Meta Marshal Service 1

by B N Miles

  He opened his eyes. The words on the pad were glowing gold and Jessalene’s brown eyes were wide. He held her hand tight as she leaned toward him. He tilted his head and their lips came together, almost in a kiss.

  His breath passed from his mouth and into hers, sealing the pact.

  They lingered there. Her lips touched his, ever so slightly. He released her hand and she leaned back, staring at him with wide eyes.

  “Wow,” Cassie said. “Uh, I didn’t know kissing was part of it.”

  “That wasn’t a kiss,” Jared said, still staring at Jessalene. His heart was beating fast. He didn’t remember having this kind of visceral reaction to the other pacts he’d made in the past. “The passing of breath symbolizes sharing essence. It helps solidify the magic and finishes the ritual.”

  Jessalene nodded. “I didn’t know it was so…” She hesitated.

  “It’s not usually.” He looked away. The words on the pad still glowed. He ripped off the paper, folded it into a small square, and offered it to Jessalene. “You should hold on to this.”

  She nodded and put it into her pocket. Their fingers brushed against each other as he passed her the contract and he felt her aura again, just a touch of it, but it felt like the whole thing was raging. She blushed and pulled her fingers away, keeping her aura tight to her body.

  “Now,” he said, taking a breath to steady himself. “Here’s the story. Jessalene was not at either attack. You came into town looking to stop Ferric and his people, but it was too late. We found you in the warehouse looking for them, and that’s when we grabbed you and brought you in.”

  “How did you two find the warehouse?” she asked.

  “Tracker on one of their bikes,” Cassie said. “You left your bike back there, right?”

  She nodded. “Okay, that could work. They just left a bike behind.”

  “It’s good enough. I suspect the Detectives and Wyatt will realize it’s bogus, but they can’t do much about that if I back you up.” Jared looked at Cassie. “Good with you?”

  “Good with me.” She grinned huge. “Look at us! We’re a good little team. And you two seem like you’re already getting along great.”

  Jared glanced at Jessalene. She was beautiful, he had to admit it. She was the soft, snowy opposite of Cassie. But he still wasn’t ready to trust her, and based on the look she gave him in return, she felt the same way.

  “Come on,” he said, opening his car door. “Let’s go get this over with.”

  As soon as they got Jessalene inside and explained who she was, Detective Clyde and Detective Mindy both escorted her away to an interview room for questioning. They left Jared and Cassie sitting alone in the hallway on a bench with uniformed officers walked past, barely aware of them.

  “They’ve been in there a while,” Jared said.

  Cassie sat closer to him and put a hand on his knee. “It’ll be fine. Relax.”

  He shook his head. “I should’ve added more to that pact. She could be in there telling them the whole story. She could trip up by accident and spill everything. She could—”

  “Jared,” Cassie said. “It’s okay. Seriously. I trust her.”

  He shook his head. “I don’t know why.”

  “Because.”

  “That’s not a great reason.”

  She sighed and pulled back her hand. “She tried to warn us.”

  Jared laughed. “You mean when she stuck a gun in my face in the library?”

  “Yes,” she said. “And she didn’t shoot you, right?”

  “She threatened to.”

  “Threatening isn’t the same thing. She tried to get you to back off. And then when they were about to ambush us, she tried to talk them out of shooting us. Remember?”

  He nodded once. “I remember.”

  “Then give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe her story is true.”

  “Still should’ve added more to that pact.”

  Cassie laughed and shrugged, leaning her shoulder up against Jared’s. “What happens if she goes against a pact?”

  “She can’t,” he said. “Magic makes her stick to the pact, no matter what. I’ve heard of poorly worded, vague pacts driving their contractors into death trying to fulfill all the clauses.”

  “Seriously?” she asked.

  “Seriously. I don’t really know how it all works. Pact magic is spell within spell. What I did was like when I turn on the engine of a car. I know how to make it start, but if you wanted me to explain it all, I have no clue.”

