Forsaken Talisman

by Ashleigh Raine

  The similarity between Stephan’s circumstance and his own did not go unnoticed. A Watcher and a Tracker showing up, each having history with the woman of a Talisman Bay Shadow Walker. What the hell was The Order planning?

  Slade returned his suspicious stare to Stephan. “I’m not your enemy, Stephan. I don’t know why she thinks I tried to kill her. I didn’t. I would never do anything like that. Least of all to her. And I know you’re wondering, but I had no idea The Order was training me to be her Watcher. I was told I’d be going to Talisman Bay to protect the unborn child of a Shadow Walker leader. A much respected leader. Obviously, The Order neglected to tell me that I’d be walking into an ambush when I got here.”

  Blood boiled in Dusty’s veins. First Skylar’s fiancé and now this… The fucking Order again—

  Themonius should be here momentarily. Fiero put the fires of hell underneath his ass. Stephan shook his head angrily as though for Slade’s benefit as well as Dusty’s. We’ll straighten out The Order. No more of this bullshit. I get enough games from Craze.

  There’s more.

  Stephan shot Dusty a nasty glare. What?

  The Order sent a Tracker after Skylar—

  Themonius appeared in a misty cloud, keeping Dusty from giving Stephan the rest of the bad news. The Order’s spokesman eyed the four men in the room with his aristocratic stare, then raised an eyebrow as he spoke. “Why is it that you always demand my presence when things aren’t going quite the way you thought they would?”

  Facing Themonius squarely, Stephan crossed his arms over his chest. “Why is it that the so-called Sacred Order, the purveyors of truth and goodness, don’t even inform its officers when there’s serious trouble to be dealt with?”

  Themonius looked down his nose at Stephan. “You want us to warn you of every impending problem? You are Shadow Walkers. Your lives are in a constant state of flux. Serious trouble is to be expected.”

  Dusty angrily growled out his reply before Stephan could. “Obviously lies and misinformation are to be expected, too. You turned Skylar’s fiancé, a goddamn civilian, into a Tracker. Don’t even try to tell me that The Order didn’t know about Craze taking Skylar. That’s something we should have known. You placed too many peoples’ lives in danger.” Dusty stepped toward Themonius, while reminding himself that slugging the immortal wouldn’t do any good.

  “There’s no such thing as coincidences.” Stephan looked from Dusty to Themonius and back again to Dusty. Looks like you’ve been holding out on me as well.

  I got interrupted. I swear that’s everything I know about Skylar and the Tracker. Honest. Dusty punctuated his reply with a nod then shifted his attention back to Themonius.

  Okay, so click-in etiquette wasn’t exactly being enforced today. Themonius looked almost as annoyed as Slade did that there was click-in conversation going on without him being invited. “Now, now, Dusty. Aren’t we straight to brass tacks? I was under the impression that Stephan would spout his fury alone.” Themonius’s gaze shifted to Slade and then to Stephan and Dusty. “I see you two have met the Watcher. We hold him in very high regard. I can’t imagine any of you would be displeased.”

  “I would think that’d be obvious if you really did know as much as you claim,” Stephan stated angrily.

  Themonius settled his all-knowing gaze on Stephan. “I am not in the business of doling out solutions that are larger than your problems. Motives are not always immediately evident. Your maneuvers, your gleanings play much deeper than you could ever envisage. For instance, Michael Slade.” Themonius turned to the Watcher and addressed him directly, but his words were clearly meant for everyone in the room. “When you met Mariah, you knew in your heart that you should be with her, that you should share her every move. You were destined to be with her and she with you. What you didn’t realize is that you were not meant to be her lover. You never were. You were meant to watch over her and to ensure that she was delivered to her veridical destiny.” During his final phrase, Themonius’s attention returned to Stephan.

  Ouch. The room grew quiet as the implication behind Themonius’s words hit everyone personally. Dusty couldn’t tear his gaze from Slade. A grievous darkness had settled across his features, and it echoed in Dusty’s soul. Was that his fate as well? To love Skylar from a distance? To keep her safe but watch her love someone else?

