The hollow cackle of the wolf reverberated off the wooden paneling of my bar and my head snapped around towards the customers. No one else heard it. They all continued their conversations while I searched for a ghost.
Cash leaned against the bar to take a drink order from a customer who’d be frequenting us all summer. I stared as he poured the man a drink. I caught sight of the man’s bandaged hand and the burn on his face. So much could go wrong so quickly up here, everything was dangerous. I whistled for Cash, but before I could say anything the laugh came again.
My hand went instinctively for my knife on my hip but I touched the empty sheath on my thigh and cursed loud enough to draw Cash’s attention.
Why did I not fight to get my knife from Remmy? I felt stripped and bare without that piece of steel by my side. This was the first time since my father had given the knife to me that it wasn't within reach. Without it, it was like he was really gone. That feeling of being so alone hit me hard. I missed him.
“Koda, you ok, Sugah?” Cash asked as he walked over to me.
I didn't know that I was.
“Yeah. I'll be fine. Put his drinks on my tab, ok?”
Famous last words.
Opening my office door I saw a friendly face, whipping his blonde viking mane, spinning in my office chair.
“Caleb Cayce, you are the last person I expected to see calling a 713. The beard is a new addition, that’s for sure. I’m not sure I like it.” I teased as I put the stack of towels on an empty chair in the corner. For being over three centuries old, he often acted like a child.
“Kody! Glad you got the message.”
His voice may have been gravelly, but it was always tinged with laughter.
“I got your text, but I hadn’t expected you till a little later. Do you have information for me? Or are you up to your old tricks?” Big Mount may have been run by a ragtag crew, but their foreman was a looker who was easy on the soul. This man could hold his own against almost anyone I’d seen walk into my bar, but he was rarely without a laugh and a smile. He’d become one of my dearest friends even though I knew full well he was an Other.
“Tricks? I can't just be happy to see you?”
“Caleb, don't make me laugh.”
He stopped spinning to face me. He looked me up and down with those blue eyes twinkling. I knew what he saw when he looked at me; the tension in my shoulders, my hair falling out of my braid, matching puffy eyes.“Come on, Kody, you need to relax. I certainly could give my sea legs a stretch, you up for playing?”
“Damn you, Caleb, that was a one-time thing. We’d both drunk too much. I smelled like sea weed for a week.” Images of that night flashed through my head. The stars shining on the snow, us in a hot tub in his garage, too many beers, water everywhere. Caleb had bet me that he could make me scream his name before he came up for air while we were fooling around in the hot tub. I hadn't known at that moment he had the advantage of being a merman.
He shrugged, impish smile playing across his full pouty lips “Maybe you drank too much, but I remember you enjoying yourself. I’d be up for repeating it. I’m on friendly terms with a Kraken if you're ever up for a threesome, those suckers, hmmm, they’re an amazing rush.”
I felt my left eyebrow reach for the sky in shock and confusion as my brain immediately tried to form that picture. Merman, human, giant squid.
“Oh Hell. No.”
He about fell out of the chair laughing at me. He was a jerk. But a fun jerk.
“If you don't have information for me, I’ve got a full house to deal with tonight.”
He was still chuckling but finally calmed down as I tapped my foot at him.
“What I do have, isn't much. I still haven't found anything out about that text message you forwarded me. I’ve got a few calls out, but until they contact you with more, I don't know what we’re going to find out about it.”
I didn’t want to think about all those messages. “There have been others, but all just random. This was the first message that made a direct mention of something in my life, Caleb.”
“You’ve had more? When did they start?”
“Beginning of summer I think. Maybe one a week? Sometimes more. All signed Snow W. Nothing that made much sense really.”
“Are you sure Dez isn’t messing with you? I mean it's not that much of a stretch, your last name means snow.”
I shook my head no. “Not his style. He’s inept with electronics. And not many up here would really remember Rory. Do you have contacts in Seattle still?”
