Nevermore

by J. C. McKenzie

  Tony’s men dropped Raven off unceremoniously at her house. Tony the Tooth had concerns about her silence, but she assured him the contract she signed with Sarah guaranteed her discretion. Raven had nothing to gain. Not to mention Sarah held a secret of Raven’s as well. Presumably, Tony and his hyena gang would, too, the moment she left the room.

  Raven stomped into the house and paused to enjoy the burst of warm air on her face. The rain clouds had cleared for now, but they’d be back. She closed the door behind her and called out to her brother.

  No response.

  “Mike?”

  Silence.

  Mom and Dad weren’t home from work yet. Maybe Mike was at the office with Dad. She’d texted him on the van ride home to let him know she was okay and to tell him to head home. She pulled out her phone and checked her messages. No response.

  Dread climbed along her spine. Her fingers flew over the keyboard.

  Where are you?

  Nothing.

  Are you all right?

  No response.

  ANSWER ME NOW.

  No answer. She hit the call button.

  “Hi,” Mike answered

  “Mike, where—”

  “You’ve reached Mike…”

  Voicemail.

  No!

  She gathered her energy and split to reform at the meeting house. She sprinted around the building where she last saw Mike. Following the side street, she retraced the path he would’ve taken after she lost sight of him and entered the alley.

  There!

  Mike’s phone lay face down on the ground. She plucked the device off the dirty concrete. Unread notifications lined his screen.

  Who’s Becka?

  Mike hadn’t mentioned dating anyone.

  She wiped the moisture and dirt from the screen. Where was her brother? He’d never voluntarily separate from his phone. What happened to him? Was he okay? Did it have to do with the mysterious girl texting him? Or did one of the meeting members snatch him? Dread clenched her entire body. Her breathing became short and fast.

  Slow down. Think. Panic later. What should she do? What could she do? Who could help her?

  She pulled a pocket knife from her back pocket, split open her finger and summoned Cole. “Beul na h-Oidhche gu Camhanaich. Come to me.”

  He materialized in seconds. The shadows clung to him, slowly dripping to the ground, like the last drops of water from a shower. He studied their surroundings and frowned. “Are you okay?”

  She forced her breathing to slow down so she could speak. “Someone took Mike.”

  Cole’s gaze flashed. “Can you track his—”

  Raven held up Mike’s phone.

  Cole clamped his mouth shut. The shadows pooled around him and the alley darkened. In broad daylight, it looked like the end of the day. “Where’s Rourke?”

  Whoops. An invisible knife stabbed her heart. She hadn’t given the dark fae a chance to follow her and she didn’t grab him when she brought Mike to the meeting location, either. If he’d been with Mike, her brother wouldn’t be missing right now.

  Darkness clouded Cole’s gaze.

  “It’s not his fault. I’ll explain why later, we need to find Mike.”

  “You’ll have to use your power.”

  “My power? What the hell can I do?”

  “When you portal, you’ve been practicing travelling to familiar places by envisioning the location and how it feels. Now you need to form a portal and travel to a person. Envision Mike and how he feels. Think about what he means to you and how much you love him.”

  “Why don’t you do it? You’re better at all of this than me.” What if she messed up? What if Mike was hurt? What if…she was too late?

  Cole shook his head. “I don’t have a blood bond with Mike and he’s not actively summoning me.”

  Fucking Others and their blood fetishes.

  “Not only do you share blood with him, you love him. The trip should be quick,” Cole said.

  A thought pinged in her brain. “If it’s so easy, why didn’t you portal to your sister when she was missing?”

  “I tried. I was blocked. Your twin is not ignorant of our ways. He used a rune to prevent her from portalling and from anyone traveling to her. Had I known the full extent of your powers, I would’ve taught you to portal sooner and saved us a lot of time. Let’s hope whomever abducted Mike has no knowledge of ancient Underworld runes.”

  “Okay,” she said. “I can do this.”

  “You’re taking me with you.”

