No, they couldn’t kill her father. She would not let it happen.
Something wrapped around her neck. Hands. No, too thin. A rope?
A mighty yank flipped her onto her back. No! Ametta clawed at the air and tried to turn herself over as her captor dragged her away from the battle.
With her thick neck, she could still breathe in little pants, but without fingers, she couldn’t grab the rope. Dipping her head, she glimpsed the Shadowman who had snagged her. Was this their plan all along?
Fuck! And she’d just run right into it. Terror made her numb to any rational thought.
The roars of all their bears shook the structure. All of Anchorage likely had locked their doors and armed themselves. Sirens wailed in the distance.
Ametta smacked against a car and latched onto the tire. Her head felt as though it might pop off as the Shadowman pulled her harder, but she wasn’t going to let him take her. She just had to hold on long enough for Lucky or someone else to get to her.
A kick to her head had her cry out. A second and a third. The bastard was smart to stay away from her snapping jaws. She wouldn’t let go. She couldn’t.
The fourth kick landed on her right ear. A rod of pain lanced through her, and she flailed, wrapping her arms around her head.
Ametta spun as he dragged her farther away toward an open door in the side of the garage. Not a single light pierced it nor came out of it. Maybe it was the pain rattling around in her skull, but she thought the darkness swirled as deep as the horror that pierced her soul.
A portal.
No, no, no, no!
Ametta couldn’t let herself be taken through that portal. It would be the end for her if she did.
Fear burst through her, eliminating the pain in her head. Lurching for a cement column, she couldn’t get a claw hold on it. Her nails raked across it with a nauseating screech.
Another dark shadow leapt out from behind a nearby truck. Not another one. She couldn’t go through that portal. She managed to find a small drainage grate on the floor and latched on with one paw.
The rope around her neck suddenly loosened, and she gasped with a deep breath. She didn’t wait to be pulled again, but twisted to get to her feet and flee.
The lights from police sirens reflected on the wall and ramp coming up toward their level.
“Shift!” A male’s voice demanded from behind her.
Ametta spun to see a man all in black plunge a knife—a shadow of a knife?—into the Shadowman. The guy was alive. She could see his dark eyes and narrow nose between his hat and high collar of his long coat.
“Shift.” The voice. She should know it. “I’m here to help.”
The front of the police car appeared around the corner of the ramp. There was no more time. Ametta shifted back to her human form and wrapped her arms around her chest. “Who are you?”
Without answering, he grabbed her arm and pulled her into the portal with him.
Ametta screamed, or she thought she did. She couldn’t see or hear anything. No whooshing or sirens, not even her own heartbeat.
Panic howled within her, but she didn’t dare move a muscle.
For some reason, she expected to fall. But it was like she wasn’t moving at all. Her feet weren’t on solid ground, but she remained standing.
What she could feel was his grip on her. His warm hand. A real person. It was the only physical connection she had to let her know she hadn’t been lost in a void. What sane person would jump into a Shadowman’s portal?
The domovoi. No, it couldn’t be. He didn’t look or sound like Lucky, and he never dressed like a ninja. Nor would he need a big knife strapped to his side.
With a lighter tug, Ametta stepped forward into a dimly lit… basement? She blinked and rubbed her eyes, toppling slightly as she got her bearings.
Her throat throbbed, and she breathed heavily. Stacks of books, shelves, papers. Dusty and moldy. Cobwebs decorated the rafters. The only light a single lantern.
But more importantly the man who saved her. Not as tall as her sisters, but taller than she. Lean and athletic. With all the new scents, she couldn’t pinpoint his. Drawing in a deeper breath, she couldn’t find his at all.
“Who are you?”
He plucked off his hat to reveal shoulder-length black hair and unzipped his coat.
Ametta’s hands flew up to cover her mouth. It was impossible.
“Are you injured?” he asked in a quiet tone.
“Azarius.” She could barely say his name. “But… but you’re dead.”
