Heart of the Hunter

by Alex Foster

  Only a groan answered this time and Nicholas felt his orders locking down into the shredded mind. Now, let me show you who I want you to bring back to me…

  ✽✽✽

  The car died several miles from the hotel.

  Dakota let it roll to the side of the small two lane road and sat there for a long while, radio still playing and headlights cutting into the darkness ahead of her. After a small amount of confusion she figured out the car’s problem. The gas gauge was resting on empty.

  "Shit!" She hammered her hand against the steering wheel. "Shit. Shit. Shit. Son of a goddamn bitch."

  Dakota sighed. Her head hurt, her stomach hurt, and she wanted to be a thousand miles from this place. She was tired of dealing with the ghost of The Circle all around her, sick of having to keep reliving her first life, and in no way eager to see Callie.

  No, that wasn’t entirely true, she decided. There was something she couldn’t identify inside her linked to Callie Wood — it wasn’t the blood. She had researched that to see if a magical link could explain why she couldn't stop thinking about her even when it made her feel sick. No such link existed though. Callie's power was rare but deep in Circle texts she learned that it died without leaving anything behind after healing. When she thought about it, when she failed to not think about it, she knew the real reason was mundane and stupid beyond all measure.

  When Callie was undercover, writing her article meaning to expose them to the world even at the cost of her own life, Dakota had been in charge of training her. When she finally learned the truth, knew the depth of how badly Callie was posed to hurt them, she chose to help instead of stop her. It went against all her training and the realist in her knew that was probably part of the con. And she fell for it. More powerful than any spell she threw away her life for the most mundane of all things. Dakota hated that. She hated the feelings that woman still drummed up inside her.

  Deciding to leave before her will died along with the car, Dakota gathered her phone and few supplies she had with her and popped the door. She took one last glance around. She was running on fumes and didn't feel good. A bottle of water, or a slush, or even a thermos of coffee would be nice. Though, she silently chided, had she thought to stop for any of those things she could have filled the gas tank as well.

  Still stewing about having to see Callie again, Dakota let free an arc of power into the front end of the car as she walked past. The lights flickered once and then went dark again. A small black mark marred the front end and she could smell something burning under the hood.

  It made her feel a little better so it was completely worth it.

  Onward Dakota walked into the night.

  ✽✽✽

  Deep in the emptiness, John Holman was aware. Dimly he could feel his body walking and he knew it was moving away from his painted cart and every possession he owned in the world. There was a man with a van he was going to meet.

  His legs carried him forward to the rendezvous without any conscious effort on his part. If his new master commanded it he knew his body would walk into the ocean and not stop.

  John gathered his sense of self and will, kept them out of sight of the bit of Nicholas’ soul that remained behind, and locked them away in a small corner of his mind. The telepath couldn’t see all parts of John's brain at once, he understood that somehow. He couldn't stop what was coming, the attack Nicholas planned, but maybe he could hide until just the right moment.

  Maybe then...

  ✽✽✽

  The knocking was insistent and steady.

  Callie blinked blearily at the clock and took a moment to process that it was four eighteen in the morning. Beside her Reina stirred. "What? What is it?"

  "I don’t know." Callie swung her legs out from underneath the blankets and stood. "Stay here."

  She grabbed a shirt from the floor and pulled it on. The knocking continued unabated. "Who is it?"

  Only pounding on the door answered.

  Callie walked into the small sitting area of their hotel room, headed to the window nearest the door, and peered around the curtain. She couldn’t make out a face, but did see a small lone figure leaning heavily against the doorframe. Streetlights played over blonde hair.

  She threw the lock and opened the door a crack. "Who—?"

  Dakota Clark stood in the entranceway. "Hey, Calkitten. What’s new?" She gave half a grin before collapsing forward.

  Surprised, Callie caught her and went to the floor with her. She glanced up and saw Reina watching wide eyed.

  Chapter Five

  Several minutes later the lights in the main room were on and Callie had moved Dakota the sofa. The young mage lay with her feet up and an arm thrown over her eyes. From her vantage point in the bedroom, Reina could hear her mumbling to herself.

