Ink Witch (Kat Dubois Chronicles Book 1)

by Lindsey Fairleigh

  We arrived just minutes after her texts, unleashing a localized electromagnetic pulse generator that would wipe out everything for as long as it remained on, giving us enough time to get in, release all of the captured Nejerets and kids, and get out. We rushed the former captives out to the three buses we’d rented to transport them back to the Heru compound on Bainbridge. We weren’t sure what had been done to the kids. They didn’t appear to be roughed up, but some seemed ill, and others were out cold. Neffe and Aset were determined to use every cell of their scientific brains to figure out what Ouroboros had done to them.

  Not everyone could walk. Some of the Nejerets were unconscious, having slipped into regenerative comas as soon as Mari reunited their bas with their bodies. Those relative few were carried out, one by one, by Nik and Heru while Neffe, Aset, and Lex remained with those already loaded onto the buses, waiting to drive them to the ferry as soon as everyone was out. Reinforcements would arrive soon—Ouroboros had probably dispatched them as soon as Mari disabled all of the security systems—so we had to move as quickly as possible.

  I remained within the heart of the lightless laboratory, keeping watch on the new captives while Nik and Heru ushered the wounded out. I paced from one end of the large, sterile room to the other, following the line of glass viewing panes giving me a window into the cells. There were eight cells in this portion of the warehouse, each holding two or three people—seven scientists and nine security guards.

  “You can’t hold us in here!” one of the scientists shouted, pounding a fist against the thick, tempered glass of the third cell from the end. “We were just doing our jobs!”

  I rolled my eyes, blowing him a kiss as I passed the viewing window to his cell. He shared it with two other scientists—one male and one female. All three looked too pale, like they hadn’t seen the sun in weeks. Then again, this was Seattle. None of us had seen the sun in weeks.

  The rest of the room was filled with long, freestanding counters laden with high-tech and top-of-the-line equipment, all white or black or silver or glass. I didn’t know what any of it was for, beyond the microscopes, but it didn’t really matter. That was more Neffe’s thing.

  I watched Nik’s back as he carried the last unconscious Nejeret out of the lab. Heru had left just a moment earlier, meaning I had a moment alone with the Ouroboros personnel.

  Finally. This was why I’d volunteered to stand guard. This was what I’d been waiting for.

  I stopped at the far end of the lab and reached into my coat pocket, pulling out a vintage silver compact mirror. It had been my mom’s, and her mother’s before her. I opened the compact, revealing the mirror that wasn’t a mirror. DOMINIC L’ARAGNE was etched around the outer edge of the glass in tiny, precise letters, and his silvery visage stared out at me, eyes squinting. My fingers trembled under the force of my adrenaline. I was starving for vengeance.

  “Can you see?” I asked Dom, voice tight with the excitement of a potential righteous kill. “Or is it too dark?” There were no lights on in the warehouse, thanks to the steadily pulsing electromagnetic field generator we’d set up in the center of the cavernous building, but it wasn’t too dim for keen Nejeret eyesight to see clearly enough.

  “I cannot see much,” Dom said, “but I do not require sight to identify the one who tore out my soul.”

  “Those people aren’t even human!” the loudmouthed asshat scientist yelled. “They’re not protected by any human rights laws!”

  I quirked an eyebrow and started toward the third holding cell, picking up on Dom’s meaning. He didn’t need to see the guy who’d helped tear out his soul, because he could hear him, loud and clear. My bloodlust spiked, and my heartbeat quickened.

  “We’re well within our rights to do whatever the hell we want with them!”

  “This one?” I asked Dom, stopping in front of the viewing window.

  Dom nodded once. “His is a voice I shall never forget.”

  “Alright.” I closed the compact and tucked Dom back into my pocket, then fixed my eyes on the irate scientist within. I cocked my head to the side, eyes scouring the lines of his face, memorizing his features. Fury lit my blood on fire when I looked at him.

  His eyes searched what had to be absolute darkness from his perspective, looking for me.

  “What’s your name?” I asked.