A ghost? A zombie? A vampire? Some of her best clients were vampires. She could design him a better crypt than this dirty old basement.
Azarius raised his brows. “I’m very much alive. I’m sorry I had to let everyone believe I was dead.”
Gobsmacked. She never understood that word until now. She needed to sit. She couldn’t move her legs. “But how? Kinley saw you… crunched by the giant.”
“There were big spaces between the monster’s toes.”
Did he just make a joke? He didn’t smile, and she didn’t laugh.
“But Dad… he brought back your remains. We burned them.” Did she die? Was Azarius the guardian between worlds?
“He found what remained there. Blood and feathers. I dragged myself away to heal.” Azarius stood where he was, clasping his hands in front of him. “It took quite a while.”
Did her father really only find so little? The bag in the fire. It looked like it contained more than just feathers. She hadn’t seen what was inside herself. Maybe it was just a big bag.
“You’re alive,” she repeated, more for herself than him.
“Yes.” So patient.
Azarius was alive! Her body sagged with relief. She ran her hands over her face and laughed. “Oh my God. You can’t believe how glad I am to see you. And Saskia, your death hit her hard. She’s going to be so happy. I bet Sedge—”
He held up a hand. “You can’t tell anyone else yet.”
“But why? This is a good thing.” It was an incredible thing. Another person to help with the hunt for the totems and to deal with the Shadowmen. Clearly Azarius knew a thing or two about the Shadowmen as he took her through one of their portals. Saskia always said he knew even more than Sedge.
Azarius didn’t respond immediately. He reached into a nearby box and removed a blanket. “Here.”
Shit. She was naked. Taking the blanket with a muttered thank you, she wrapped it around herself. Her nudity seemed unimportant at the moment, though. Azarius was alive!
“The totems are powerful artifacts.” Azarius leaned against the corner of a shelf and crossed his arms over his chest. “They attract those who crave power. We aren’t the only ones hunting them. The others you have not seen because I have killed many of them.”
“Yes, we know.” Ametta bobbed her head. “The hunters who had originally shot Lucky, well, at least the golden eagle shifter is still out there. We suspect she might be working with at least one other. She took the owl token. And Death took the fox token. I have no idea what we’re going to do about that one, but now that you’re back, surely you and Sedge can figure something out.”
“Death?” His brows rose and his lips quirked up a little.
“Saskia saw him as she and Sedge were battling the Jinxioc.” She frowned as he turned from her and bent down to remove something from the bottom shelf. From inside an old cardboard box, he removed a small safe. It glowed faintly etched with strange symbols. A tiny shiver went through her.
Azarius spun the dial, and when he popped open the door, she was almost pulled down to the floor beside him. A token. He had a token.
He stood with a bone necklace dangling from his fingers. Flakes of red and brown paint clung to the pieces, and in the center, a fox.
“I came upon them in the woods fighting the Jinxioc. I knew both of them would want me to get the token and make sure the little monsters did not get their hands on it.” Azarius turned his hand slowly, displa
ying the necklace for what seemed more like him to see than her. “I tried to get Saskia to come with me. We could have worked together. But I see now why she didn’t follow.”
He had the token. But it was just a necklace.
Ametta touched her tattoo, running her fingers along her collarbone. A million questions filled her mouth so that none could escape.
Azarius slipped the token around his neck. It jiggled and didn’t lay flat. Did that mean it hadn’t chosen him as its bearer? She clutched her hands into fists from wanting to touch it. The pull of the totems trying so hard to be reunited made her want to take it from him for herself. She clenched her jaw and fought down the feeling. It was safer with Azarius than with her.
“I want you to help me,” he said as he raised his gaze to lock with hers.
“I can help you, but why not all of us? We’d be able to do so much more together.” She gestured to his token. “The others need to know this too.”