  “Absolutely not. Robert had an energy blocker. It was excruciating up close and only half of me is from the Underworld. What if other members of the group have them, too? What if they’ve laid a trap with Mike as the bait? If I get stuck, you’ll know what happened and you’re better equipped for a rescue mission.”

  Cole shook his head. “Non-negotiable. I’m coming with you.”

  His body tensed. His gaze flashed. He readied himself for an argument.

  “Fine.” She’d already learned teamwork wasn’t the enemy. She pulled out her phone and sent a message to Dad: Someone took Mike. We followed Kelly and Robert to a meeting house and Mike went missing after going into the alley. He dropped his phone. Cole and I are going to portal to him. I’m leaving his phone in the alley so you can scent track if needed. Love you.

  She sent the address of the meeting house and turned to Cole. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

  She opened her arms and Cole stepped into her heat. His strong arms circled her, and his heady scent and shadows wrapped around them.

  “It will work out, Einin,” he said, pulling her close. “Close your eyes and think of Mike. Feel your love for him.”

  Cole’s deep voice rumbled over her skin like a lover’s caress. She followed his instructions. The world dissolved and dark energy whirled around them.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  “Sometimes, you have to get angry to get things done.”

  ~ Ang Lee

  Raven and Cole reformed in a cellar. Bands of dark magic dissipated and faded into the shadows of the room. Damp, mouldy air greeted them along with the sound of dripping water. Mike kneeled across the room with his head down and his arms wrenched behind him, chained to the wall at an uncomfortable angle.

  “Mike,” Raven hissed and ran over to him.

  He raised his ginger-mopped head. His eyes widened. “Rayray?”

  One eye was severely swollen and already bruised. His lip was split, and one cheek looked puffier than the other. He hadn’t shifted into a fox to escape and some weird energy vibrated along the chains that bound him. Shifter chains? They existed?

  Molten lava flowed in her veins and her vision stained red. Someone would die for this. “I’m going to kill them.”

  She didn’t even care who the fuck “them” was. It didn’t matter. She’d tear them apart. This was her baby brother. This was Mike.

  “Get the amulet. It’s the…the…”

  “Energy blocker.” She glanced up. There, on a hook by the door, hung a blue amulet similar to the one Robert had held in her face. She ran over and ripped it from the hook. The power of the stone vibrated along her skin, but no waves of pain stabbed at her body. Robert had mumbled something before it activated last time. It must require some sort of trigger spell. Etched into the largest face was the symbol both Robert and Kelly wore on their necklaces.

  Chains clanked behind her.

  “Thanks,” Mike mumbled.

  She turned and watched Cole help her brother to his feet. The chains that had bound him lay useless at his feet.

  “It’s the symbol of Othila.” Mike wobbled but stood. He nodded at Cole and the Lord of Shadows released him. “It’s a Viking rune that symbolizes the ancestral home passed from generation to generation and the strength of a united family. It also represents separation.”

  Cole grunted.

  “The amulet you’re holding with the Othila symbol is very powerful. He wouldn’t shut up about it.
” Mike turned to Raven and swallowed. “He tried to use it on me.”

  “Who?”

  “Robert,” Mike spat.

  Cole scowled and the lights flickered.

  “He spotted me in the alley when he was driving away. The amulet didn’t work on me. I’m a shifter, not fae. When that plan failed him, he pointed a gun at me and told me to climb into the passenger seat and throw my phone out the window. His hands shook so much, I thought he’d shoot me by accident.”

  “I found your phone,” Raven said. “Becka says hi.”

  Mike’s cheeks reddened and his expression softened for an instant before it returned to pained determination. “Robert didn’t want you tracking me with my phone.”

  “He’s not as dumb as we’d all like him to be,” she said.

  “He will be nothing after I’m through with him.” Cole’s dark gaze flashed.

  Raven shivered. Cole had killed for her before. “I need you to take Mike back.”

  “No.”

  “Yes.”

  “Please,” she said. “I need to know he’s safe.”

  “He’s right here,” Mike muttered.