  “That seems insanely dangerous.”

  He hesitated. “Yeah,” he said. “There’s a reason Jessalene didn’t want to do it.”

  She pushed his arm, glaring at him. “And you still went through wit hit?”

  “I’ve done it before,” he said. “And I’m reasonably sure the pact we came up with won’t harm her. Plus, I added those escape valves, so you can release her from the pact whenever you want to.”

  Cassie sat back, crossing her arms. “Still. You shouldn’t have made her do it.”

  “Noted.” He leaned back next to her and crossed his own arms. “But it’s done. If you want to release her, go ahead and do it, but I don’t have to keep my end of the bargain then.”

  “You wouldn’t.” She looked surprised.

  He shrugged and didn’t say a word.

  Cassie sat there stewing, annoyed, and Jared watched the clock. He wouldn’t send Jessalene to jail, despite what he just said. But he didn’t want Cassie to know that. He needed Jessa’s help, but he also needed her tied into his magic.

  “You know what’s odd?” he asked suddenly, after ten minutes of silence.

  “How much of a dick you can be?”

  He grinned at her. “That, and I don’t feel the Need. I used magic during the pact ritual, but it’s like it never happened.”

  Cassie frowned. He knew that’d catch her interest. “Have you ever felt it after any of your other pacts?”

  “No,” he admitted. “Now that I think about it.”

  “Huh. That’s weird.”

  He wanted to talk more about it but the door to the interview room opened and Detective Mindy stepped out. She looked tired, her neat hair flying loose of her tight bun, her white shirt wrinkled. She smiled at Jared and Cassie and walked over. “She’s helpful,” she said.

  “Yeah?” Jared stood. “Mind sharing what she told you, Detective?”

  “Nothing she didn’t already tell you, I’m sure. We’ll have to confirm her story with the Dorvahn clan, though.” She hesitated. “Why was she in that warehouse?”

  Jared shrugged, keeping calm. “She said she was tracking Ferric and the others down to try and stop them, but they’d already left when she got there.”

  “And how did you find her?”

  “Followed a tracker that Cassie put on one of their bikes. As far as I know, the bike’s still there.”

  “But none of the others left their bike? Strange, how only one of them would leave a bike behind.” Mindy cocked her head and smiled. “Very strange. But hey, if a Marshal swears she wasn’t involved, that’s good enough for me.”

  Jared gave her a strained smile. Clearly Detective Mindy was bright and competent. He’d have to be careful with her. “That’s good to know,” he said.

  “Detective Clyde will be with you shortly,” she said, turning away. “I have a Dryad clan to call and badger.”

  “Good luck.”

  “Oh, I’ll need it.” She smiled at him and walked off with a wave.

  Cassie let out a groan. “She knows,” she hissed.

  Jared glared at her. “Don’t say that out loud.”

  “I’m just saying, we’re—”

  “It’s fine,” he said, sitting down. “Even if they suspect, they can’t prove it. Just stick to the story and it’ll be fine.”

  Cassie closed her mouth and crossed her arms again.

  Detective Clyde came out a few minutes later. He said more or less the same things as Detective Mi
ndy, except he seemed almost bored by the entire ordeal. When they went over everything, he gestured at the room. “She’s all yours,” he said. “Your Captain’s on his way back to Philly, and I suspect you’ll be joining him soon.”

  “Yeah? Why’s that?”

  “She says Ferric’s probably headed there.”

  Jared nodded. “And what’ll you do about it?”

  “Nothing,” he said with a shrug. “Leaving our jurisdiction. It’s up to you to follow him, Marshal. And when you do get him, please make sure you bring him back. I think we’ll be pressing some charges.”

  “I’ll make sure I do, Detective. I assume you’re not going to hold her for anything?”

  “She’s free to go.”

  “Thank you, Detective.”

  They shook hands. Detective Clyde sauntered off after his partner and Jared watched him go.

  “That’s it?” Cassie asked from his elbow.

