by Casey Lane
“Is the reason it was so contained to spray and didn’t spread because it was someone who could transform?” I lowered my gun.
“Yes. There is consciousness in there and why they can tell them what to do.” Havoc scowled. “That they were even able to take one of my people shows it is someone we know and trust.” Havoc titled his head to the side. “Not many people know of us. We are part of the Necromancer’s.”
I frowned remembering now I had seen him at the ceremony right behind Talon. In that position that meant he was trusted.
“Are you a necromancer?”
If he was that was just a mixture that was all sort of dangerous. As if sensing what I was thinking Havoc stared and in his gaze I saw the same coldness I got when I was about to eliminate someone who was a threat to me.
“Yes as well as a Sidhe.”
He said it and I felt the knowledge spread through the room and also through the building. I stared at him shocked he had shared with so many. Sidhe was one of the races that were not known yet to the human world. They blended in with other beings and didn’t have any rights of their kind. Not yet since there was some debate with the council if humans could handle it. There was so many false things about the fae.
“I trust that you control your people and they need to know.” Havoc leaned closer. “Seeing as we will be working together to solve this case.”
I wanted to deny it but I would need to know more about him and his people to do that. He had already broken one of the things we all had believed that Havoc was just a plant. Now we found out it was a synthetic version of these beings. That someone had created it and now they were upping what they did by using a real being.
“I can’t release your person until I confirm…” I paused then. “I don’t know if it’s a he or she.”
“She.” He stared at her. “Her name is Harmony and she is my sister. My younger sister.”
“Makes me wonder if you have other sibling’s names Angel, Mayhem, Mischief, Trouble or Anarchy.”
Havoc smiled and his eyes twinkled. “You got some of that correct.”
I wanted to know which ones but for now left it alone.
“If what you say is true I will release her bu…”
“No need for that.” A woman said in a sensual voice. She strode in as if she owned it.
Even without her saying, I knew who she was. Looking at her I found it hard to believe anyone could take her against her will. Havoc seemed to flow off the table and he went to her side.
“Harmony.” Havoc stared at her. “Who did this to you?”
“I have no idea. But I will be in on finding out and then I will kill them.” Harmony looked at me.
The coldness in her gaze made me know she meant it.
I walked toward her then said. “Breaking out of containment could get you a few years in prison.”
“Your prisons cannot keep me unless I want to be.” Harmony replied.
I couldn’t help but like her arrogance. Harmony eyes warmed and she smiled. It was as if the sun rose after a dark night.
“I’m gonna like you.” She smiled. “Tyrnca was right that I would.”
“Really.”
“She’s one of my best friends.” Tyrnca said. “I didn’t know at the time it was her. And once I was told I realize why we were susceptible to it. She could change her body chemistry and add to it to hit our system.”
“Yes and for someone to know that; they as Havoc told you know us and be close.”
“So I have some questions.” Arnon said. “You all can change into a flower. One that can create lust or violence.”
Although he didn’t let it show in his voice, I knew to him that it wasn’t anything noteworthy to shift into.
Harmony eyes flared and she morphed since it was so smooth into a white tiger. “Maybe this would make you respect us more. Or…” She did it again and this time a jaguar looked back at us. “Or…” She changed shape again. The lioness stared at us then yawned showing all those teeth. She then reformed and was herself again. “We are Sidhe and we can be whatever our power wants. Yes, the plant you all call Havoc, which by the way isn’t what it is but I’d call it Havoc S since it is a synthetic and not my brother. Anyway our main form we change to is the plant. And you may in your mind scoff at it not being frightening or something to fear. Yet for millenniums you…all of you do.” She came toward them. “So Mister Big Scary when you think less of us remember that. A little bitty flower makes almost all races of beings so scared they warn everyone of us.” She laughed and it wasn’t a pleasant sound. “We are of the very universe and earth itself.”
“Are you done yet?” Arnon stated.
Harmony lifted an eyebrow the same colors as her eyes. “For now. I might need to remind you later since it seems like you might need it.”
Arnon didn’t reply to that. “And someone duplicated it for millenniums but now they took you, so they had the undiluted thing. I’m curious why all of a sudden they would do that?”
“You and me both.” Harmony said. “I want to work with you. You ask the right questions.”
And like that they were already pairing off to work. Havoc looked at me and I knew we would work together. I wanted to keep him close. Then I looked across the table at Devereux and was going to keep him close too.
Both seemed like a really bad idea but at this moment I didn’t have a choice.
Chapter Four
You know that moment when you can pinpoint that exact moment when you can tell something you decided weeks earlier would come to bite you in the butt. I was in that moment. We had been for weeks working to figure who had taken Harmony and used her as a weapon. And all paths had led nowhere. It was frustrating and I didn’t enjoy having to be in such close proximity with Havoc and Devereux. I glanced at the latter, who was walking by my side. Devereux was more available than Havoc since he worked for the family business. He ran the security—physically and technology—for the company that had formed. Havoc on the other hand had a day job. We were on our way to get to him.