  Raven ignored her brother and kept her gaze trained on Cole. “You take Mike home. I’ll deal with Dr. Douche. You can’t protect me forever.”

  The look on Cole’s face said he disagreed.

  She sighed. “I’ll confront him when you return. Take this with you.” She tossed the amulet at him.

  Cole snarled, snatched the amulet, and grabbed Mike. His gaze remained locked on her the entire time, as if she’d disappear on him if he looked away. “You do not engage without me.”

  Mike stumbled and fell into Cole.

  Raven rolled her eyes and watched the shadows envelope the men she loved.

  Raven gulped. Loved? Oh no. She really had fallen hard for Cole. Love? Her heart spasmed.

  Oh crap. She did. She loved that shadow-wielding dark fae assassin. How was that even possible? They hadn’t known each other for long. They hadn’t been out on a date yet. She wasn’t the type to swoon and fall for a guy so fast. The last time she loved it hadn’t worked well for her and that had taken almost a year of dating. She thought it had ended badly with her in debt for fifty thousand, but her story with Robert wasn’t over. Now she was in his basement after rescuing her brother from his evil clutches.

  Her relationship with Cole drastically differed from what she had, or thought she had and ultimately lost with Robert. Cole didn’t demand anything from her. He wasn’t a leech. He wanted to protect her and gave her the strength and skills and encouragement to stand on her own. He stood back and let her sort out her own problems despite having more knowledge and the ability to step in and bulldoze the entire situation. He gave and gave…and gave.

  She shook her thoughts back to the present and turned toward the door. She ran straight into a fist.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  “When I am silent, I have thunder hidden inside.”

  ~ Rumi

  Pain exploded across Raven’s face. Her vision went black and an instant headache bloomed behind her eyes. She fell backward, staggering until she caught herself on a support post. Another fist flew toward her face. She lurched to the side, stumbled and fell.

  She rolled and a booted foot narrowly missed connecting with her midsection. What the hell?

  She scrambled to her feet and faced her attacker. Her sight crystallized and focused. Thick dishevelled brown hair framed a traditionally handsome face. Light brown eyes held ice and hate as a familiar man glared at her.

  “Robert,” she hissed. “You’ve sunk to a new low.”

  Robert snarled and lunged. “You’re not a woman to be cherished and protected. You’re an animal.”

  She dodged another strike. When she said he sunk to a new low, she referred to Robert kidnapping and beating up her brother, but if he wanted to add hitting women to his list of character flaws, she’d show him why that was a bad idea. Raven had zero training as a fighter, but she had years of scrapping with brothers. A spoiled brat and an only child, Robert grew up entitled. He didn’t have to fight for a thing his entire life.

  And his form was horrible.

  “Technically, we’re all animals,” she said. Thank you, Mike for that useless fact. “You’re a doctor. Shouldn’t you know that?”

  “You’re a thing. A parasite. We need to stamp your kind from the Mortal Realm.”

  “Is that what your teabag party was all about?”

  “We have the Amulet of Othila. It harnesses Fm”

  Fm stood for Force of Magic. The discovery of Fm played a pivotal role in bringing down the barrier between the Mortal Realm and the Other Realms.

  “Had.”

  Robert hesitated, gaze darting to the hook on the wall.

  Raven stepped in, delivered the hardest body shot she could throw and darted out of range.

  Robert doubled over and wheezed.

  Everyone underestimated the power of a well-placed body shot.

  Robert gasped for air. “No matter. We also have the Murdoch Manual.”

  “Because a bigot’s bible is going to save you?” Dr. Murdoch wasn’t prejudiced, but the group of mortals who coveted her research materials generations after her death were.

  “It’s not a bible. It’s the original lab manual of Gabrielle Murdoch, the lead physicist responsible for the barrier collapse, you simpleton.”

  Raven rolled her eyes. She knew exactly who the doctor was, but Robert couldn’t help talking down to her.

  “If those scientists took it down, we can put it back up.” Robert straightened, an ugly sneer spread across his face.