  “That still doesn’t solve the fact that Mariah doesn’t want him watching her. I won’t let her be in a situation where she feels threatened. That helps none of us. The Order didn’t choose him very wisely.” Stephan’s dissatisfaction practically shook the walls.

  “You forget. Slade is not Mariah’s Watcher. He is the child’s Watcher.”

  “That’s bullshit. Where my child goes, Mariah goes. He can’t protect one without the other.”

  “Come now, Stephan, who better to protect her than someone who truly loves her and would give his life for her? What greater sacrifice is there? You are already quite cognizant that The Order would not invest in someone who is not worthy.” Themonius shifted his gaze to Dusty. “Adrian Hawke is of high caliber. He was already on the hunt for Skylar Quinn when we approached him. The Order merely offered him the means to find his missing fiancé. Our enhancements are never awarded to the meek. We are all slaves to destiny and fate and their rather acrimonious predilection of truth and all that is inexorable.”

  Themonius’s knowing smile angered Dusty even further. “You’re not clarifying how Skylar fits into all this. So far, she’s just been another victim of this farce.”

  “Although not a Shadow Walker by birth, as Mariah’s cousin, Skylar is of much importance.”

  Unable to stop himself, Dusty stormed forward and got in Themonius’s face. “Mariah’s cousin? Why the hell didn’t you tell us about her earlier? She was held prisoner by Craze for two months. We could have done something sooner.”

  Themonius sneered. “Dusty, do not let your temerarious attitude impede your betterment. I suggest you seek to understand your fate before it is viciously withdrawn from your grasp. Second chances are not given to fools.”

  Fear rocketed through Dusty. Was that a warning? Shit. Why the hell had he left Skylar in the cave with Hawke? Walking away from her, he’d given the impression that he was giving up on her…on them. What the hell had he been thinking? He was a fighter, not a quitter. Dammit! Skylar was his. In his heart, he knew they belonged together. Even through the crazy circumstances this morning, she had still looked at him with love in her eyes. There was no way they weren’t meant to be together. But what if she wanted to rebel against destiny? If he were to show up and try to win her back somehow, would she still want him?

  As though privy to the thoughts whirling through Dusty’s mind, Themonius’s smile widened as he spoke. “You already know all the answers to your heart’s questions. Give them merit or you will find yourself a very sullen man.”

  Ryan spoke from the corner, his voice a quiet strength. “So our futures are already laid out? Why bother living if we can’t affect what’s going to happen?”

  “Every action and reaction has the potential to alter the set course. All of you are important in the roles you play, in the choices you make.” Themonius’s eyes sought out everyone in the room. “Family goes beyond the bonds of blood. You would do best to let it flourish rather than hinder its progress. The battle cannot be won alone.”

  “It can’t be won by manipulating people either.”

  Mariah stepped through the doorway into the training room, as the men turned as one to face her. She crossed the room and took her place at Stephan’s side. They didn’t touch, but just being close to him made her feel stronger, capable of reliving the nightmare she’d forced to the deepest recesses of her mind.

  After only spending a minute in her room—long enough to change her clothes and realize running from Michael and her memories wasn’t going to solve anything—she’d returned to the scene of her most recent life surprise to confront her past. Instead she’d witnes
sed a horrible truth unveiled. Michael was as much of a victim as she was. For years she had believed he’d betrayed her in the worst way possible, but her feelings of hatred toward him were based on a circumstance she still didn’t understand.

  But they weren’t the only victims. She had a cousin, Skylar, another innocent being pulled into fate’s games. Someone else suffering because of her…

  Mariah turned an angry gaze on Themonius. “Tell me about my cousin. Why have I never heard of her before now?”

  “Until recently, we were unaware that your fates were linked. Skylar is your father’s brother’s daughter, but your father never knew of her. When he became a Shadow Walker, he distanced himself from his family until he almost never spoke with his brother. When your father died, the familial connection died with him…or so we thought.” Themonius shook his head, his expression growing thoughtful. “Perhaps if we had taken a closer look at her, we would have realized the severity of your connection. Such similarities are far from normal…”

  “Similarities? What the hell does that mean?”

