Scapulimancist (Seven Forbidden Arts Book 7)

by Charmaine Pauls

  “Down!” he shouted, acting like an alpha.

  She repeated the charge, albeit with less ferocity. Baring her teeth, she pranced from left to right, her yellow eyes fixed on his.

  “Down!” he repeated with more force.

  Her head lowered, and her nostrils flared. Ears drawn back, she sniffed. She crouched low, her body a tightly coiled spring, and then she jumped. Instead of ripping him apart with her claws and sinking her teeth into his throat like he’d expected, she pushed him flat on his back and licked his face.

  “Down, Winnie,” he said with authority. He knew her from the nick in her ear where she’d caught it in a barbwire fence.

  The feline rubbed up against him and rolled onto her back. He took the moment to gather his wits and get to his feet, making him taller than the predator. The danger was far from over. One wrong move, one small display of fear or submission, and the feline would turn back into attack mode.

  “Good cat,” he said, scratching her ear like he used to when he was teaching her to hunt.

  It took all his self-control not to glance behind him at Sara. He had to keep his eyes on the lion. The practiced domination he had over her returned as he willed himself to feel control instead of fear. The lioness rose from the grass, her head turned downhill. Following her gaze, he saw three other felines in the distance. If they descended on him as a pack, he was screwed. In a group, their hunting instinct would be too strong. Even as he scanned the ground for a big rock, the lions veered off to the right and charged down the hill, their lithe bodies moving with speed and force. Winnie followed suit, sensing another hunt in progress. He grabbed the rock, ready to hurl, and rushed to the ledge for a better view. As soon as the lions were at a far enough distance, he’d carry Sara to the safety of his truck. He couldn’t turn his back on the lions and risk being jumped from behind if they decided to take a detour and attack from downhill. It was exactly the strategy the alpha female leading the pack would follow.

  When the view of the valley cleared in front of him, he froze. It suddenly became clear why the lions had changed direction. Clive and Thinus stood at the bottom of the hill, right in the line of the charge.

  “Clive!” he shouted at the top of his lungs. “Behind you!”

  The old man flung around, his gun aimed at Wayne.

  “The lions!”

  The shot went off. It was an easy shot, a straight aim. He should’ve been hit, but it was Clive who fell. A millisecond later, the lions were on top of the two men. A roar tore through the air. The alpha went for Thinus, taking him down in the jump. Another was on Clive, her aim his throat. For a moment time stood still as sounds of tearing, growling, and blood-chilling screams echoed in the valley.

  Wayne lifted his eyes in the direction of where the gunshot had come from. Lann stood on the boulder, a sharpshooter rifle aimed into the pack of lions, but it was too late. Clive and Thinus were beyond saving. Sara was unprotected. He rushed back to her, taking in her terrified gaze. Those eyes would haunt him forever, but for now, he acted without thinking or processing his emotions. He picked her up and ran with her to the truck. Cebo jumped from the back to open the door. With Sara deposited in the passenger side, Wayne got behind the wheel.

  “Close the windows, Cebo. We have lions on the east.”

  While Cebo scurried to execute the command, Wayne focused on his woman. “Take a deep breath, angel.”

  She blinked. Her pupils were dilated. With a quick tear, he ripped off the duct tape. She uttered a cry and dragged in gulps of air. He used the knife Joss had given him to cut the rope that bound her hands and feet before removing his shirt and buttoning it up over her bleeding chest. He eyed the road. From her window, she couldn’t see down the slope, but he wasn’t taking any chances. This was a nightmare she didn’t need to live with.

  “Close your eyes. Can you do that for me?”

  She nodded.

  “Brave girl.” He planted a hasty kiss on her lips.

  His hands shook so badly, he battled to turn the key in the ignition. Adrenalin pumped through his veins as he made his way down to the dirt track where Lann waited.

  He touched Sara’s cheek. “Whatever you do, don’t look. Cebo, watch over her.”

  He jumped out and ran around the truck. In the distance, the lions were tearing the bodies apart.