I passed the people in the hall and tried to not be weirded out about where we were. We entered the room and he was just wrapping up.
“Class dismissed.” Havoc said.
The students all rose and some started to leave. Some went toward the front of the room to Havoc. I leaned against the wall at the back of the lecture hall. Devereux did the same. Havoc was the cool professor that all students wished they had in college. He made the subject interesting and did it in a fun way. I knew all this because we had run a search on him and found out all we could about him and those of his people, he let us know about. Havoc was very close-lipped about his people. Havoc was a well recognized and respected Professor. They actually called him Doctor Havoc. He hadn’t taken on a last name as some of us had. Until a few weeks ago the college hadn’t know he was a Necromancer. They had known he was shifter but not what kind since it was illegal for anyone to ask for specifics. That was those human laws coming into play again. It worked well in cases like this. When he had added Necromancer to what he was the college had accepted it. One he was a tenured professor and he was that popular. Made me wonder what they would do if they knew he was a Sidhe. We could say that one since no one knew when but the word was protected when someone said it and no one would know no matter how many times you told them. Finally the students dispersed. Havoc packed up his stuff and he strode around the lectern then to the steps. He took them two at a time coming toward us.
Suddenly a prickle of energy filled me and I stiffened since it was too familiar. I straightened and pulled my gun. The air behind Havoc seemed to split then a hand reached out. I sighted down the barrel and pulled the trigger. I didn’t warn Havoc I was counting on his instincts. He ducked and slid down onto his knees. Then ran up the steps on all fours. It was an effortless glide of a shape-shifter. The hand from the inky blackness came again then a shoulder followed by the whole person. I couldn’t make out their face since they still
kept it is shadows. I knew he was hiding his identity. I fired again and it didn’t stop him. He ran behind Havoc. I headed down the steps with Devereux keeping pace with me. He threw a knife and the man hissed as it hit him but didn’t stop him. The knives flew and as I shot and the man used the shadows to dodge them. We looked at each other, then as if knowing what to do without talking we made our weapons disappear then reached to touch each other. The power flared in me from him and I lifted my hand and energy flowed out and hit the shadow disrupting it.
It reformed but seemed scattered then the dark smoke pulsed then reshaped as a man. I hit it again but it didn’t stop it as if it had adjusted to us. A touch on my ankle made me start and look down. Havoc knelt by my side and his cool fingers was on my ankle. His power filled me mixing with mine and Devereux. I used it pointing it at the man with a steady stream.
“You cannot save him.” He snarled.
Then he was gone sliding back into the shadows. I stopped and waited to see if he would return. When he did not, I released Devereux and moved back out of Havoc’s touch. I immediately wanted to be touching them again. I pushed that away and called it in.
“I need assistance at MerDarc University.” I looked at the men. “Send some Shadowers with you.”
I focused on the men before me. “At least that is one question answered. We know what type of being is involved.”
“A Shadower.” Havoc said and looked grim.
“What is with that look?”
“I can’t tell you yet.” Havoc shimmered. “I have to check something and I will get back to you.”
“I can’t tell you yet.” Havoc shimmered. “I have to check something and I will get back to you.”
In the next moment he was gone. I stared at where he had been and clenched my fist. I let him go for now. When he came into our headquarters weeks ago none of us knew what he was so we hadn’t been prepared. We didn’t know there was Sidhe’s in earth realm. So we hadn’t prepared for them. He was powerful and could somehow slip past me and everyone else in the STIF group. We needed to figure out how he did it so we could train on it in case we came up against any Sidhe’s.
“Do you know what that was about?”
I looked at Devereux and from the look on his face he wasn’t going to tell me. That was fine I had a Shadower I could speak with. Even as I thought it, the shadows peeled away and Belford came into view. With him came a few of the Shadower’s who were part of the team.
“Spread out and feel for the Shadower who was here.” Belford said. “I can feel his energy but I don’t recognize it.”
The Shadower’s faded into the shadows again and I know they went seeking.
Belford came to me and he looked grim. “I felt the change of the in-between.” He shook his head. “I couldn’t tell who it is but…”
His pause made me know I wasn’t going to like what he was about to say.
“I know what he is. He’s a Shadower Assassin.”
At those words what I thought was true. A Shadower Assassin wasn’t someone you wanted to be out to get you. They were the elite of their kind and didn’t stop until they or their target was dead. They had no moral compass and anything that got in their way they got rid of to get to their target. The one good thing was we had some of our own on the team.
“We need to find him. I need you to find Havoc so we can put him into protective custody until we do.”
“I’ll take some men and try to find this assassin.” Belford then said. “I’ll send Arnon for Havoc. He might be able to track him better.”
“Why?” Devereux asked.
Belford smiled and it wasn’t a pleasant one. “Didn’t you wonder why he didn’t protest having Harmony as a partner?”
