Scent of the Heart

by Parker Williams

  Casey recoiled in horror. “Dude, you can’t have my mate or family. I’ll do what I have to do to keep Jake from hurting anyone, because I know he couldn’t live with himself if he did.”

  “By all means, kill your friend. Imagine the darkness that would creep into your heart. You would become the perfect partner. Your power, my direction, and Jake’s ferocity, we wouldn’t even need the enclave. I could teach you much. We could raze it to the ground and take all of those weak and pathetic shifters with it. The world would be better off without them. Humans are meant to rule.”

  “Casey is going to stop you,” Sev barked, his muscles tensed.

  “The shaman is going to do nothing. Even if he were able to kill his friend, and make no doubt, that’s exactly what it’s going to take, this place is not without guardians of its own. Even if you were to find the item, assuming it’s here, I would lose nothing. You on the other hand, risk it all. You’ve lost. Take what I offer you, and you’ll save yourselves much pain in the future.”

  Casey moved a few steps from Sev, murmuring to himself. With no herbs or potions, he was relegated to cantrips and low-level spells, none of which would stop Jake. Still, a bit of misdirection never hurt, and he was almost certain Elizar was ingrained deeply enough that he would be overwhelmed by it.

  “By the way, Shaman…your use of the blood thorn was inspired. Not many would risk their lives like that. How much blood do you think it drained from you? I can see you’re unsteady on your feet. Do you feel lightheaded? I could kill you now, you know. But you would be a better ally than a meal for the so-called Protector.”

  Sev shifted so rapidly, Casey didn’t even have time to utter a warning. He released his spray as Casey threw a flash of bright light. Jake roared and tumbled over one of the heavy wooden tables. Casey smiled, knowing the smell would cling to everything, and hopefully dull Jake’s senses for a while. He once again used the misdirection cantrip, praying to the spirits that between it and Sev, Jake would be out of commission for a bit. He grabbed Sev, who struggled against his grip.

  “Stop it,” he snapped.

  His mate stilled instantly as Casey continued to run. A long corridor of doorways, each as intricately carved as any he’d seen, even in the city, lay before them. Casey could sense no magic from anywhere, making him wonder if Elizar’s item was even here. And if it wasn’t, could he and Sev do anything to stop the madman?

  “Sev, shift. I need you in human form.”

  Sev obeyed, regaining his body. “We could have stopped him,” he argued.

  “Yes, because your itty-bitty skunk teeth and my bare hands are going to kill the Protector. No, our best bet is to find the item as quickly as we can and destroy it.”

  “Elizar wasn’t lying. We’re not alone in here. I could smell other animals. Definitely bear, wolf, and lynx. There might be others, I’m not sure.”

  “Shifters? If we can get them on our side—”

  “No, pure animal.”

  “Do you think Jake could fight a bear?”

  “Given the size difference, a regular jaguar would have little chance against a bear, but the Protector would kill it without difficulty.”

  Thoughts flew through Casey’s head. There had to be something they could use. A place this big would take forever to search, and knowing that there were animals somewhere made the job that much more difficult. Jake was hindered by Elizar’s presence. If these animals were trained, they would be the perfect guardians for the place.

  “Do you think you can guide us past them if you’re in skunk form?”

  “Maybe. If they come at us, we won’t have much time. I think I can spray one, maybe two more times. Beyond that, I’m spent.”

  “Sure, you had no problems spraying me in the forest,” Casey said, trying to keep a teasing tone.

  “If I tell you something, will you promise not to hold it against me?” Sev’s voice quavered, and Casey could feel what he was about to say. “I’m afraid. For you, my brother, our Alpha. I was just beginning to believe that life was going to be good again.”

  Casey tugged Sev’s hand, dragging him down the hall. “As much as I’d love to stop and give you comfort, I can’t. I’m scared, too. Eight months ago my biggest problem was getting a bad grade. Now it’s whether or not the place I can finally call home is going to be taken from me. I would never hold that against you. I promise you we’ll do our best, and if the spirits are willing, we’ll come out on top. If not, I hope they’ll take mercy on our souls.”