  “No,” he said, not looking away from the Detective until the man disappeared around a corner. “Definitely lying. But we’ll see.”

  “Can you feel his aura?”

  Jared snorted and looked at her. “Humans don’t give off an aura. You’re really not from around here, are you?”

  She grinned but didn’t answer.

  He stepped into the interview room. Jessalene was sitting in the chair with her back straight. She glared at Jared and opened her mouth but he spoke first.

  “Miss Dorvahn,” he said loudly. “Apparently you’ve been helpful. I hope you’ll be just as helpful with me.”

  She shut her mouth, confused. Jared flicked his eyes up to the ceiling twice until she seemed to understand.

  “Yes, Marshal,” she said. “I’ll try my best.”

  “Come on, then. We have a long trip back to Philly and I’ll need you to debrief me on the way.”

  She pushed her chair back and stood up. “They took a statement,” she said. “So I guess I’m free to go?”

  “You’re free to do as you wish,” I said. “But if you still want to stop Ferric, I could use all the information I can get on him.”

  “Very well.” She walked toward me and held out her hand. “I will do my best.”

  He shook it and felt her aura lick at him again. She gave him a brief half smile, and he realized she was doing it on purpose. He shivered as her aura caressed up his arm, then retracted back into her body as he released her hand.

  They turned and left the room together, Cassie smiling like a moron, Jessalene looking nervous, and Jared just hoping he could survive the next few hours in a car with those two.

  23

  For the first hour, nobody spoke, which suited Jared just fine. He put the radio on and concentrated on driving while Cassie sat next to Jessalene, giving her long, considered looks every few minutes.

  Cassie broke the silence first, which Jared saw coming. Jessalene looked like she would rather jump out a window than start talking, but there was no getting around it.

  “You did a good job back there,” Cassie said, leaning toward her.

  “Thanks.”

  “I mean, really. I know this has been hard on you. I’m sorry about that.”

  “Thanks.” Jessalene gave her a tight smile.

  “You’re very pretty you know,” Cassie said. “Jared, what do you think?”

  “I’m not getting involved in this,” he said.

  “Uhm,” Jessalene said.

  “It’s just, I’ve never actually met a Dryad before, you know?” Cassie laughed and leaned closer. “How does your magic work?”

  “Plants.” Jessalene frowned at her. “You’ve really never met a Dryad? We’re all over the place.”

  “Oh—I’m not from around here.” She grinned.

  “One day, you’re going to have to stop using that line and explain what it means,” Jared grumbled.

  Cassie laughed, but Jessalene looked confused.

  “Well, Dryads aren’t all that complicated, I guess,” she said. “I mean, if I can generalize an entire species.”

  “That magic you used back at the warehouse was amazing, though.”

  “Sort of just happens,” she said. “I can control it, but it’s like my aura or breathing. Plants just respond to Dryads and want to grow.”

  “Amazing,” Cassie said. “What’s your clan like? Do you get along with them?”

  Jessalene shifted in her seat and frowned at the window.

  “She thinks you’re interviewing her again,” Jared said to Cassie.

  “Interviewing?” Cassie frowned.

  “You know, interrogating.”

  “Oh!” Cassie laughed. “No, I’m just curious, Jessa. You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”

  “It’s fine,” she said. “It’s just been a stressful week.”

  “I understand. I don’t get along all that well with my family, either.”

  Jared raised an eyebrow. Cassie hadn’t mentioned much about her pack at all to him. Now that he had her pack’s surname, he kept meaning to make a call and do a little research, but he didn’t have time yet.

  “It’s not that.” Jessalene frowned at the window. “There are just a lot of us, you know? Ferric’s considered my cousin, but we’re not blood related.”

  “Oh,” Cassie said. “I understand that. My pack took in strays all the time and let them have our family name.”

  “Right, well, Dryad clans are sort of like that. You can join any clan you like, really, but they have to accept you. And once you’re in, you’re in for life, so clans are careful.”

  “Why’d they take Ferric then?” Jared asked, unable to help himself.