  “Dr. Bergman,” he said, puffing up under his lab coat.

  “Got a first name?”

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “Eric.”

  I flashed him a humorless grin, not that he could see it. “Well, Dr. Eric Bergman, today’s your lucky day. I’m going to let you out of that cell. You, and only you.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Why?”

  “I need someone to send a message to your bosses. You’re the most outspoken, so . . .” I nodded to the door, then remembered that he couldn’t see the motion. “Step on over to the door.” When he didn’t move, I added, “You want to get out of there, don’t you? Isn’t that what you’ve been going on about for the past ten minutes?”

  After a few more seconds, he moved to the door. I unlocked it, and he took a cautious step out into the lab. A moment later, he lunged to the side, attempting to make a run for it.

  I grabbed the back collar of his lab coat and he jerked to a stop, falling back onto his ass. With my free hand, I pulled the door to the holding cell shut, then focused all of my attention on Dr. Dumbass.

  “You, Dr. Eric Bergman, made a very big mistake,” I said, taking hold of his thick mop of hair and pulling him up to a kneeling position.

  He sucked in halting breaths. “I—I’m sorry. Your message—I’ll pass it on. J—just tell me what it is.”

  I let out a bitter laugh, reaching into my back pocket with my free hand to retrieve a Sharpie. I pulled the cap off with my teeth and spit it to the side. “My brother’s name is Dominic l’Aragne. He’s one of the non-humans you so blithely experimented on.” I leaned forward until my face was mere inches from his. I was breathing hard, impassioned by my rage. “I’m telling you this so you’ll understand that what happens next is a result of your own actions. You made a choice. You chose wrong. You tore out my brother’s soul, tortured him, and now he’s dead.” I glared at the man—the human—in disgust. He didn’t deserve his soul. “It’s time for the reckoning.”

  I pulled back a few inches and brought the Sharpie to his forehead, where I started to write out a single word in big, bold letters.

  B—

  His sweat blurred the lines of my letters, permanent ink and all, but it didn’t matter. I was finally getting a grip on my sheut’s innate power. I was finally starting to understand it.

  U—

  Where my magic was concerned, intent was paramount, and conviction was key. There was nothing shoddy or shaky about my intent or my conviction now. The hunger for revenge was all-consuming. Dom’s death would be answered for.

  R—

  I didn’t even care that he was human, or that killing him would destroy his soul. That his would be the first life I truly ended, body and soul. He deserved an eternity of agony, but I’d settle for a few minutes instead. I wanted this man to burn with the fires of a thousand hells.

  And burn he did.

  As I finished writing the word “BURN” on his forehead, the ink started to sizzle.

  Dr. Eric Bergman whimpered . . . then gasped . . . then screamed. The black letters pulsated, brilliant orange glowing around the edges. A moment later, actual flames burst out of his forehead. They engulfed his entire head, spreading down his body and up my arm. I gritted my teeth as my skin burned, blistered, and melted right along with his.

  I threw him backwards before the flames could travel past my elbow. I didn’t want to singe my hair, after all. My skin would heal in a matter of days, but my hair would take years to grow back.

  Dr. Eric Bergman was still screaming when the lights came back on. Someone must’ve turned off the EMP generator. It was time to go. Bergman writhed on the g
round, rolling and flopping around. I had no doubt that the pain was unbearable, that it had already driven him mad. And yet, there was no way it even came close to the hours and hours of pain and torture this man and his team had inflicted on Dom. Pity wasn’t even a fleeting thought. This was justice.

  Holding my arm away from my body, I walked to the nearest sink and turned on the water, moving my arm back and forth and twisting it around until all of the flames were out. Once I was fire-free, I strode away from the burning man still writhing on the floor.

  Nik stood silhouetted in the doorway at the far end of the lab, shoulder leaned against the doorframe, watching.

  I paused, just for a moment. I hadn’t known he was there.