He made a soft shushing noise as if quieting a child. “Yes, we’d be able to do so much more together, and we will, later. As for right now, the fewer we are, the less we’ll attract the Shadowmen. You and I each have a totem. I’ve seen the raven totem too. We can get it together without having to fight for it.”
“How do you know we’ve seen it?” She blinked, her mouth suddenly dry. And then it clicked. Holy shit. “You were the other raven in the tree. I told everyone that I felt both birds were totems. None of them believed me. You had your token on. That’s why.”
Azarius dipped his head. “You are much more perceptive than any of them give you credit for.”
People had constantly underestimated her in her life. Some because she was a woman and a blonde, and others because she was a designer. As if the job didn’t take any brains. Then there was Saskia, always thinking she was better. Even her dad and Kinley sometimes treated Ametta as if she were still a child. They had kept her out of the hunt until the elk totem came to her. Only Lucky…
Lucky. She had to call him, contact him somehow. He might think she was taken by the Shadowmen or, even worse, dead.
“Phone. I need a phone.”
“I’m sorry. There are no phones here.” Azarius shook his head.
Ametta’s heart thumped hard, and her eyes stung with threatening tears. “I need to call Lucky. If he thinks I’ve been captured, he’s going to tear down the city. And my family… Oh God. I need to call them.”
He placed a hand gently on her arm. The jolt she felt wasn’t as powerful as when she touched Saskia or Ransom, but it was still there. “I know this is difficult. I had only a few who cared about me, and I regret deeply causing them pain. But I’m trying to do this the safest way possible. Fighting the Shadowmen in the middle of the city…” He shook his head. “It’s too dangerous. The Shadowmen have gotten bold with their greed. We need to be the cautious ones to spare innocent lives.”
What he said made sense. It made a ton of fucking sense, but her heart kept screaming she needed to call Lucky and her family. It wasn’t fair to let them think she might be kidnapped or dead. Even if it was just a quick call, just to let them know she was in safe hands with Azarius.
“Listen.” He took her quietly from her thoughts. “When I said there are no phones here, I meant it literally. We are in a safe place, an Extra Space. Only I know about it. It was the most secure place for the token. If we didn’t need the other tokens to attract the last ones, we could keep them all here.”
“Keep Saskia, Ransom, and me here?” In a place like the cave she and Lucky had found. The cave where the hunter of shifter skins had killed himself. She hugged the blanket tighter around herself.
“No. You can take off your tokens any time you wish.”
“What?” She didn’t have to wear sweaters and high collar blouses all the time to hide the fact she had a tattoo?
“Bear did not tell you?” He cocked his head much like a bird.
She furrowed her brows. “No.”
Azarius sighed and stepped away from her, pacing a few steps. “He holds his secrets close. It was a long time, many decades, before he trusted me with anything. The tokens can come off. All you have to do is will it.” He tapped the fox on his necklace. “You had asked why I didn’t help fight the Jinxioc. If Bear unleashed himself, truly let himself free, he could have defeated them by himself. But he doesn’t. He hides his true self. I worry for Saskia hunting with him. She is something he covets, and if she did something to ever truly anger him… I prefer not to think of the consequences.”
Realizing she had been gaping, Ametta closed her mouth. Her sister was in danger being with Sedge. Because if Saskia hadn’t done so yet, and it was surprising she hadn’t, she was going to piss off Sedge at some point.
Never once had any of them forgotten Sedge was the new incarnation of the old Inuit god. He was a powerful bear, but it was true. She’d never really seen the Bear. After everything that had happened, why hadn’t he brought out his full power to help them?
“I’ll help you.” The words tumbled out of her mouth.
Azarius nodded once. “Good. Thank you.”
Ametta had to trust Lucky would be okay. She refused to think otherwise. He’d understand afterward. They all would once she and Azarius returned with the raven totem.
She glanced down at herself. “Do you have any clothes for me?”
“You can make your own.” He smiled as if the question was amusing.
“No. I’m not a Black Shaman.”
