Rare Find

by Dale Mayer

  "What the heck?" cried out a voice from the crowd. "What is happening to her?"

  Everyone turned to watch the tiger. Trinity stood, weak and bleeding, with a deep vibrating blue glow surrounded her. A clearly visible, luminescent light surrounded her for all to see.

  And her gaze was on Carmichael. That same unholy howl from deep in the back of her throat filled the warehouse.

  Carmichael backed up, his gun pointed at her. In a trembling voice, he screamed, "What the hell is she?"

  "It doesn't matter to you," Keeper said, his voice hard. "Now drop the fucking gun."

  Carmichael squeezed the trigger.

  Trinity's body jerked once, then twice.

  In a split second, Keeper dropped Carmichael where he stood.

  Ronin raced forward, arms out protectively, screaming at the other cops, "Don't shoot the tiger."

  Not that it mattered, Trinity had crumpled to the ground. Cops quickly raced to secure Winston.

  "Jesus, Ronin," Jacob asked. "What the hell is going on here?"

  Ronin shushed everyone and walked quietly, slowly toward Trinity. She lay on her side, howls and whimpers sliding out of her mouth.

  "Take it easy, Trinity," Ronin soothed. "Please calm down."

  Trinity struggled to her feet, her head hanging. Then gathering her strength, but obviously hurt, she staggered backwards a step before limping to Tabitha's side. Ronin whispered, "Oh Jesus. Please, sweetheart, stop. Let us help you."

  Trinity collapsed beside Tabitha. Close but not touching.

  Someone in the growing crowd around them asked in a prayer-like whisper, "What is happening to the woman?"

  In a bizarre movement, Trinity's spirit shifted to appear to be Tabitha's spirit. Then it switched to have Tabitha's spirit change places to be Trinity's spirit. Then they switched places.

  And again.

  Then again.

  As if some kind of electrical short was happening. The two bright-blue lights kept switching from one body to the other.

  "Christ." Whispers, swear words and prayers erupted from the observers. No one had ever seen anything like this. Not even Ronin.

  "Jesus," Ronin cried out. "Stop this. Stefan, help."

  You're the one that's going to have to help.

  "Me?"

  You. You have to reach out. One hand to Tabitha and the other to Trinity. You need to ground them both. The problem is Tabitha uses her animals as a ground. Since she's connected to Trinity, Trinity used her as a ground as well. It caused an electrical loop that has shorted. You have to complete the circuit.

  Ronin reached out a hand to both Tabitha and Trinity.

  Roman pulled his brother’s hand back. "Are you sure?" he asked urgently. "This looks incredibly dangerous."

  "No choice." And there wasn't. He had to do this. Ronin closed his eyes. Reached out both hands again and....

  ...closed the circle.

  Instantly, a thousand pins and needles pricked his hands. As if an electrical current was hitting him – but not traveling through him.

  In his mind, he said, Tabitha, I have no idea what to do but if you do, please use me as you need to. I don't want to see you in pain any longer. Let me help you.

  No, I don't want to bring you into this, Tabitha cried. You won't survive. Let me go.

  No, Ronin whispered, I don't accept that.

  He refused to back off. Closing his eyes, he realized there was one other element he might be able to bring into play. Mr. Boots. If you're there. If there is anything you can do. If there is anything I can do. Please help. Then he sent his plea out wider. If there is any other animal out there that can help...please... Tabitha needs us.

  And with that plea, a weird buzz filled his mind. His hands tingled, his spine straightened and he threw his head back as energy surged through him. And the last of his doubts crumbled. Acceptance that there might be something to Mr. Boots followed. And that there might be something to Stefan's words about his fears, about Tabitha's skills and this crazy-ass mess they were in right now.

  He took a deep breath, desperate to save Tabitha. And as he thought it, his energy went outwards to heal her. Loving energy poured from his heart into hers.

  And suddenly it was as if he'd stepped into a new world. A world of no sound. A world with no visuals. A foggy world. And he moved toward a voice calling his name. "Ronin?"

  He turned. There Tabitha was, standing in front of him, a huge loving smile on her face.