  Lann regarded Wayne with an expressionless face. “The lion got him before I could get a second shot in.”

  “I’ve got to stop them,” Wayne said, meaning the lions.

  “What’s the point?”

  “Not good letting them get used to human meat.”

  Anyway, it was too late. The lions had already had their first taste of human flesh. From now on, man would be food, like Kudu and Springbok. It wasn’t their fault. What he didn’t say was that Emily would want bodies to bury. Ice ran through his veins, thinking of the elderly lady. It was going to be tough on her.

  Lann pushed his glasses back up on his nose and looked down the hill. “How do you propose to get them away from their meal?”

  “May I use your rifle?”

  Lann handed the weapon over.

  Wayne aimed somewhere to the left of the lions and pulled the trigger. The shot rang loud through the valley, the bullet kicking up dust as it hit the ground. The pack scattered apart, heading for the safety of the outcrop. Flesh and bones stained the green grass with patches of red. The felines had managed to severe Thinus’s head, which was lying to the side. Wayne bit back bile.

  “I’ll call the others,” Lann said. “We’ll sort out this mess. You better take care of Sara.”

  Wayne nodded. “Thanks for saving my life.”

  “Go. We’ll catch up with you later.”

  He got back into the truck and glanced sideways at Sara as he started the engine. She looked like a zombie.

  “It’s over.” He took her hand and put it on his leg. “Hold onto me. We’re going home.”

  Except, he didn’t have a home, anymore. Not knowing where else to go, he drove to Christian’s place. Christian, Bella, and Dumile exited when he parked in the driveway.

  “Sara!” Bella rushed up to them. “What happened?”

  Wayne got out and lifted Sara into his arms. “She’s been through an ordeal, but she’s safe, now.”

  “Where did you find her?” Dumile asked.

  “Thinus took her. It’s a long story.”

  Bella ran around them like a mother hen, her eyes tearing up when she saw the spots of blood seeping through the shirt on Sara’s body.

  As if sensing Wayne’s need for space, Christian pulled Bella back. “Get her cleaned up, West. Call us if you need anything.”

  He gave a thankful nod, carrying Sara into the house. There was the news he had to share with Dumile. Later. He needed to take care of Sara, first. He undressed them both and washed her body in the shower. Under the spray of the water, her eyes turned clearer, but she didn’t seem to register what was happening around her. After tending to her cuts, he covered her naked body with a blanket on Christian’s bed before dressing himself. An hour went by with him simply holding her while she fell into a fitful sleep. He was sick to his stomach, thinking of what could’ve happened. Clive had always been a murderous bastard, but to go that low … feeding Sara to the lions.

  A knock sounded on the door, and Dumile’s voice called through the wood. “It is time Cebo and I go home. Our people will be worried.”

  Cushioning Sara’s head on a pillow, Wayne got up and walked from the room, softly closing the door behind him. “We need to talk. Come.” He led the way outside through the backdoor and leaned against the side of the house, staring at the bricks of the garden wall.

  “Say your say, West. Don’t make an old man wait.”

  Gathering his words, he put a hand on his father-in-law’s shoulder. “Sara’s boss came. He brought a team. One of them is a man who says he can talk to spirits.”

  “A necromancist,” Dumile mused.

  “He
said…” He swallowed. How the hell was he supposed to tell Dumile?

  “That he saw my daughter.”

  Wayne’s fingers tightened on Dumile’s bony shoulder. “I know who is responsible.”

  The old man’s gaze never wavered. “Was it you?”

  “It’ll always be me. I drove the truck.”

  “Who tied her to your truck?”

  “Thinus.” He dropped his arm. “Nelis knew about it.”

  “I see.” Dumile turned toward the west where the sun was setting. “Did you kill Thinus?”

  “I didn’t have to. The lions did. Clive got shot in the process. They were going to feed Sara to the lions.”

  “If you live by the sword…”

  “Yeah.”

  “Finally.”

  He knew what Dumile meant. There was closure for both of them.

