parsley poultice, something I had a lot of experience with all things considered. ¡°Would you tie up your hair?¡± I spoke as I popped open the jar and grabbed a gauze pad and some medical tape. Echo did as I asked and I frowned as I studied the bruise again. ¡°This might be a bit cold, but it¡¯ll help keep the swelling down at the very least.¡± I spoke as much to myself as rubbed my hands together to warm them up a little before applying the poultice to the bruised skin in a thin layer. It dried relatively quickly so I taped the gauze pad over it and leaned back to double check before giving a slight nod of confirmation. ¡°Okay, all good.¡± Echo gave me a small smile, and stood to leave.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she spoke quietly and I cocked my head slightly to one side.


    ¡°Oh, Echo,¡± she paused, looking back at me from the hallway, ¡°best not mention how you got that to Michael, yeah? He¡¯ll feel awful about not being there and, knowing him, he¡¯s liable to go track down Mr. Montgomery.¡± She flashed another small smile and nodded slightly before disappearing down the hall.


    I let my smile slip and leaned back against the counter in the silence.


    I was kicking myself for not seeing it sooner; Jack had been right.