  Dusty blurted out a reply, surprising Mariah into facing him. “You could be sisters. Essentially, people who don’t know you or her could easily mistake her for you. She looks like you, but she doesn’t act quite like you do. She…well…she’s just similar, but not you at all. Her hair’s got red accents, rather than gold like you, and her lips are…”

  His voice trailed off and he swallowed hard as though just now realizing he had an audience for his praises. Mariah couldn’t hide her grin. It looked like Dusty had it bad for her cousin. Good. At least she’d be well-protected.

  Dusty turned his attention toward the door and started walking. “Y’know, I’m actually gonna go find her. I need to…yeah…I gotta go get her.”

  “Dusty, wait.” He stopped and looked over his shoulder, one foot already out the door, his impatience obvious. “Take care of her for me, okay? I don’t want what happened to me to happen to her.”

  Dusty nodded and his pace quickened as he disappeared through the doorway. Heavy footsteps pounded up the stairs as he broke into a run. Stephan glanced at Ryan then nodded toward the door. Ryan nodded his reply and headed out as well.

  Mariah spun back around to Themonius. “Got any other surprises from my past you need to tell me?”

  “Why do you choose to focus on the past when it is the future that matters?”

  Mariah forced the breath into her lungs as she turned and looked at her past—at Michael. “Because the past can affect the future.”

  Arms crossed over his chest, Michael watched her, his dark, piercing gaze seeming to sear right through her. Just like the first time they’d met. Just like so many times in the past.

  Although difficult, Mariah forced herself to meet his eyes. He deserved to hear the truth directly from her. “For five years I thought that you tried to have me killed. Do you know how hard it is to erase that from my memory? Seeing you again…” She clenched her jaw. “Dammit. This is harder than I thought it’d be…”

  “Mariah…” Michael’s words trailed off. She knew he wasn’t begging her to continue. It was as though he wanted too many things from her that he knew he could no longer have.

  Stephan placed a warm hand on the back of her neck, caressing and rubbing the special spot he’d jokingly nicknamed her comfort nerve. No matter how horrible she felt, when he touched her there she felt comfortable and relaxed, capable of facing anything. He’d known exactly what she needed.

  With new strength, Mariah continued. “There’s more, something I haven’t let myself think about since it happened. I’ve never even told anyone. Not even you, Stephan, and I’m sorry for that. I didn’t want to think about it. When I almost died all those years ago…” She took another deep breath. “Michael, do you remember that day?”

  “Everything changed.” He slowly nodded for her to continue, but Mariah wasn’t sure he really wanted to hear what she had to say.

  “I went to the doctor, because I’d been sick. But I wasn’t sick…I…I…”

  “Oh God.” Michael let out a very ragged breath. “You were pregnant.” His hoarse whisper sent a chill through the entire room. He stepped toward her, then froze mid-step, his gaze shifting from her to Stephan, as though realizing it was not his place to offer comfort anymore.

  Mariah wrapped her arms around herself, suppressing a shiver. “Yeah. I was.”

  Michael’s stone composure cracked. Looking down, his shoulders shuddered. The only sound in the room was rough, uneven breathing.

  Stephan moved closer, keeping one hand on her neck as he took her tightly within his embrace. “Mariah, baby—”

  A torturous growl interrupted Stephan, and Mariah looked up to see Michael ferociously stalking toward Themonius. “You could have been more specific about who I was being trained to defend. Would that have been too much to ask of you during my twenty-hour training sessions over the past three months?” His voice grew more disgusted with every word. “What? Did it slip your mind? You knew my background. You knew everyth—”

  Themonius raised his hands. “We were afraid you wouldn’t accept.”

  “Just as Stephan was disappointed in your choice of me, I am disappointed that you didn’t have the decency to give me the option…on anything for that matter. You just threw me to the wolves, respect be damned. Did you honestly think that I would not want to be here? To see her again? You are out of your fucking mind!” Slade got in Themonius’s face, towering above him.

  Themonius recoiled silently.