  “Ferric was born in,” she admitted. “Our parents aren’t related. My mother joined the clan when she was pregnant with me and was taken in by leadership. Ferric was born to a member of the lead council. That’s why he’s my cousin.”

  “Complicated,” Cassie said.

  “I guess so. We don’t think about it this way though.”

  “Why does Ferric want that artifact?” Jared asked.

  Cassie sighed. “I thought we weren’t interrogating her.”

  “We’re not. It was just a question.”

  “It was a pointed question related to the case.” Cassie glared at him. “I want to hear about her family. Don’t you want to get to know our new partner?”

  “She’s not our partner,” Jared grumbled.

  “She can be if she wants to be.” Cassie gave Jessalene a look. “What do you think? You’re pretty, and I bet once Jared starts using more magic, he’ll need another hand. You know, to help take care of him.”

  Jessalene stared at Cassie. “What… What are you saying right now?”

  Jared laughed. He couldn’t help himself. Cassie was just so up front about what she wanted, it was almost startling. And from what he knew about Shifters and pack mentality, they rarely minded sharing.

  “I’m just saying, I think we’d make a good team. And you’re pretty.” Cassie beamed at her.

  Jessalene blushed. It surprised Jared but he couldn’t blame her. Cassie was like a spotlight and it was easy to feel exposed when she turned that intense and bright charm in your direction.

  “I think you’re pretty too, but—”

  “Oh my gods, thank you!” Cassie laughed. “Hear that, Jared? She likes me!’

  “No, she thinks you’re pretty, Cass. Which you are. But let her finish.”

  “I was saying, I think you’re pretty, Cassie, but I’m not into that sort of thing, I mean, I don’t even know you two.”

  “Oh, that’s okay,” Cassie said. “Keep it in mind.”

  “Okay,” Jared said. “Enough. You’ll drive her away and we haven’t even gotten anything useful out of her yet.”

  Cassie swatted at his shoulder. “We’re not keeping her around just because she’s useful,” she said.

  “Speak for yourself,” he grumbled.

  Cassie sat back and crossed her arms, annoyed, and Jessalene looked between
the two of them. She laughed awkwardly. “So are you two actually like… you know… together?”

  “We’re sleeping together, if that’s what you mean,” Cassie said. “Beyond that, I doubt Jared is capable of something deep and committed.”

  He winced. “Ouch,” he said. “That was harsh.”

  She softened. “Sorry. I’m just annoyed.”

  “You two fight like a married couple.” Jessalene laughed again.

  “Oh, he wishes,” Cassie said, grinning. “Jared would be so lucky to have me as his bride.”

  “Yes I would,” he said. “But can we get back on topic?”

  “Fine,” Cassie said. “But she’s starting to show some interest. You could be a little more charming, you know.”

  “I’m always incredibly charming.” Jared grinned at them in the rearview. “So, Jessalene. The artifact.”

  “Oh, right.” She took a breath, then stopped. She tried again, but it was like words couldn’t come out. “Wow, I want to lie to you right now, but I can’t,” she finally managed.

  “Yep, that’s the pact,” Jared said. “Prevents you from acting against our interests. Also, why do you want to lie?”

  “Habit,” she admitted. “Keeping outsiders away from clan business has been part of my job for as long as I can remember.”

  “It’s okay,” Cassie said, putting a hand on Jessalene’s leg. To Jared’s surprise, the dryad didn’t move it away. “We’re on your side now.”

  “Right. Okay.” Jessalene took another deep breath, and this time, her words came out. “Ferric wants to defend our clan’s sacred land from a Magi family.”

  Jared’s eyes went wide. “What?”

  “Oh,” Cassie said.

  “Yeah.” Jessalene sighed. “It’s a little more complicated than that. But basically, a Magi family has been buying land all around our ancestral home. We don’t know what they want with it, but they’ve been pushing us out. The elder council has tried everything, but because we don’t own the land, there’s nothing we can do.”