  He knew he should try to bolster Sev’s confidence, but with the link between them, Sev would have to know how he felt. Even without the link, the terror wasn’t going to be easy to hide.

  “I wish to hell I knew more. Is there something to locate magical items? I mean it’s got to be magic, right? If it holds a soul, there has to be some enchantment on it.”

  “You’re thinking too hard about this. This isn’t your Harry Potter. This is earth magic. You are the connection to it. All energy from the earth flows through you. It surrounds you, embraces you. You need to feel it. Previous shaman didn’t need the items you do to cast a spell. Most of them could do amazing things with nothing more than a verbal component. You have to tap that power.”

  “How? I don’t know any more than what Hakiim taught me. I can reach the spirit realm and blend tea; that’s about the extent of it. The books in his house gave me some basics, but I don’t understand them and, I admit, I’ve been too nervous to try some of them because they’re scary powerful.”

  “Yes, but did you read them? Did you see what they do? You don’t force the magic. It is a part of you. An extension of your will. And believe me, you’re the most willful person I know.”

  Casey was about to laugh when a loud growl echoed down the hallway. They stopped, frozen in their tracks, as a large black wolf padded around the corner and cast its gaze in their direction.

  “Well, damn,” Casey muttered.

  “I can try for one more spray. Might not be much of one, though.”

  Before he could shift, the wolf leapt, covering almost half the length of the hall with one jump. He stalked toward Casey, his golden eyes pinched, saliva dripping from his jowls.

  “Sev, if he attacks, I want you to run. Do what you have to do, but find that item.”

  “What? No, that’s stupid.”

  “Do as I say, damn it. Save Mikhail. Save our people.”

  Casey pushed Sev away a few steps and knelt down. “Hey, boy. You’re a handsome pup, aren’t you? Listen, we don’t want any trouble. We just need to find something. Can we go through?”

  The wolf cocked its head, the black fur glistening in the dim lighting.

  “Yeah, that’s it. You’re a smart boy. You know we don’t want to hurt you.”

  Its lips drew into a snarl and his gaze went to Sev.

  “Hey, no. Look at me. Only me.”

  When the wolf leapt at Sev, Casey didn’t even have time to cry out.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  When the beast slammed into him, Sev was terrified. He could attempt a shift, but his skunk body was more fragile in many ways. One bite and it would likely be all over for him.

  “No, stop!” came a shout from his side.

  The wolf paused for a long moment, glared at Casey, then turned his attention back to Sev. Casey leapt at the wolf, grabbing it by the mane and yanking hard, not even budging the huge beast. He punched the wolf repeatedly in its maw, and shouted for Sev to run. Sev skittered away and shifted, turning and lifting his tail, but he couldn’t work up a spray. The wolf shook Casey off and stalked toward Sev. As it got closer, Casey stood and weakly gestured toward the slavering animal.

  “I can’t. I don’t know what to do.”

  Desperation in his mate’s voice spurred Sev to act. He leapt on the wolf’s back and sank sharp teeth and claws into its neck, causing the wolf to howl. Casey cast the flash cantrip, but that did nothing to the wolf.

  “Sev, I’m sorry,” he whispered,
then hurled himself at the wolf once more. The solid thud barely moved the wolf who continued to thrash, trying to dislodge Sev, who had no intention of letting go. Casey slammed his fist repeatedly against the wolf’s eyes, but the blows seemed to have little effect.

  Sev shifted to his human form and began to hit the wolf as well. Their blows were doing nothing, it seemed. It was then that Sev noticed the wolf wasn’t fighting back.

  “Casey, stop.”

  His mate’s blue eyes went wide. “What the hell?”

  “Please. Stop. Look at him. He’s not fighting, he’s simply standing there and letting us hit him.”

  Casey released his grip on the wolf’s mane and waited. The wolf whimpered and pawed at his eyes, then moved to where Sev stood, lay on the ground, and rolled to show his stomach.

  “He’s showing his submission. I don’t understand. He rushed us, he’s certainly stronger, and I was sure he was going to kill us.”