  “I think you’ve done enough emotional damage for one day, Themonius,” Mariah stated emphatically as she and Stephan advanced toward him.

  Stephan’s voice cut in. “Unless you can actually tell us something that would help us, get the fuck out of here. We have no time for you anymore.”

  Themonius looked over the threesome closing in on him. “In your dismay, the enemy lies in wait to exploit your every weakness. Do not wait to strike, for you could find greater danger in your diffidence. Darkness follows us all. Even The Order and its organizations may fall prey. Survival lies within your methods of treating the wounded. Attempts will be made to counter hindrances, but you must accomplish your greatest justice of your own accord.” Themonius shimmered then disappeared.

  The room grew unbearably silent, as though with Themonius’s exit, their one common element of shared anger and betrayal had left with him. They watched each other, wondering, waiting…

  Stephan reached a hand toward Slade, who shook it, then turned to Mariah as though for approval. She looked at both men and what this moment represented, and the words caught in her throat. All she could do was nod. Somehow they would all make this work.

  * * * * *

  The cave was empty.

  Misery and grief hit Dusty with lightning force as he scoured the cave. Desperately he ran to the hot springs, hoping against all odds that Skylar would be waiting for him there.

  The hot springs were untouched. She was gone. She was really gone. What the hell was he supposed to do next? And why the hell had he walked away from her? She’d probably thought he didn’t want her anymore. He should have stayed by her side and not given her a chance to disappear from his life.

  He returned to the main room of the cave, staring at the bed that just last night had been a paradise. Lying next to it on the floor was Skylar’s nightgown, the only evidence that last night had happened. Well, the only physical evidence. The emotional effects would haunt him forever.

  Skylar had chosen Hawke, the man she loved, the man who was new to the Shadow Organization and who probably couldn’t protect her if Craze came after her again.

  Shit.

  As long as Craze was nowhere near Skylar, she’d be safe with Hawke. Dusty would make sure Craze never hurt her again even if he had to watch the bastard’s every move for the rest of his life. Which would come to an abrupt bloody end as soon as Dusty got his hands on him.

  With new purpose, Dusty
rushed out of the cave. He clicked-in to Marlin. Hey, man, is your car still at the beach?

  Yeah, I haven’t picked it up yet. Why?

  I just need a lift. I’ll be good to your car.

  Don’t fuck it up or I’m not gonna let you borrow it again.

  I won’t, I won’t. Dusty forced a chuckle. Thanks, man. He clicked-out and headed straight for Marlin’s Jaguar.

  Craze was going to go down hard this time. No wussy magic or demons. Hand to hand. Mano y mano.

  Using the hidden spare key, Dusty got in and started the car. He took off with a whirl of rage, testing the limits of the Jaguar’s handling. The drive took no time at all.

  He charged up to Craze’s door, slamming his fist on the wood instead of using the snooty brass doorknocker. When that bastard came to the door, his blood would be spilled. Hell, Dusty would even drag the miscreant out onto the lawn in front of the whole damn neighborhood. Craze had hurt his last innocent.

  Dusty pounded on the door again. Craze must be scared. Was he looking through the peephole? Did he know that the Grim Reaper was at his door?

  Angrily, Dusty tested the handle. It clicked open easily.

  Storming through room after godforsaken room, Dusty’s furor increased. His hands itched to throttle the bastard. To pummel him. To shred the man that had become his undoing.

  Bolting up the central staircase, he surged toward the room where he’d found Skylar before…just last night. Maybe she’d be there once more. Please let her be there. Even if her memory had been wiped, he’d make things right, love her all over again.

  But he wouldn’t get the chance. There was no one there.

  In a blind rage, Dusty returned to the main room then spotted a door he’d missed before. He opened it. The stairwell reminded him of the entrance to the compound in Rare and Unusual Imports. Was this where Craze hid himself? Dusty blasted down the steps and through another door expecting the magic and mystery of Craze to be revealed. Instead, the room was full of wine, champagne, whiskey, vodka… The many bottles looked so inviting. Like he could just lose himself in drunken oblivion and not have to face ruination ever again.