  “Christian offered to drive us back.” Dumile patted his back. “I came to tell you. You should also know that Zandi called to ask about Sara. Sara’s boss wanted to know where she was. The men who came to save her, they were worried, too. They’ll come for her, soon. I had to give them Christian’s address.”

  He nodded.

  “What will you do, West?”

  He could only shake his head. It felt like his time with Sara was running out.

  The old man made his way back into the house with hunched shoulders. He’d carried the weight of the world for far too long.

  Alone in the backyard, Wayne emptied his stomach in the flowerbed. It made him feel slightly better. He washed his face under the outside tap, and when he got back into the room, Sara was awake. She sat up with the blanket wrapped around her body. When she saw him, she started crying.

  He rushed to her side and pulled her into his arms. “Shh, angel. It’s over.”

  He moved his hands over her body, even if he’d already examined her for broken bones and other injuries. It was more to reassure himself than anything else, and desperation to maintain a point of contact, even if it was only physical.

  “Clive, Thinus, they…” she croaked.

  He wiped the hair from her face. “How do you feel?”

  “My chest hurts, and my head is killing me.”

  There was a first aid kit in the kitchen. He fetched two painkillers and made her drink it with a glass of orange juice.

  “Thank you.” She left the empty glass on the nightstand. “Clive, he was going to…” Her lip started trembling.

  “I know.” He hugged her tighter. “You’re safe now.”

  “They drugged me. I couldn’t control the lions.”

  “I figured that out.”

  “Why didn’t she attack you?”

  “They came to the farm as orphans. I raised her. They say a lion never forgets. She must’ve remembered my smell.”

  “You saved me.”

  The urgency of his words pressed on his heart. It had to be said. “Listen to me, Sara. I’m sorry about handing you over to Mulder. I did what I believed would keep you safe.”

  Another knock sounded on the door. Damn it. The timing couldn’t be worse. Before he could answer, it opened to reveal Odier in the frame with a bunch of flowers in his hand, not wildflowers from the mountain, but proper, expensive looking, florist flowers made up in a bouquet with cellophane paper and a big, yellow bow.

  “Sara.” Odier hurried across the floor and pulled her up into a hug. “How’s my girl?”

  There it was again. My girl. Wayne clenched his teeth but moved to the side, giving them space.

  She cried out when her boss squeezed her tighter.

  “Sorry.” Odier pulled the blanket away and peered down the front of her body.

  It took all of Wayne’s self-restraint not to interfere. She was naked, for God’s sake.

  “That needs stitches,” he said.

  “You’re overreacting.” She took the flowers. “Wayne put ointment on the cuts.”

  “Still, I’m taking you to the hospital.” He cupped her cheek. “You’ve been very brave. I’m proud of you.” He took a narrow box from his pocket and put it in her other hand. “Got you a present. I know how much you love bling.”

  She smiled up at him, tears making her eyes shine. “You shouldn’t have.”

  “Consider it a bonus.”

  She left the flowers on the bed to open the box and pulled out a tennis bracelet. Wayne would put his cock on a block if those weren’t real diamonds.

  She gasped. “I can’t accept this.”

  “Of course you can. Give me your arm.” She held out her wrist, the same one on which she wore his humble grass bracelet. The contrast was suddenly too much. Seeing those diamonds next to the grass made him realize one thing; he couldn’t give her what she deserved. She was better off with a guy like Odier, someone who could buy her jewels and who trusted her, who’d keep her safe instead of handing her over to the enemy.

  “Come on.” Odier took her arm. “I’m taking you to a proper doctor, and then Cain wants to meet you. You remember Cain Jones, the man I told you about?”

  She glanced at Wayne, her lip between her teeth.

  “Wayne?” she said, so many questions in that one word.

  He wiped a hand over his face. He’d said what he wanted to. “I’ll come down and see you at the hospital.”

  Something flashed in her eyes. It looked a lot like sadness or disappointment. When he didn’t say more, she simply nodded and followed Odier barefoot to the door.

  On the step, she turned. “I’m sorry about your land and for being the reason you and Dumile ended up in jail.”

  “Don’t be. I finally know the truth.” He shot the other man a look, a warning that said he’d better take care of Sara. “Odier will tell you about it.”

