by Dyan Chick
"I can't stay, you said so yourself," I said.
"We can't get caught," he said. "There's a difference."
Flutters filled my chest and I tried to ignore them. "Thank you."
"I'll call the guys and we'll get it taken care of. You're lucky there's a mage in town who owes me a favor," he said.
"Don't cash in your favor," I said. "Let me talk to him. I'm sure we can work something out."
"It's a woman," he said. "And I already told you I'd do it. I don't go back on my word."
My jaw tensed. This reunion was going about as well as I imagined it would. "Jason, you know I had good reasons for leaving here."
"I read your note." He didn't even look up from his phone as he tapped away on the screen.
"You know I'm sorry, right?" I said.
He slid his phone into his back pocket and looked up at me. "You know that doesn't fix things, right?"
I looked down at my feet, shame making my cheeks heat. If only he knew how deadly it was to be loved by me. I cared about him too much to risk seeing him dead and the body in the car only solidified my resolve. Squaring my shoulders, I looked back up at him. "I stand by my decision."
I reached into my back pocket to hand him the wallet, hoping they could destroy it along with the body. There was nothing there. My eyes widened and I felt in my other pocket. The wallet was gone.
Frantic, I opened the door of my car and started digging around the front seat, using my phone as a flashlight.
"What is it?" Jason asked.
"I had his wallet in my pocket, but it's gone," I said.
"Fucking women's pockets," Jason said.
"Tell me about it," I said.
"You didn't learn your lesson the time you lost your cell phone when we were hiking?" he asked.
I glared at him. "Is this really the time to lecture me about my use of the too shallow pockets in women's jeans?"
He held his hands up in mock surrender. "You're right. I'll help you look."
"Check the back," I said.
I heard the door open as I continued to feel around on the dark floor.
"Did those air fresheners actually do anything for you or are you starting a collection?" he asked.
"I'm not used to the smell of the dead," I said.
"You'd think it would get easier every time," he said.
I slammed the door and walked around to the passenger side door, fuming. I wanted to scream at him. To tell him that I wasn't a murderer. That all of this was a big misunderstanding. But his cold, hostile attitude was the best thing for both of us. As long as he kept me at a distance like this, there was no way we'd end up making a reckless choice. "It's not here."
"It's not back here, either," he said. "When was the last time you had it?"
"I'm not sure," I said. "I only stopped for gas a few times."
"Let's hope wherever you dropped it isn't somewhere populated by other mages."
"Tell me something I don't know." I knew how tracking magic worked. "Hopefully some human will find it and pick it up."
"Awesome, so it can be their scent they pick up when they find it later," Jason said.
"That's not what I mean, and you know it." Headlights approaching stopped me from elaborating and both Jason and I turned to see the incoming car.
It parked behind Jason's truck and three large male figures exited the vehicle. Reinforcements had arrived.
Eight
Angie
"Well, well, well," a familiar voice called out. "I can see why you texted us, Jason. Angie back in town is definitely an emergency."
"Nice to see you too, Gage." Jason's best friend, number two in the pack, was nearly Jason's opposite. He was five foot ten, but looked short compared to Jason. And where Jason was all brawn with long dark hair, Gage was lean and fair. Every inch of exposed skin was covered in colorful tattoos.
"Cody, Miles, nice to see you," I said to the others following behind Gage. I knew these were Jason's most trusted friends and pack members. Their loyalty went beyond what humans could experience. Packmates were like brothers, but without sibling rivalry. They shared everything and gave everything to each other.
Until I saw them, I didn't realize how much I missed having them around. My chest actually hurt with longing for the familiarity and comfort the group of them brought. I'd spent so many happy Friday nights lounging in Gage's basement for movie nights, curled up as close as I dared next to Jason.
Jason's friends settled in a circle around us.
The temperature rose several degrees just from their body heat. As a siren, I ran a bit cold. I could stay underwater for hours without freezing. Shifters ran hot. I almost forgot how hot. I had to resist the urge to scoot in closer to them to feel even more of the heat.