“Yeah, I do. Why?”
“See what you can find out about a Scarlet White.”
“And that would be who?”
“Friend of a friend so to speak. She knows who the initials I was sent belong too.”
“Are you going to give me more to work with than that Doll?” He leaned back in my office chair and crossed his arms. I hated when he stared at me like that, like he didn't believe a word I said.
“Just someone I need to be sure is safe if this all does really come back to Rory. Someone who doesn’t need to get caught up in my craziness.” I hated that I had even brought her name into it, but I needed to know before I started to worry needlessly about my past now that those messages actually had some meaning.
“Alright, Doll. But that freak storm out there, something isn’t right with it, it's just sort of sitting outside the harbor, not doing much at the moment just causing massive waves. It's like someone just summoned it. Even the harbor seals have come in to seek shelter and are raising a fuss.”
“Others can summon storms?”
“Kody, I’m a damn merman and you’re asking if someone can conjure a storm?”
“Sorry I must have missed that day in class.” I rolled my eyes at him. I’d learned everything from my brothers and father, and last night had proved to me we had a lot to still learn. There was a lot more moving into town besides the vampires, werewolves and other shape shifters we were accustomed to. “So yes?”
“Yes, you crazy woman. But it's rare. That sort of power, it can be highly volatile.”
“So how do we figure out who’s doing it?”
“We don’t. Only a few species can do it.”
“Like who?”
He scoffed at me. “I didn’t get to be three centuries old by giving away all the secrets anytime a pretty girl asked me nicely. I’m not giving you a list.”
“Pretty please?” I batted my eyelashes for added measure.
“Not even for you Kody.“
“So merfolk, check.”
“Kody.” His voice had a warning edge to it that I ignored.
I put my foot on the seat of the chair between his legs, dangerously close to his favorite toy, and pushed him away from me. “So is that all you're here about?”
“Not exactly, Doll.” His hand randomly caressed my calf of my extended leg. “The latest animal mutilation that was found? Yeah that wasn't just an animal. That was one of our crew. Julian. He was a shifter that the trailer door was marked.”
“What? Shifters revert to human when they die. They can't be.”
He shrugged. “Typically, yeah. But if they are skinned alive, anything is fair game at that point. But it was certainly Julian, and whatever this is, is powerful and picking off shifters one at a time.”
“Like it's looking for a particular shifter?”
“Yeah. So far the ones we’ve lost have all been about the same age, all male.”
“But not the same species. It's been wolf, bear, elk - why would someone want to be an elk shifter?”
“Doll, we don't all get choices of our lot in life.”
I waived off his comment. He was right but I wasn't in the mood to give him the credit.
“What would kill shifters? Aside from a Hunter?”
“Another pissed off shifter, but it's more satisfying to do it yourself, Doll. But eight deaths in twelve weeks? It's either a build up to something or someone is doing really poorly at findin
g who they were hired to kill.“
“That doesn't leave many this time of year. Especially with the testosterone level up here, and if this storm is related, we could be looking at a hell of a mess. Could someone be trying to send a message?”
“Could be, or someone is trying to draw out the hunters.”
“You really think that's a possibility?”
Caleb shrugged.
“You and your kind piss off a lot of people on a daily basis. Something’s up. That’s all I know. We’re not letting any of our shifters go out alone now. And more will probably follow suit. You've got a bigger problem on your hands if you've got any strays that need put down.”
“The boys are just going to love that.”
He squinted at me. “They still don't know you have 713 set up? Do they?”
My guilty look said it all.
“Damn, Doll, it's been what? Two years, nearly three?”
“Yeah.”
Caleb shook his head. “Secrets aren’t good, Kody. You know that. Using Broken Tusk as a neutral ground for intel, is one thing, I get that. But not even telling him that you own it-”
Cherry Pie blared from my phone and I was simultaneously pissed off and scared.
“Speak of the Devil.”