  She gave him her obstinate look. “I want to hear it from you.”

  Fair enough. She was more than a girlfriend, more than everything and anything he’d ever cared about. Steeling himself for the pain the memory always evoked, he said, “It was Thinus who tied Mariana to the back of my truck. Nelis was there, too. They tried to stop me from pulling off, but Thinus had spiked my drink and the music was too loud to hear their warning.”

  “Oh, Wayne.” Her voice trembled. “I’m so, so sorry.”

  “It can’t be undone. I’m sorry, too.” He still had to live with the knowledge that he was unknowingly responsible, and no penance he could pay would ever be enough.

  Odier moved her forward with his hand on the small of her back, but she hesitated.

  “Clive said something. He framed you and Dumile for the murder on Manfred to get your last piece of land so he’d have an open route to the coast for his wood smuggling. He told Nelis to burn down Bella’s house so she couldn’t pay your bail and you’d be forced to sell your land. He was hoping the witchdoctor scare would make the town drive Dumile’s people off the land, evicting their claim for good.”

  “I kind of figured it out,” Wayne said, doing his best to give her a smile.

  Bella came over and hugged her. “You take care. I’ll come visit you, too.”

  “I’m sorry about your house.”

  “It’s only bricks. It can be replaced.”

  Sara looked back at Wayne. “Is it goodbye, then?”

  The question hung thick between them. This was the best thing he could do for her.

  “Take care, Sara Graham.”

  Odier took her hand and led her from the house to the waiting car. For a long time after the car had disappeared around the bend, Wayne remained on the porch. He stood there until the night was black and the moon was full. There was peace in his heart, knowing he wasn’t the cruel man he’d worried himself over for the last six years, but there was also a gaping hole in his soul and an incurable ache.

  Back inside, his eyes fell on Sara’s clothes that he’d left in a heap on the bedroom floor. Without giving it a second thought, he chucked them into the trashcan. She wouldn’t want the reminder. Neither did he.

  Bella and Christian were wise
not to make any comments. For the first time in years, Wayne felt like a drink. A strong one. Just as well Christian was a too good friend to offer him one.

  He dragged a hand through his hair. “I have to go see Mrs. Theron.”

  “Now?” Bella asked, a look of concern etched on her face.

  “It needs to be done.”

  “I understand,” Christian said. “Need me to come with you?”

  “I have to do this alone.”

  Bella gathered her purse. “I should book myself into a hotel until I’ve made another arrangement.”

  Christian took the purse from her hand and dropped it on the sofa. “Under no circumstances.” He pulled her into his arms. “I thought you understood where your place is.”

  “What happened between the two of you while I was looking for Sara?” Wayne asked.

  For the first time since he knew her, Bella blushed bright red.

  “Can you give me a day or two?” she asked Christian, a tinge of vulnerability in her voice. “I have some … business ties to break and until it’s done I prefer to stay in a hotel.”

  “As long as you come back here the minute you’ve got your stuff sorted.” Christian turned to Wayne. “You’re welcome on the sofa if you need a place to crash.”

  “Thanks, bud.” He patted his friend’s shoulder. “I appreciate it.” Until he found a new place to live, Christian’s sofa was all he had.

  * * * *

  A weight pressed on Wayne’s heart as he made his way back to the farm. The house was full of people. Emily stood in the center of the lounge, her figure bent and her face distraught. Wayne removed his hat and approached her. Everything he’d felt when he’d discovered Mariana’s body came back to him in a flash. The room grew quiet as people stared at him. Becoming aware of his presence, Emily turned and fixed red, swollen eyes on him.

  “I’m sorry for your loss,” he said. “I wish it was different.”

  Drawing back her arm, she slapped him across the face. The impact of her palm stung on his cheek. A muttering of voices broke the silence. Someone took her shoulders and led her away. The visitors went back to talking and drinking tea, like they did at funerals, even if this wasn’t the double funeral the widow would soon have to host. There was nothing more to say. There was nothing more to do but leave.