  "You're dead?" he asked starkly, his heart ready to cry.

  "No," she rushed to reassure him, "I'm not. Not at all. Look." She pointed to the side, and there was Trinity resting peacefully on her back on the ground. Except there was no ground.

  "She's okay now?"

  "We're in the ethers. My favorite place to retreat."

  Ethers? Him? No way. Still, Ronin looked around at the bizarre world. "We're not dead?"

  "No." She laughed, her face beaming with love. "We're fine."

  "How do we go back?"

  "As soon as you think about it, we'll go back. But there's someone who wants to say good-bye." Her voice softened. "It's past his time to go."

  He looked at her in surprise. "Who?"

  And then he held a wiggling black and white tuxedo cat in his arms. Mr. Boots. Damn. He buried his face in his beloved cat's fur, tears coming to his eyes. Christ, he felt eight years old again, his heart stuffed full with emotion. "Does he have to leave?"

  "No. He might stay if you can see and recognize him. He's been there for you all these years. I believe he's ready to go, but what he does now..." She shrugged.

  A familiar voice cut in. "Hey, Ronin, you in there?"

  And pain slapped across his face hard.

  "That means it's time to leave." Tabitha laughed.

  Then she disappeared. He blinked then blinked again to find Roman in front of him, his hand ready to slap him again.

  "I'm here," Ronin croaked.

  "Good thing," his brother said worriedly. "You've been out a long time."

  Ronin shook his head, struggling to shake off the fog. He twisted to look at Tabitha. To find her still lying in front of him – only this time her eyes open and she smiled at him.

  Oh thank God. Swallowing hard, he held out his hand and said, "Hey."

  "Hey yourself." She reached up a hand to clasp his. "Thanks."

  He snorted. "I didn't do anything."

  She smiled and said with a knowing look, "Trinity and I both thank you."

  That's when he realized Trinity lay beside him, her big head on his legs...alive. "Whoa."

  Tabitha laughed. "Yeah, welcome to my world."

  "Jesus."

  Roman laughed. "Well, whatever you did brother, it worked."

  Tabitha sat up. "That it did."

  Chapter 28

  One month later

  Tabitha opened the cage wall and let both Tango and TJ into the living room. TJ tripped over his big paws in his eagerness to get to Tango. Tripod dropped his big nose and sniffed the cub hard enough to tumble TJ over on his back and keep him beside his mother. The cub yelped several times as Tripod licked his belly before letting him back on his feet.

  The cub, TJ, turned around and waddled to where Trinity was resting. She'd survived against all odds, at least for a little longer. But as Tabitha had said to Ronin earlier that day, "Where there's a will, there's a way. And there is not always an explanation for miracles. You have to live with a little faith."

  Well, Ronin figured he lived with a lot of faith these days. He watched little TJ get sidetracked by Ronin's scent and tumbled over toward him. His fat roly-poly body was shiny with a healthy gloss. And damn if there wasn't a slight slate gray-blue tinge to his fur.

  Ronin scratched the cub under the chin then sent him back to his mother.

  Trinity's engine started to rumble before he got halfway. He yelped at her then charged and barreled into her front paws. She grabbed him, flipped him over and proceeded to clean him.

&nbs
p; "It all looks so normal, doesn't it?" he asked Tabitha as she walked back toward him. "Even Tango is okay with the new additions."

  "Tango has taken to the two newcomers better than anyone could have expected," she murmured. "Then again, I explained to him what we've all been through."

  Ronin grinned. "Like he'd understand that."

  "You might be surprised."

  He snorted. "I don't even understand everything, so how could he?"

  "It’s likely we’ll never understand all the details," she said softly. "And you know something? I think I'm okay with that."

  "Considering you gained and lost a cousin on the same day—"

  "And learned more than I wanted to about my grandfather."

  He sighed. "I didn't do well with betrayal either." In fact, the department was completing a full investigation to see what else Carmichael and Geoff had been involved in. Both were in jail and would do many years. Fez had survived and was yapping pretty loud. The DA's office had cut him a deal to roll over on the others and he'd do his time back East. He'd promised to be a different man from now on. Something about having seen a vision. The DA thought he was nuts, but as long as he held up in cross-examination during the trial, they didn't care.