  A moment later, I turned my head and looked at the scientists and security guards still in their cells. “I’m holding your bosses just as responsible as Dr. Bergman there,” I told them. Every single one of them stood at their viewing windows, varying degrees of horror painted across their faces as they watched their colleague burn. “Feel free to let them know.” I started to walk away. “And tell them I’m coming for them.”

  “But—”

  I stopped at the last cell’s viewing window.

  Two of the cell’s occupants slunk back into the shadows, but a lone female security guard stood her ground. “Who are you?” she asked.

  “Me? I’m Kat Dubois.” I turned away from her and continued on toward the doorway. Toward Nik. The ghost of a smile touched my lips. “I’m the Ink Witch.”

  30

  “You’re sure you can handle running this place while I’m gone?” I asked Kimi. It was evening, and the shop was closed.

  From the opposite side of the counter, she shrugged. “I’ve been working for you since you first opened. If I can’t run this place by now, I’ve got no business getting my MBA.”

  “Fair enough,” I said with a nod. I bent my knees to pick up an oversized duffel bag off the floor. I’d stuffed nearly every piece of clothing I actually wore into the bag, along with my backup boots and a few other odds and ends from upstairs. “I’ll check in at least once a week, but don’t hesitate to call if you have any questions.”

  “You got it, boss,” she said. “Any idea how long you’ll be gone?”

  I shook my head. “But I’ll let you know as soon as I know.” I was returning to Bainbridge indefinitely. It was past time for me to get over my shit and rejoin my clan.

  The bell over the door jingled, and we both turned our heads to watch six people stream into the shop—Heru and Nik, closely followed by two unfamiliar Nejerets, one male, one female, and him. The bartender from the Goose smirked when his eyes locked with mine. The five newcomers lined up, Nik and Aset on either end, Heru a few steps ahead.

  “Kimi,” I said without taking my eyes off the Nejerets. “Why don’t you take off. I’ll finish closing up tonight.”

  “But—”

  “Kimi.” I looked at her, and whatever she saw in my eyes caused the blood to drain from her face. “Go, now. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  She nodded, licked her lips, and backed away, rushing through the beaded curtain. A few seconds later, I heard the back door open, then shut. Kimi was gone.

  I refocused on Heru. “To what do I owe this honor, oh chieftain, my chieftain?”

  “Katarina Dubois,” Heru said, his voice bland, “the Senate has issued a detainment order for you. You’re charged with being in league with the rogue Nejerets, Mari and Mei. Your rebellious and irresponsible actions have put Nejeretkind at risk, and such behavior cannot go unpunished.” His lips twitched.

  I, myself, was having a hard time keeping a straight face. I’d known something like this would be coming, eventually. I was the only one who identified herself at the warehouse the previous night, making myself the easiest target for retribution. We’d lit the match with our siege on the Ouroboros warehouse; it was time to start the fire.

  “I advise that you submit to the Senate’s authority and offer yourself into their just and capable hands,” Heru continued. As leader of this territory, it was his right to come after me himself, though I wasn’t surprised the Senate sent others with him to make sure he followed through. “If you do not submit, you will be detained using force.”

  Nik shook his head, almost imperceptibly.

  I stared at him for a moment, then returned my focus to Heru. “You know,” I said, “I’m just not feeling it today. Can you come back tomorrow?”

  This time, when Heru’s lips twitched, he allowed a hint of a smile to break free, just for a moment. His expression went blank, and he turned on his heel to face the other Nejerets. “She chose to resist. There was a struggle.”

  “Was?” the bartender said, alarm flashing in his eyes.

  Not a second later, crystalline At vines slithered across the floor, originating at Nik and wrapping around the ankles of the bartender and the two unfamiliar Nejerets. The vines climbed up their legs, winding around and around, until they were restrained up to their shoulders and their struggles were limited to the twisting of their heads from side to side.

  “Fugitive’s choice,” Heru said. “Which to release as a messenger, which to keep for questioning . . .” He grinned viciously. “And which to be the message.” There was no doubt in my mind what form that message would take. I was well versed in this form of communication.