  “She’s insane,” Callie said, pulling on pants. “A sociopath, a psychopath.”

  “I think those are the same thing,” Reina said. “And shhh — she’ll hear you!”

  “I don’t care.” Callie didn’t raise her voice over a whisper though. “She’s dangerous. And where she is Circle trouble isn't far behind and I don’t want that or her anywhere near you.”

  Reina glanced around the bedroom door to their guest. “Well, she doesn’t exactly look like she’s in the killin’ mood so I think I’m safe. In fact, I’d say she looks lonely and afraid.” A fear for Callie that was never far from her thoughts flashed anew. “Maybe she ran into some non mage against mage violence? We’ve both seen the news and what is going on out there.”

  Callie’s paused. “No,” she said without conviction. “Dakota’s former Circle and able to take care of herself. Plus she is trained in using deadly magic. She is more than able to handle herself against both mages and nons.”

  Reina shrugged, not sure. “Still we should be careful. She seems delicate.”

  Callie ran a hand back through her hair, working out the tangles. “So very not delicate. Let’s go.”

  Reina fell in step behind her girlfriend and let her take the lead. Callie hadn’t shared any details but the two mages obviously went back a long way. Circle not withstanding, she didn’t know much about what it really meant to be a mage other than having powers. There was a whole community she’d only just glimpsed through Callie.

  Whether she knew it or not, Callie had positioned herself in the forefront of relations between the two kinds of humans. Reina knew as a non she could only try to keep up and learn along the way.

  “Dakota,” Callie said, “are you okay?”

  “Fine.” The agent sat up slightly, letting her arm drop. “Just a little saddle sore. I’ve been driving for hours trying to find you. Well, I did about a hundred miles in a general ‘get away’ direction before I hung a U to come here. Then I ended up walking God knows how many miles to get the rest of the way here. Thanks for picking a hotel uphill by the way.”

  Callie sat on the corner of the coffee table, across from her. “Are we in danger?”

  “No, not right now. Not immediate.” Dakota glanced around; her eyes seemed to want to look at everything but Callie. “I need to talk to Dixon as soon as possible though.”

  “Is this a consular type problem? Legal or … the other kind of court?”

  “No, just another Circle secret that should be six feet in the ground.” She fidgeted uncomfortably.

  Reina blinked in surprise when Callie reached out and touched the so called dangerous psychopath's hand. Her thumb brushed knuckles and Dakota visibly relaxed. Now her gaze turned on Callie. “I wouldn’t have bothered you if I didn’t have to,” she said. “Really. I know I’m breaking up your little underwear pillow fight here.”

  It didn’t come out harsh, but Callie jerked away regardless. She covered the action by standing. “I should have introduced you sooner. Dakota, meet Reina Moran. Reina, meet Dakota Clark.”

  Dakota flexed her hand, touching thumb to fingertips repeatedly, and looked over. “Hey, Doe Eyes.”

  Reina wish
ed she was cooler when all that came out of her mouth was a simple, “Hi.”

  The three women stood in awkward silence for a long moment, Reina on one side with Dakota on the other and Callie directly between. Quite a bit of history, Reina decided, feeling it roll off them in waves. A lot more than she first thought.

  Callie cleared her throat. “I’ll call dad first thing in the morning. I haven’t heard from him in a little while but I’m sure he’ll give you whatever help you need.”

  “I’m sure he’d be very eager to help me.” Dakota snorted. “Dixon’s a tough old goat but I’ve got his back through all this.”

  Callie frowned at that. “What exactly is happening?”

  “Old asset decided to wake up on the wrong side of the craftmatic adjustable.” Dakota hesitated for a second. “He’s hunting down Circle agents.”

  “What?! You didn’t think to mention that sooner?”

  “Dixon isn't next on his list.” Dakota said quickly, trying to calm her. “So far he's managed to avoid pinging a powerful archmage so ducking most other mages shouldn't be hard for him — believe me he’s not exactly in the book.”