"She's calling in a favor," Jason said.
My brow furrowed and I turned to look at him. He didn't owe me a favor and he knew it. Favors were like currency in the supe community. You had to be very careful about who you asked for help without compensation. As long as you paid, you were safe. If you got into favor territory, it could come back to haunt you. I'd made that mistake several times and had done a few things I wasn't proud of when I first started testing my magic and spending time with supernaturals.
If it weren't for my crazy idea to try out Crescent Falls, who knows what kind of crowd I'd be running with. The people here had taken me in, shown me the ropes, and helped me connect with who and what I was. And how did I repay them? I bolted. If anyone owed a favor, it was me. And my debt was so great I wasn't going to be able to pay it back. "Jason—"
He lifted a hand, a silent gesture for me to stop talking. I closed my mouth. I could argue, but it was possible he was using the favor angle to help explain why he was doing something so stupid and dangerous for me. A rush of realization shot through me. We'd never discussed the fact that we had a mating bond. I'd left as soon as I felt it. But he had to feel it too. If he was using a favor as the reason to help me, he never told his friends. Now, I felt guilty. These guys didn't keep secrets.
"We're picking up Jane on the way," Jason said, then he turned to me. "Can we borrow your car? It'll be easier that way."
"Of course, Jane is your mage friend," I said, shaking my head. Jason and Jane had an unusual friendship. One that I couldn't help but be jealous of even though I had no claim on him anymore.
"She can do it and she won't ask questions. You have a better idea?" Jason asked.
I silently passed him the keys.
He took them.
"What's the favor?" Gage asked. "Or do I not want to know?"
"Can't you smell it?" Miles asked. "She's got someone in her car that is having a far worse day than she is."
Gage wrinkled his nose. "I thought I caught death on the air. Just surprised it's coming from you."
"There's a lot about Angie you don't know," Jason said.
"Thanks for that, buddy," I said.
"Well, we're going to start attracting attention if we don't take care of it soon," Miles said.
"I'll grab the gear and meet you at the usual place," Cody said, finally speaking. "Angie, good to see you. Hope you stick around for a while this time."
I swallowed the guilt that resurfaced at his words. Had Jason told them nothing?
Cody walked toward the car the others had arrived in and Jason held up the keys, dangling them in his hand so they jingled. "Ready?"
"Shit, it's been a long time since we've buried a body," Gage said.
"Not long enough," Miles added.
"I'm sorry, you guys," I said. "And thank you."
Gage winked. "Anything for you, Angie, you know that. You're practically part of the pack."
"I wouldn't go that far," Jason said.
"You're never going to forgive me, are you?" I asked.
"You want to do this here? Now?" Jason asked.
"What are we missing?" Gage asked.
"Dude, let's wait in the car," Miles said, shoving Gage toward my hearse.
"I had to," I said.
"No, you didn't," he said.
"I explained in the note," I said.
"You left a note. You knew I felt a mating bond and you still left. Do you understand how rare it is for a shifter to feel a mating bond? I know your kind can mate with multiple partners, but not us. I don't get a second chance. It was you."
My heart felt like it was shattering all over again. "Do you understand how hard it was for me to leave? Did you think I didn't feel the same way about you?"'
"If you did, you wouldn't have left."
My chest was too tight and I wasn’t sure I could keep breathing. How could he say that about me? I only left because of the way I felt about him. "Do you know how the mage in the car died?"
"I imagine you lured him to his death. You are a siren, after all," Jason said.
"Nice," I said, shaking my head. "You know what, you're right. I did. I killed him because of what I am. Is that what you want to hear?"
Jason was silent, staring at me with those dark eyes that always seemed to go right to my very soul. "Do you even know how to love someone?"
I shook my head. "No."
"That's what I thought." Jason turned away from me and walked to my waiting car.