“You don’t need to be. You’re a shifter. Any shifter can do it.” He spread his hands. “Another secret Bear does not want anyone to know.”
Saskia had always taunted her that she could make her own clothes with a thought. To think Ametta could do it too. She lifted her chin. “Tell me how.”
“It is a matter of imagination and will. Something I know you as a designer and a Dorn have much of.” His teeth flashed with another grin. “Shifters are magic. It is what allows us to change forms. We are born with it. Clothes are like another skin, a layer of fur that has been sewn and fitted.”
Not just fitted, tailored. All her business suits were tailored just for her body. Ametta closed her eyes and imagined her favorite teal outfit, how it hugged her body and lifted her breasts. The jacket cut to flare over her hips and the suede boots coming to just below her knee. Embroidered here and there, proper accessories, and even matching bra and panties.
This was her power suit. The one that got her her first big client.
“Lovely, but I don’t think it is suitable for our mission.” Azaruis’ voice cut into her thoughts.
Ametta opened her eyes and grinned as she looked down at herself. It was perfect. Her designer suit, the same in every detail as the original. She’d done it, and it was so simple.
But he did have a point.
Closing her eyes again, she pictures jeans, sweater, winter boots, and a thick coat. The weight of it upon her told her she was successful.
Imagine all the outfits she could wear now!
“Impressive. It took Saskia much longer to learn this trick.”
Ametta zipped up her coat, relishing the slick feel of the material. “Saskia lacks imagination. It’s why she builds things from Kinley’s or my designs.”
Azarius held out his hand to her. “We must go back through the portal. Do you trust me?”
This man was treating her as an equal. None of her family had done so through this whole totem thing. She placed her hand in his. “I trust you.”
Azarius led Ametta out of the portal and into a dark forest. Her body immediately went taut as she sucked in the cold night air. She peered up as her eyes adjusted, scanning the sky and the treetops. The distant sound of water tickled her ears.
“We’re just north of the city, not far from Sixmile Lake.” Azarius informed her in a low tone. “We are close enough to the city if the totem is still in the area. We’re also far enough from it so that we don’t feel the presence of the other totems.”
The tug of the fox token around his neck was strong, but Ametta could still feel the pull of Saskia’s and Ransom’s totems in the distance to the south. Could he not feel them? Or maybe he couldn’t with the token not melding with him.
“So what do we do? Just wait?” It sounded silly, but it was exactly what she and the others had been doing in her condo.
Azarius nodded and leaned against a large tree, half in the shadows.
Ametta stuffed her hands in her pockets and nibbled on her lower lip. After a minute, she started to pace. The snow crunched beneath her boots. Designer boots she had created from her own imagination. Saskia would have a fit!
Clearly Azarius wasn’t much of a conversationalist. And while she did have several questions for him, she held her tongue. She needed to rummage through her own thoughts.
Five minutes passed. Perhaps more. Her heart hadn’t slowed since they arrived. Yes, the anticipation of gaining another totem excited her, but the dark woods… As good as her eyesight was, she didn’t know what else might be lurking out there. Shadowmen, cannibalistic gnomes, and God knew what else inhabited the cold wilds of Alaska. She had no fear of wild animals. She’d actually welcome one right now. Something, anything, to get her attention and break the tension.
What was Lucky and her family doing right now? Certainly they’d be too clever to let the cops catch them. As fast as the Shadowmen could disappear, so could shifters change forms. Though being naked in a parking garage might get them a fine at the very least!
After half an hour, there was still no sign of the raven totem. Ametta huffed out a big puff of mist. “Do you think it will just come to us? When we got the other tokens, we had to earn them somehow. I had to eat a murderous ghost to get mine.”
Azarius’ expression didn’t change. “It will come. It will not be able to resist wanting to reunite with the other totems.”
“But what do you think it will do?” Ametta’s patience was waning. “You know more about ravens than any of us.”
Shadows Fall (Totem Book 7) Page 6