  Callie turned back to the bedroom. “I’ll get my phone.”

  Fingers brushed Reina’s hand as the mage hurried past and she felt warmth spread from the touch. Reina shuffled deeper into the room.

  Dakota sighed. “I knew she wasn’t going to take that well. Should have handled it better. Never learn.” She let her head roll back against the sofa for a moment before glancing at Reina. “So, you’re the new squeeze, huh?”

  “Guess so.” Reina stepped closer, trying to appear friendly. Were you the old one? She wanted to ask but didn't.

  “So what do you do?” She peered at her. “Fire channeler? Wind? Can you fly? She likes fliers.”

  “What —? Oh, no I don’t have ... I’m not a magic user.”

  Dakota nodded. “So Calkitten's going the other way now?” She smiled at her own joke. “A non. Good for her.”

  Reina didn’t know how to answer that so she just smiled in reply. Calkitten?

  A strange flicker passed over Dakota’s gaze. “She did good. You’re pretty.”

  “Thank you but it is almost five in the morning and I still have pillow marks on my face.”

  “It’s nice what you two have here.” She twirled her finger, indicating the room. “Very homey.”

  It was masked quickly, but Reina caught the longing in her tone. “So, how did you and Callie meet? Was it Circle business or —” She almost said a ‘gathering of mages’ like an idiot but stopped herself in time. They belong to a community, not a book club.

  “Actually, funny story, I was assigned to train—”

  “No answer,” Callie said walking back in the main room, cell phone in hand. “I left a message and texted him.”

  “It’s still early.” Reina gave a comforting squeeze to Callie’s forearm. “I’m sure he’ll call once the sun has caught up with us.”

  Dakota glanced between the two of them. “Like I said, I don't have anything that says he is next in line. And he has a heads up now.”

  Callie nodded her thanks to Reina and turned back to Dakota. “Who is doing this?”

  “He was before your time at The Circle. Name is Nicholas Kane, he’s a spirit channeler — or at least he was before I shot him in the head.” Her eyes went wide with ironic emphasis. “Who knows what messing with some kid’s brain will do to them later in life?”

  “You shot him in the head?!” Reina repeated.

  “Believe all of Kitten’s stories about me.” A wicked grin flashed. “I’m one bad mofo.”

  Callie shook her head. “There is no way I would have ever mentioned you to her.”

  Pain flashed across Dakota’s face and her grin wilted. In a blink both it and the emotion were gone.

  Reina gasped. “Callie!”

  Callie must have seen it too; a flush of embarrassment colored her cheeks.

  “Well, you are missing out then,” Dakota said without missing a beat. “We had a night on the ground underneath the stars that I’m particularly fond of, for obvious reasons.”

  The blush deepened.

  Oh, Reina thought. That explains some things.

  “Hey, when Dixon calls back tell him he can find me in a car down the street from here. It’s the one with a smoldering front end.” Dakota swung her legs around and stood. “It’s been a blast, ladies, but I don’t really belong here.”

  Using her hold on Callie’s arm for leverage, Reina pulled her aside. “Apologize,” she said. “That was ... that was mean.”

  Callie opened her mouth and then closed it. She looked at Dakota. “There are things about us you don’t understand.”

  I have a very good idea. Her brain helpfully supplied what a night with Callie under the stars might entail. “I don’t care about that. She came to you for help and we are being very bad hosts. Now go and apologize.”

  Callie sighed and turned back. “I’m sorry, Dakota, that came out wrong. You don’t have to leave.”

  Dakota seemed to weigh the awkwardness between the three of them with the return trip to her crippled car. Since neither mage wanted to work through it, Reina took it upon herself to do it for them.

  “What she means is you aren’t going anywhere,” she said. “You are staying here as long as you need to, and we won’t take no for an answer.”

  “We won’t?” Callie’s lips quirked. “No, we won’t. That’s her resolved face; you might as well just give in. I do.”