I moved to the sidewalk, forcing myself to maintain a blank expression as I watched them drive away. As soon as the car was out of sight, I crumbled to the pavement, a miserable, sobbing puddle.
Why was it so hard to explain this to him? I'd told him in my note that everyone I loved died. I told him the truth. Why couldn't he see that leaving him was the only way I could show him how I felt about him?
I picked myself up to a sitting position, hugging my knees to my chest. All I could do now was wait. Then, I had to decide where to go next. I knew I couldn’t go back to my old apartment. If Magnus was important enough to be investigated when he went missing, my apartment would be easy enough for them to find with their magic. At least I'd had the good sense to use a false identity, but I wasn't keen on the idea of starting over. Maybe I should move closer to the sea. Instead of hiding my powers or letting them grow stagnant, I could find other sirens and learn to use them better. Being near the water made it easier to channel my magic.
The unmistakable sound of a gun cocking sound behind me.
I froze as icy dread shot through my veins. Had I been made already?
Slowly, I lifted my hands in the air. "I'm just going to stand up, okay? Don't shoot me."
I turned around and dropped my hands. Jason's dad narrowed his eyes at me, shotgun still pointed at my chest. "Hi, Earl."
"Angie? What the hell, girl, I could have killed you." He lowered the shotgun. "Did my good for nothing son upset you again?"
"No, Earl. Nothing like that," I said.
"I don't suppose you want to talk about it?" he asked, a nervous look on his face.
"Not really, no," I said.
He blew out a sigh of relief. Earl wasn't really the talking type. "Why don't you come in? I'll make you a cup of tea. And by tea, I mean I'll pour you a whiskey."
I chuckled. Earl hadn't changed, at least. "Thanks, I'd like that."
Nine
Jason
Every part of me felt like it was on fire as I walked away from Angie. I couldn't be near her without wanting to grab her and hold on to her until she relented. She was my mate, and she'd left me. Nobody knew how badly she'd broken my heart. Nobody knew we shared a mating bond. It was too painful to discuss, even with my pack. Plus, let's face it, it was embarrassing. I had never heard of anyone losing their mate like this. She wasn't dead, and I was pretty sure she was in love with me, but she had some bullshit idea that it was for my own good. More like fear of commitment. Wasn't that supposed to be a guy thing?
I stared at her as I pulled the car away from the curb. She looked damn good in her jeans. Her long dark hair looked wild as it moved in the wind and even though I couldn't make out the details in the dark, I could practically feel her blue eyes penetrating all the way to my soul. This girl had me wrapped around her little finger. And she fucking knew it or she wouldn't have come to me for help. I frowned, wishing I could be as mad at her as I pretended to be. The truth was, I was happy to see her. Even if it meant nothing to her.
"So who is the dude in the trunk?" Gage asked. "Or chick. I mean, I guess she could go either way. I've heard of sirens who like all kinds."
"Gage," Miles said. "You're doing that thing again where you don't shut the fuck up when you should."
"My bad, Jason," Gage said. "I mean, it has to be killing you to see her again."
"Dude," Miles said.
"Fuck," Gage said. "I'm doing it again, aren't I?"
"Yeah," Miles said.
"You think the John Doe is the reason she left so quick?" Gage asked. "Maybe she was on the run."
I laughed. What else was I supposed to do in this situation? As far as they knew, Angie left in the middle of the night. I told them it was mutual, but they saw through that. So I let them believe she'd left me no reason for leaving. It was easier that way.
"That's not it," I said. "I don't know all the details, but I know our guest of honor is a member of the Shadow Club."
“You mean he was a member of the Shadow Club,” Gage said.
"Shit," Miles said.
"Yeah, shit," I agreed. "That's why we're stopping to pick up Jane. We need a spell so they can't track him."
I turned onto the dirt road that led to a neighborhood of scattered ranch style homes on large plots of land. These were people who didn't want to be found, but couldn't quite give up the comforts of living near civilization. Even if that civilization was a town that was too small for a Walmart.