  How did she ever love him? How did she think she loved him? Despite his classically handsome features, he was an ugly person. Rotten.

  “That book won’t save you,” she said. Any minute now, Cole would return.

  “No,” he agreed. “But this will.” He reached behind him and pulled a small handgun from his waistband.

  Seriously. How small was that thing? “Is that a gun or a toy?”

  He brought the weapon up.

  As soon as he moved, Raven pulled her dark energy and combusted into her conspiracy of ravens. Target that, bitch.

  Robert’s eyes widened. Then narrowed. His mouth tightened and he took aim.

  A loud boom punched the air and rebounded against the walls.

  Pain erupted through her conspiracy and shared consciousness. Robert had shot one of her birds. Her consciousness reformed to spread over one less bird.

  Bastard.

  She should flee. She should make a portal and get the hell out of here.

  No.

  Not again.

  She wouldn’t run away from Robert and the pain he inflicted again. She had to see this through.

  Her conspiracy darted in and swarmed her ex.

  Another shot.

  More pain.

  No turning back. She’d already committed to taking him down.

  Her birds tucked their wings in and dove at Robert. He screamed and swatted at his face.

  There!

  An opening.

  The birds pecked at his skin.

  Robert screeched and covered his face. Blood splattered the unfinished basement floor.

  He batted at the birds. The gun clattered to the ground. Pain erupted across her consciousness as he tried to fight off her birds.

  She ignored it.

  There was no escape for Robert. He tried to shoot her. But worse. He took Mike. He hurt Mike. There was no redemption for this man.

  Dark energy pulled at her. Raven grabbed the power and pulled, reforming in human form. She stood in front of Robert with the Scythe of Corvids in her hand.

  How did the weapon get here?

  She shook the question away. Another time. He’d taken her brother and beaten him. Mike. Her baby brother.

  Roberts’s bloody face gaped at her, but only for an instant. Pure, ugly rage consumed any remaining surprise. Robert snar
led and lunged. The energy of the scythe vibrated in her hands. She swung and brought the weapon down. Metal reflected light and sliced through skin, tissue and bone. Blood sprayed.

  Robert’s head slid from his shoulders with a sick, wet thump. His gaze wide. His body went limp and flopped to the floor.

  She stood frozen, gripping the scythe as if her life was forfeited if she let go. She killed someone. Again. Her head grew light. She knelt beside Robert’s prone, headless body, supporting her weight with the scythe against the floor. Her limbs weighed a ton and her head began to throb. She glanced over at Robert’s broken and bloody body.

  Odin’s pink panties, she killed Robert. He’s dead. Gone. Images of the headless Corvid Queen resurfaced. Raven’s stomach rolled. Her vision swam. She leaned over and threw up.

  She continued heaving until well after her stomach had emptied its entire contents.

  “You did well, Einin,” Cole’s voice, soft and gently, spoke behind her. “Did you kill him with the scythe?”

  “Yes.” She glanced up at hum. Her world tilted and her stomach clenched. “Why do you look like you swallowed a Sefton beetle?”

  “You did well,” he repeated. “Using the scythe means you’ve bloodied the blade after bonding to it. In addition to gaining full access to the scythe’s formidable magic, you can now complete the ascension to your position as the Corvid Queen and wield the power it grants.”

  “Again, why do you look so sad?”

  “I didn’t wish this for you.”

  Her fingers gripped the smooth shaft of the scythe. “Because I’m not a killer.”

  “No, you’re not. That is why I never mentioned the secret to unlocking the Scythe of Corvids or the true cost of your mantle.” Cole crouched beside her, his warmth and shadows offering a soothing silent comfort. “But you did what you had to do to protect those you love.”

  She turned to him, his expression open, his eyebrows turned up as if he was in pain. Maybe he remembered what drove him to be an assassin.

  “Is that why you started killing?” she asked.

  “No, Einin.” He reached over and helped her stand with her wobbly legs. “I didn’t know love back then.”