Devereux looked confused. I wasn’t I knew why. Arnon was getting the scent of the Sidhe and thus a way to track their kind if needed. He hadn’t even needed to tell me that. It was the same I was doing with Havoc. But I wasn’t going to be the one who tracked him. I needed to see someone else about this. Get some answers as to why would a Shadow Assassin be after Havoc or his people. There was only one person in New York who would know that. And I couldn’t go to him with any of the Shadower’s by my side. But I knew who I could go with. I left Belford with Devereux and went to make arrangements.
* * *
Hours later I stood in front of a pub in downtown Manhattan. The sign over it said the Dark in Between. It was apt for who the owner of the place.
“You take us to the most interesting places.” Jaxxon Rayne said dryly.
“I hope they make a nice Mojito.” Pandora Bisset made a humming noise.
Tyrnca grunted and didn’t say a word. Nicolette was also silent. And so was Harmony. I had brought them along since I wanted to know why Nicolette had been targeted and why Harmony was taken to hurt her. Because it all lead back to Nicolette and Harmony. From the research we had done I knew both women could handle themselves. We were the ones they would see coming. I had back up to call in if needed. I’d brought some of my team and Jaxxon and Pandora had brought some of those who worked in their company Enigma. So we were covered if it got bloody.
“Let’s go.” I strode toward the pub.
I kept my hands loose and easy in case I needed to go for my weapon. At the door it swung open without any of us touching it. That made me more cautious. They knew we were coming. You know it’s crazy to accept an invitation when you didn’t ask for one. In this case I was going to embrace my crazy. I walked into the open door and the others did with me. We stopped just inside the entrance. I glanced around and it seemed like any neighborhood bar—normal and welcoming. It’s amazing how deceptive normality could be. I noticed the guards around the room. Some was joking by the pool table while others were drinking at the tables seeming relaxed. I spotted even more on the dance floor making out with women and men.
“Welcome to the Dark in Between.” A jovial male voice called.
I glanced at the bar and saw the man I had come to see. I walked toward him and he smiled. The dark eyes studied me and I know he measured me and my intent. He pushed back his silver hair from his face. I stopped in front of him then slid onto the stool. The others joined me on either side. The man’s eyes flickered to Nicolette then focused on me.
“What are you having to drink Captain Tanner?”
I ordered my usual. “Whiskey sour.”
He nodded and started to make it. “What about the rest of you ladies?”
The rest of them placed their order. The man made them and he set each before the one who ordered it. He gave Harmony her’s.
“If we wanted to take you and use you that way it wouldn’t have failed. No matter if Mischa and her people were there or not. We don’t leave things to chance.” He studied her.
He left Nicolette’s for last. “If we wanted you dead we wouldn’t kidnap some plant being to do it. We’d have come at you and you wouldn’t have seen us coming. And you’d be dead.” Rylon set her drink before her.
“Ok then that is that.” Jaxxon said.
“Good to know he didn’t do it because I’m gonna have to come back here.” Pandora moaned. “He makes a hell of a Mojito.”
I love when I get questions answered and I didn’t have to even ask. And I believed him. Rylon looked back at me and smiled.
“You don’t come by as often as you used too. Now you come in here with an attitude like you were going to fight us.” Rylon smiled wider. “I missed you Mischa.”
“I missed you too old friend.” I took a sip of my drink. “And it has been too long.”
“Your people want drinks too?” Rylon looked easy.
I laughed that he had sensed them. His powers had grown since I last saw him.
“Show me yours and I will show you mine.” I countered.
“Will your people get twitchy if I do?”
“They already know they are there.” I smirked.
He didn’t look pleased at that. Rylon dropped the magic and the bar doubled in
size and you could see his people. For him to have that many here he knew I was going to eventually come and was prepared just in case. My people came into view as they too revealed themselves. I looked in the mirror and noted my people as well as the Enigma crew sizing up Rylon’s then I saw when the tension went out of the room as they decided to be friendly. They went to join each other. The various barmaids went to various tables to take their orders.
“The other thing I missed is that you and your people can drink.”
“You just missed the money we bring.”
“Of course. A man has to make a living.”
We both laughed. Now I knew he didn’t have anything to do with what happened to Nicolette I sat down and talked to my friend.
“Since you are not involved but prepared for me to show up I know you know something.”
“Of course.” Rylon sobered. “This is some stuff that happened way back and grudges that are older than time. You need to be careful Mischa. This will change you and your team.”
I didn’t dismiss what he said. Rylon was a Shadower and the ruler of his people but also a powerful Seer. He wouldn’t tell me specifics but his warning was at least something.
“Thanks. Tell me what you know.”
Rylon leaned against the bar. “I don’t know who it is but I know the why.”
“Why?”
“There are some in the community who think now that Necromancer’s are known it is just a matter of time before other beings that have been deemed not to be known by humans would be.” Rylon looked at Nicolette. “Like Siren’s. Or the Sidhe’s. Some who think finding a way to make those beings seem more viscous and unreasonable will make sure they never get brought into the light.”
“Don’t tell me this is some crap for the greater good of us all.”
“I wish I could.” Rylon grimaced. “I hate politics.”
“Me too.” I said and everyone else did simultaneously.