“I’ll be in the bar.” Caleb pulled the door shut behind him as I hit the answer call button.
“You’re a dick.” I said in greeting.
“Inappropriate as always.” My eldest brother sighed heavily into the phone.“Why is Rhen at Ordeneige?” I cut right to the chase.
“What possessed you to go up to the mine, Koda?” He wasn’t even phased.
“This is my fault? He called you already, didn't he? Or was it Kenai? Hell, you and Kenai both kept this from me. You helped him leave the first time didn't you?”
“Koda,” he muttered, “will you please chill? We did not help him leave. I’ve got enough to deal with trying to work out the deal for the old Hayes property in town and Connor’s screw up. Turns out he screwed up more than just the conveyor belt so the wash plant is still down. I can't deal with Hurricane Kody right now. Not with the wash plant still needing a new belt. You are not my top priority right now.”
I wasn’t a priority? That did not shock me.
He was going to own the whole town in another ten years at this rate.
“Hurricane Kody? Oh, that’s how it's going to be?” I didn't used to be this way. I’d been pushed aside too many times and I’d had enough.
“Koda.” He was exasperated with me already. That had to be a record.
“Since when does my own blood conspire against me to bring my ex back into town?”
“Koda-”
“What does Rhen have that any of the local mine bosses don't? You could have asked anyone to go up to Ordeneige. Hell, you could have taken someone hostage from Big Mount down the road and no one would have said a word. Caleb would have loved the chance to be at our mine.”
“Ko-”
“Why? I just want to know why. And to not tell me? But to put him on payroll under his middle name-”
“KODIAK LEIGH. Shut. The. Fuck. Up.” He screamed into the phone.
I went quiet. Proper names had that effect whether it was from your parent or eldest sibling. I pouted as I waited for him to speak.
“I hired Rhen because he spent the last six years in the Yukon running a crew. The last three summers he had his crews as one of the top four producers in the territory that was a non commercial operation.”
Well that explained the muscle he had put on. Why was I still so hung on up him?
“So you just buddy up with him?” The disgust was still heavy in my voice.
“Quit your pouting. Why wouldn’t I? It's a no brainer. Martin screwed us over last year with his inability to keep the machines running. This is business. This is what is good for the family. Forgive me if after twenty years of being the one to look out for you I make a decision without consulting you. It was a smart move. Rhen’s good. He’s really good. He’s quick on his feet. Knows how to find the gold. This had nothing to do with you.”
“Right, nothing to do with me, because it’s best for the business. Who cares what Koda thinks.”
“Get the stick outta your ass, Koda.” He paused. I swore I could hear him squint through the phone. ”This was what was best for us. For Ordeneige Mine. You know it. Should I have told you? Maybe. Would you have took it any better? No. Would you already been up at the mine either harassing him or screwing him? Yeah.”
“No,” I was quick to correct him.
He snorted at me.
”Liar. I’d bet you an ounce of gold that you’ve already thought about it. You know how the two of you were.”
“Things change, Dez.” It wasn’t a complete lie.
“And I can touch the moon.” And there was my brother’s favorite saying. I rolled my eyes out of habit. “You can snow yourself all you want, lil sis, but you're not fooling me. Stay away from Ordeneige, Kodiak. Stay away from Rhen. It's been seven years since he left. He's gone at the end of the season. I don’t need him having two black eyes.”
That made me laugh. “Connor?”
There was that exasperated sigh again. “Apparently.”
“Good.” I would love to see Rhen with a black eye. I just wish I had given it to him myself.
“I’m serious Koda. Stay away.”
“He’s got my knife.”
I heard him count to ten under his breath.
“Why?” his voice went high on the vowel.
“I threatened to skin him.” I had a tiny bit of embarrassment coming through in my voice. My father had given me that knife as my sixteenth birthday present. It was a welcome to the family business tradition. It was handmade with a caribou antler handle, hand forged steel blade and silver chased inlay, just in case we needed the bite of silver for a monster to take us seriously. That knife had more blood on it that I cared to admit, but that was the life of a hunter.