  Sev leaned over and rubbed the wolf, whose tail wagged furiously. “He doesn’t seem interested in fighting us anymore. That’s so odd.”

  “Fine, whatever. We’ve got to move.”

  As they once again took off down the hall, Sev noticed the wolf staring at them intently. It made no move to approach them and almost seemed to be waiting for permission.

  “Did you want to come with us?” he asked, laughing when the great beast rushed toward them and took a spot at Sev’s feet.

  “Well, that’s freaking great. You have a pet. You’re cleaning up after him,” Casey grumbled.

  “No, I think it’s more like he’ll be feasting off your flesh.”

  The cold voice from behind caused them to freeze where they stood. Jake stood there, completely nude, eyes red and watering.

  “I don’t understand how the Protector deals with vermin like you, Tsvetok. His senses are unbearably powerful. The smell may never leave his nostrils.” Then he glanced down at the wolf. “I see you met one of my pets.”

  In an act of defiance, Sev reached down and stroked fingers through the fur. “He’s a good boy.”

  “The last person who found their way into my fortress ended up as a bone for him to chew. I don’t know what magic you used, Shaman, but you won’t hold him for long. He’s the most vicious of the animals here. I dare say in a fair fight, he might even give the Protector a run for his money. He is everything Kell was and more. Vicious, savage, without a shred of remorse. Kell had those qualities, but he also had his weaknesses in his desires for power. This beast has none of those trappings. I took him away from his mother before I killed her.”

  Sev’s jaw dropped. “This was Kell’s son.”

  “Very good, Tsvetok. He mated a bitch wolf and she bore him puppies. This was the most aggressive of the lot. Bigger, stronger, and meaner. When I had made my choice, I killed his mother and the rest of the litter, then brought him here, where I trained him to be the perfect killing machine. Had he been a shifter, instead of a wolf like his mother, I would have put Kell down and he would have been my enforcer.”

  Kneeling next to the enormous wolf, Sev wrapped an arm around his neck. The wolf’s tongue lolled out of his mouth, and he seemed to be incredibly happy as he pressed against Sev.

  “Kill them,” Elizar commanded.

  The wolf jumped to his feet and placed himself between Sev and Elizar, teeth bared and a menacing growl echoing in the halls. His hackles were raised as he stalked toward Elizar.

  “Stay back. Obey me.”

  A hand slashed out, becoming Jake’s claw before it reached the wolf’s face, and raked across his eyes. He howled in agony, and Sev swore he could feel the pain, too. He lunged at Elizar, shifting as he did, and sinking claws into Jake’s tender areas. The shriek from Elizar was nearly as loud as the wolf’s had been, and that satisfied Sev and his skunk. Just because he couldn’t spray did not mean he was without weapons.

  The wolf shook off the blow and though it had blood streaming down its face, continued advancing toward Elizar. The shift was slower than Jake could accomplish, but Elizar was fast enough that he fled down the hall, the wolf hot on his heels. Sev began to waddle after them, but Casey snatched him up.

  “I know you want to help, but we have to find that item. The wolf might keep him busy enough to let us do that.”

  “But he’ll kill him,” Sev implored as he shifted back.

  “Remember what Elizar said? In a fair fight, the wolf could give Jake a hard time. Elizar has no idea how to properly use Jake’s abilities. If anything, he’s doing it on instinct, and he’s running scared.”

  Regretfully Sev turned and headed in the other direction with his mate. Casey was right. Stopping Elizar was paramount. Even if someone was going to die, it wouldn’t matter if Elizar went with them.

  They searched the fortress for nearly an hour, using Sev’s senses to access areas where the smell of the other animals was weak, indicating they hadn’t been there for a time. They finally came upon a door that was bolted shut. Large locks, ancient in their construction, kept the door anchored closed.

  “I can feel it,” Casey exclaimed. “It’s beyond this door.”

  “Then that’s where we need to go as well.”

  “Yes, give me your set of lock picks.”

  “What are they?”