  I stared at Heru, unblinking, totally caught off guard. It was like a twisted version of marry-fuck-kill. “You’re going to start a war,” I told him.

  “Not a war,” he said, his grin fading. “A revolution.”

  “I—I don’t—”

  “Choose, Kat, or I’ll choose for you.”

  I didn’t even have to think about it, and I didn’t bother voicing my choice. I simply drew the combat knife tucked into my boot sheath, strode up to the Nejeret who’d been posing as a bartender to spy on me, and held the blade flush under his jaw.

  He swallowed reflexively.

  “This is for Garth,” I hissed, slicing the blade across his neck. I took a step backward to avoid the waterfall of blood that cascaded down his front and waited until his body went limp to turn away from him. I locked eyes with Heru. “I don’t give two shits what you do with the others.”

  “Very well.” His focus shifted beyond me, and he addressed the two remaining Senate Nejerets. “I’m declaring martial law.” He looked at the woman. “Gaia, be so kind as to inform the Senate that my first act as Governor General is to pardon Katarina Dubois.” As he spoke, the At vines restraining her uncoiled from around her body.

  “You might want to go now,” Nik said to the unfamiliar woman. The bell over the door jingled a moment later as she made a quick exit.

  I watched the slowly expanding pool of crimson on the floor—it was going to be a pain in the ass to clean up—then sighed. In hindsight, maybe I should’ve just broken his neck, even if slicing it open had been more satisfying in the moment.

  “How’d you know he was the one who attacked us?” Nik asked.

  I met his eyes, but I could only handle looking at him for a second. I lowered my gaze to the puddle of blood on the floor. “I just did.”

  “Come on,” Heru said, patting my shoulder. “Let’s get this cleaned up. There’s much to do, but little time. The sooner you’re gone, the better.”

  “Gone?” I twisted around to look at him, brow furrowed. “Gone where?” Because the way he’d said gone sure as hell didn’t sound like he was talking about our clan home on Bainbridge Island.

  His golden stare was hard, commanding. “Underground.”

  The end

  ***

  Thanks for reading! You’ve reached the end of Ink Witch (Kat Dubois Chronicles, #1). Kat’s story continues in Outcast (Kat Dubois Chronicles, #2), out this November. Kat also plays a big part in the Echo Trilogy, a completed series that’s available now! Read an excerpt from the first book, Echo in Time (Echo Trilogy, #1).

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  MORE BOOKS BY LINDSEY FAIRLEIGH

  ECHO TRILOGY

  1: Echo in Time

  1.5: Resonance

  2: Time Anomaly

  2.5: Dissonance

  3: Ricochet Through Time

  KAT DUBOIS CHRONICLES

  1: Ink Witch

  2: Outcast

  3: Underground

  THE ENDING SERIES

  After The Ending

  Into The Fire

  Out Of The Ashes

  Before The Dawn

  THE ENDING BEGINNINGS

  Omnibus

  I: Carlos

  II: Mandy

  III: Vanessa

  IV: Jake

  V: Clara

  VI: Jake & Clara

  FOR MORE INFORMATION ON LINDSEY FAIRLEIGH & THE ECHO TRILOGY:

  www.lindseyfairleigh.com

  EXCERPT FROM…

  ECHO IN TIME

  Echo Trilogy, book one

  A crystalline chiming punctuated my entrance into the cluttered shop. I’d been expecting a dark and mysterious space with shadowed nooks overflowing with eerie objects and ancient leather tomes . . . but I was surprised by its warm, welcoming atmosphere. Bookshelves lined the walls, many filled with shiny new paperbacks. A rainbow of crystals and tiny glass bottles decorated several bookcases from floor to ceiling, each item with its own sign proclaiming this or that mystical property. Tables were arranged close together throughout the shop, displaying spicy incense, aromatic candles, and a variety of odd items I would have been hard-pressed to identify. The cheerful atmosphere was somewhat of a letdown for my first venture into an occult shop. Is it too much to ask for a few shrunken heads and some eye of newt?