“Koda, seriously. What the fuck. You and Ken. Rhen, River - hell, I'm forever cleaning up after the two of you. Stay away from the mine. Stay away from Rhen. I will have Ken get your knife back.”
“But-”
“No. Whatever it is, just no. I will call you later, I’ve gotten a ton of messages about the animal attacks, we’re probably going to have to do something and Ken won’t answer his phone.”
If Kenai was smart, he was probably passed out in bed.
“Yeah, I figured.” We meant me. Ken could be temperamental about hunting if it wasn’t something he felt was a big enough thrill. Dez rarely went on a hunt anymore because of his business dealings. I was perfectly capable of hunting by myself, but for the last two years I’d found it harder and harder to justify what my brothers wanted me to do on hunts, especially a solo hunt. “Anyone know anything definitive yet?”
I wasn’t ready to offer up the information Caleb had given me yet, not until I had more at least.
“Just that it's getting braver whatever it is. I've heard everything from a polar bear to a wolf is doing it. I've got maps being emailed to me of the locations where footprints have been spotted and where the kills have been. I will get Connor to send them to you later.”
“You just click the forward button, Dez.” I snipped. I was shocked Dez could answer his phone or send a text most days. Dealing with technology was not in his nature.
He growled at me for the comment.
“Fine. I've got a shift to get to anyway.” I snapped, my night just got a hell of a longer and a lot less fun. “I will call if you hear anything local. This storm might draw it out. Love you, Dez.”
“Love you, too, Koda.”
Wanting to kill each other on a regular basis aside, we did truly love each other as a family. We were all we really had.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Rhen
“Wakey, wakey, my Raven.” The words were barely whispered in my ear. A warm, soft body joining me under the rough wool blanket in my
trailer. I knew that voice, and how I longed to hear those words from her lips once again.
“Kodabear?” I managed as I was startled awake. I wasn’t shocked she would have picked the lock, but the sweet tone of her voice as she slid her hand up my chest when just hours ago we had been yelling at each other gave me pause.
“You’re expecting someone else?”
“I wasn’t expecting anyone,” I replied as I wiped the sleep out of my eyes. I had told the crew to take the night off. We’d lost the light for the day and I still needed a new conveyor belt to repair the wash plant that Connor had almost completely ruined. I didn’t believe for a moment that Connor hadn’t caused accident. Sleep had sounded better to me than awkward small talk with my crew after the screaming match they had witnessed.
“We should go down to the harbor and watch the seals today,” Koda teased as she stroked my chest, the smell of vanilla drifted up from her hair. She knew watching the seals was always a favorite activity of mine, but today? How long had I slept?
“You changed your shampoo?” I kissed the top of her head as I wrapped my arms around her.
“No, same as always.” Since when did she smell like vanilla? Was I that forgetful? “So should we go watch the seals today? Maybe eat at Broken Tusk for lunch?”
She looked up at me with those dual colored eyes and I couldn’t help but smile as I tucked a strand of wild hair behind her ear. “I have to work. We don't have much time before the frost.”
A quick shrug of her shoulders told me she didn't care. “I want you.”
“So I’m blowing them off? To go watch seals?”
She kissed my bare chest and laughed. “Yes. Then I can carve your heart out of your chest and toss it into the sea with my tears.”
I forgot how to breathe as I stared at her. Had I heard her right? I blinked up at her, both of her eyes were sky blue, her smile crazed as she sat up straddling my stomach, knife in hand.
My mouth wouldn't work to speak. I couldn't move. I was frozen as she trailed the point of the knife across my bare skin of my chest, the barest ribbon of blood appearing where the cold steel had just kissed. I watched in horror as that same blade bit into the golden honey skin of her wrist, black blood dripped down her arm onto my chest.
Steal the Sun: (Book 1) Page 5