  “It was a joke, Sev. We need to find something to open these doors.”

  “You can do it.”

  “No materials.”

  “For this, you shouldn’t need them. As I explained, the power over nature resides within you. This door is wood, and you can command it. Feel it, channel it, and let it go.”

  “I don’t have time. We need to find it now.”

  A yowl echoed down the halls. A cry of an animal in great pain that caused Sev to shudder.

  “Do it, Casey. There is no time. You must.”

  ***

  Casey placed his hands on the door and tried to concentrate. Sev said it was in him, and Sev wouldn’t make something like this up. He couldn’t focus. He could hear the fight raging somewhere nearby, and all he could think about was Jake’s safety.

  “Concentrate, damn you,” Sev snapped.

  “On what? I have no idea what the hell I’m supposed to do.”

  You cannot command the wood, Casey.

  The voice, so weak, tickled Casey’s mind. “Hakiim? Oh, god, please tell me that’s you.”

  The battle that Elizar wages is now on several fronts. What is happening in the enclave, what you are doing here, and he’s still attempting to keep control of the spirit realm. His focus is split, and he can’t maintain everything. The Alpha is attempting to strengthen the wards while keeping the others occupied, the Protector is battling for control as well, forcing Elizar to expend more energy as he attempts to keep Jake under his will, and you are front and center in the battle for all. It’s taking everything I can muster to talk to you, but you, my son, need me.

  Hope blossomed in Casey’s chest. He’d thought of Hakiim as a father figure, and knowing the feelings were returned meant a great deal.

  You can’t force nature to do what you want. Nature will always win in a battle. You have to direct it. Work with it. It’s a skill that can take a lifetime to master, but what you’re trying to do should be relatively simple. Place your hands on the door.

  Without hesitation, Casey did as Hakiim bade him.

  Even though someone carved the wood to make the door, it is alive. Call to it. Ask it for entry. Elizar was right about one thing. Within you resides a great power, far greater than I realized. I don’t know what’s changed, but take advantage of it. Use it to fight for the lives of your friends, family, and mate.

  A tingle at the base of Casey’s skull signaled something was happening. He could feel the shard of life force that remained within the door, and he coaxed it into allowing him ingress. For a long moment, nothing happened, and Casey was certain he’d failed. Then he heard a small crack, which grew louder with each passing second. He watched slack-jawed as the doo
r split asunder, opening wide for him.

  The room was quite Spartan. Inside stood only a pedestal with a clay pot atop it. The vessel appeared quite ordinary save for tiny imperfections that marred the surface. Upon closer examination, Casey realized that they were actually shamanistic symbols of life and afterlife. He’d seen them used extensively in the books on the spirit realm, but never in the configuration that covered the container.

  “It’s not shamanic magic he’s using,” Casey said, certainty strengthening his voice. “This is dark and primal. It’s an affront to the natural order. I don’t know where his shaman got this, but I’m guessing the price he paid was quite heavy. I don’t think it’s just Elizar’s soul that’s in here. If I’m right, this is his portal from the spirit realm. It powers him. The deaths he caused when he was in charge of the enclave are what he used to prime it.”

  “My parents—” Sev gasped.

  “There’s a reason I wasn’t able to find yours and Hakiim’s family in the spirit realm. They’re inside the jar. They give him the power.”

  “Shatter it,” Sev demanded.

  “If I do that, I could disperse your family’s essence. They might never move on and could be trapped nowhere forever.”

  “They would rather be destroyed than help him enslave our people. They could not live with themselves knowing that they were the ones propelling him to power. Smash the jar.”

  “But Hakiim’s family—”

  Tsvetok is right. My family resisted Elizar in every way they could. For them to move on, knowing they helped him, no matter how inadvertently, would haunt them for eternity, Hakiim whispered in Casey’s mind.

  “Put that down,” Elizar growled. “You don’t know what you’re doing.”

  Jake’s body was bloodied. A crisscross of deep gouges, crusted with blood, were on every visible part of his body. He propped himself up on the broken door, casting a wicked glance in Casey’s direction.