  Dakota slowly sank back down to the sofa. “You two are weird. I’ll stay but just until tomorrow when Dixon calls back.”

  “Actually, it already is tomorrow. The sun will be up soon.”

  “Morning solely depends on what time you wake up, Doe Eyes, and I haven’t been to sleep for a long time.” She put her feet up again. “So if you guys could try and control yourselves and keep the loud sex to a minimum that would be super.”

  It was Reina’s turn to feel her face heat.

  Callie shook her head at their companion. “I’ll get you a pillow and extra blanket.”

  Reina followed her into the bedroom.

  “I think this is going really well, don’t you?” Callie whispered dryly once they were out of Dakota’s earshot. She pulled a spare blanket off the foot of the bed.

  “Hush.” Reina smiled teasingly. “So ... she’s cute. I see what you like about her.”

  “Oh come on!”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. A starry night sounds pretty romantic to me.”

  Callie paused, pillow in hand, and looked down. “It’s not what you think.”

  “It’s okay, really.” Reina's smile widened. “I know how you feel about us so I’m not jealous. I think it is kind of sweet, actually. You could have told me though. I wouldn’t have minded that you had a—”

  “Dakota died on that night,” Callie blurted, taking extra care to keep her voice low. “She was killed and her body nearly burned to a crisp. I tracked her down and brought her back with my blood.

  "She was my trainer while I infiltrated The Circle. We were partners for months. She was only there that night because she was protecting me. She found out about the article and .... let me go. We grew close before she knew why I was really there. Very close. They abused her and her abilities and I convinced her to turn against them. I owe her because if not for her The Circle would have stopped me.

  “Whatever you are thinking, we aren’t, not now anyway.”

  Reina stared wide eyed at her. “You—?”

  “It’s complicated.”

  There were parts of being a mage that Reina didn’t understand, that she knew she would always lack full awareness of as a non, but she never expected something like that. She knew Callie could heal others, but not to that extreme.

  “I’ll give you the details later. All of them and you can ask whatever you want. But after Clark’s gone with dad. Okay?”

  Reina nodded. “
Yeah.” She stepped out of Callie's way but stopped her just short of the half closed door. “Are you okay?”

  Callie glanced back and paused for a long moment. “I don’t know yet.”

  Reina waited until she heard Callie move deeper into the main room before inching closer to the door and peering out at the mages.

  Callie handed Dakota the pillow and placed the blanket over her, tucking it around like she was comforting a scared child. Straightening a folded over end, she sank to her haunches beside the sofa and let out a deep breath. “What exactly have you gotten yourself into, Dakota?”

  “Not counting this moment ... I’ve actually been doing good,” she said. “Trying to anyway.”

  “That’s great.” Callie licked her lips and seemed to decide how to proceed. “I didn’t even know you were back in the country. Last I heard you took off for France again.”

  Narrow shoulders shifted under the blanket. “Didn’t really feel like being around for FBI raids. Hooked up with some other mages instead. We help people ... well, they help people and I mostly tag along as muscle. But I think you’d be pr — happy with what I’ve been doing this time around.”

  Callie balanced one elbow on a knee and set her chin on the palm of her hand. The two mages regarded each other. The weight of unspoken history between them.“You could have looked me up before now. I know you like grand entrances but this is a new one even for you.”

  “Yeah, well, you’re the Newsweek cover girl and I lost my press credentials a while ago. I don't care to be around reporters; they are bad for business.”

  “Is that the only reason?”

  “You wanted to be normal and have the whole white picket fence experience.” She smiled. “Normal ain’t me so what were we supposed to do?”

  Callie ducked her head once in acknowledgment. “Well, like you said I’m in the papers now, we all are, so normal is different.”

  Dakota's gaze flicked toward the bedroom and Reina almost took a step back, afraid she’d been caught eavesdropping. “Yeah there is a new type of normal.” She breathed deep and added, “Listen, this is cozy with the bonding and all but if you want me to go I will. You two have this whole footprints on the ceiling vibe going and I don’t want to get in the way of anything.