The car bumped and vibrated over the rocky road and I switched on the brights so I could see better. Unlike the main part of town, there were no lights from other houses or sparse streetlights to provide illumination. It was incredible how quickly it got pitch black.
I stopped in front of the gate to Jane's place, surprised to see that it was open. Brow furrowed, I drove through it slowly, keeping my eyes open for any signs of unwanted company. I didn't know how fresh our corpse was or if it had been tracked to our town. If I were hunting someone, hitting up the local mage for information would be my first stop.
I parked on the gravel that barely passed as a driveway in front of the pre-fab house. Jane, like me, had grown up here. We had an understanding and a history that was shared by few. Gage was another local kid who stuck around, but he was four years younger than me so we didn't meet until we were adults. Jane, on the other hand, shared the honor of being one of the twenty-two kids in our Crescent Falls high school graduating class before they tore it down due to lack of enrollment.
I exited the car to find Jane standing in front of her door, lit cigarette glowing orange in the dark.
She took a drag and blew out a cloud of smoke as I stopped in front of her. "She's back, isn't she?"
"How come the gate's open?" I asked.
"Stupid question to ask a seer," she said, tossing her cigarette to the ground and stepping on it.
"We're on a fire ban, Jane," Gage said.
"Go fuck yourself, Gage," Jane said, flashing a wide grin that looked menacing in the faint light coming from inside her house through the screen door.
"Any time, Jane," Gage said.
"You know you couldn't handle me. I'd eat you alive." She held open the door. "You guys coming in or are we going to stand out here all night?"
I pushed Gage though the door. "Don't be a dick." He and Jane had a complicated relationship. I was pretty sure he was meeting her for regular booty calls, but he hadn't come clean to us yet. I wasn't the only one who kept things from the pack. As it was, I was sitting on a huge piece of information from my recent meeting with Draven. But that was going to have to wait.
Jane's place smelled like stale cigarettes, old pizza, and something else that I couldn't quite identify. Some kind of incense, maybe? She'd inherited t
he pre-fab house from her mom in the worst kind of way at just sixteen. One day her mom was here, the next day she wasn't. Took off with some boyfriend and left Jane with a small pile of cash and a note that said, Carpe Diem. She was a bitch. Nobody was sad to see her go, especially Jane, who was mysteriously without bruises and black eyes within a few weeks of the old bat's departure.
I sat down on the tattered brown couch. It had cushions for three, but I took up nearly half of it by myself. Jane squeezed in next to me, tucking her feet under her knees in a way that made her look even smaller than her five-foot-two frame.
She pulled her long, blonde hair into a bun on top of her head. "Spill, Clayton."
"We've got a dead mage in the back of the car. We need a spell to keep it from being found," I said.
"Who's the lucky bastard?" she asked.
She had a dark sense of humor. I suppose we all did. "Not sure. John Doe. We do know he was a member of the Shadow Club."
She tensed, straightening her shoulders. "You sure?"
I nodded.
"Fuck, Clayton. Why'd you bring that shit here? I mean, when I saw a vision of Angie riding back into town I didn't think this was the trouble she was bringing."
"You saw a vision of Angie?" I asked.
"Just saw her riding in with black storm clouds. She's trouble, Clayton. I mean it," Jane said.
"She seemed just as thrilled about Jason seeing you," Gage said.
"I'm sure she did," Jane said. "She here for you? Did she come back begging you to take her back?"
"Nothing like that," Jason said.
"They practically had it out in the middle of the street," Gage said. "And not in the good way. In the ‘I hate you’ kind of way."
"I see," Jane said.
"Forget Angie," Jason said. "Can you do the spell?"
"Yeah, I can do it." She cocked her head to the side and studied me for a moment.
"What?" It freaked me out when she did that. I didn't know enough about her magic to know when I should be worried. I trusted her, but the whole seer thing was still new. She hadn't tapped into that until a year ago. It came on kind of sudden and I think we were all adjusting to what it meant.