  Ronin understood that Fez's vision had been seeing Tabitha inside Trinity. If Tabitha had helped yet another person to have a better life, then it was all good.

  Tabitha wrapped her arms around his waist and looked up at him, a loving smile on her face. He was never going to get tired of that look. He bent down and dropped a kiss on her forehead.

  "And through it all, I found you," she said.

  "I was always here," he protested. "Always."

  "But a little reserved, a little on the sidelines. Interested but not involved."

  "Yeah, that sure changed." He grinned. "I'm all in now." He'd even seen vestiges of other cats that had lived here before. Tobias for one. Ronin now realized Tobias's ghost was one of the energies he'd sensed early on, adding to his haunted feeling.

  "And that's the way it should be."

  "You're sure Mr. Boots is gone, huh?" He asked yet again.

  Tabitha was healing, Trinity was healing, and he himself was healing. But damn it, it bugged the hell out of him that Mr. Boots had been there – waiting for him all his life – and he hadn't known. Now that he understood that, he thought it was unfair Mr. Boots was gone.

  And then he heard it.

  A tiny, faint meow.

  Tabitha raised her head from his shoulder and laughed delightedly. She whispered in his mind, Remember, energy never disappears. It only changes form.

  There on the floor was a black and white ball of energy beside TJ. Beside, around, over and on top of the sleeping cub.

  Then the meow came again. The black and white energy shifted, a long ghostly paw stretching out over the cub before sinking back down to curl up and sleep.

  "Mr. Boots!"

  Epilogue

  Several weeks later, a laughing group entered the large theater. Tonight was a special session with the Portland Symphony Orchestra featuring a series of visiting musicians. Stefan held the door open for several women, all special friends in his life. Dr. Maddy dropped a kiss on his cheek as she entered with her partner, Drew, at her side. This was the first time he'd had so many of his friends in one place.

  Shay linked arms with Stefan. He smiled down at her. Stefan had always been reclusive, and he still had trouble understanding how his life had suddenly become so full.

  You love it. Tabitha stood in front of him, and Ronin, tall and strong, stood relaxed at her side.

  Ha, says who?

  Tabitha laughed, mysteriously. Your time will come.

  He rolled his eyes and followed the group to their seats.

  The lights dimmed almost immediately. He settled back to listen.

  He needed this relaxing time. They all did. There'd been so much pain and panic in all of their lives, it was important to take time to enjoy the good things about life when they could. And tonight was one of those times.

  Stefan didn't have a musical bone in his body. But he adored listening to all different kinds of music. It called to him in the same way colors sent him running to his canvases. The urge to create surged through him as the notes swelled and filled the theatre. The house was packed tonight, and he could easily see why.

  He closed his eyes and leaned his head back, letting the powerful notes roll over him.

  When the song changed, he didn't bother opening his eyes; he just waited, suspended in joy and peace.

  The delicate, haunting sounds of a harp filled the air, rolling in waves across his skin. Goosebumps rose and he shivered both in joy and fascination. Who could create such beauty? Who had such power, such talent?

  Beside him, he heard Tabitha gasp. Then Ronin made a comment, followed by several others who murmured in delight.

  Stefan frowned, but he opened his eyes to see what they were reacting to.

  Colors floated on the ethers, wide lazy bands and narrow bouncing waves. One color, then several other colors danced and played throughout the theater. Filling it with life, with joy, with happiness.

  He leaned forward, amazed. It was stunning.

  Dr. Maddy murmured, "It's the harpist."

  Stefan followed the ribbons of colored energy back to the source and turned to study the musician. And froze. He didn't need to see the details of her face. He knew them. He didn't need to see her energy; he knew it well.

  It was her. His beloved. The other half of himself.

  And a perfect stranger.

  Shay, ever perceptive, said, "I believe Tabitha mentioned that now it was your time – your time for love."

  Author's Note

  Dear reader,

  Thank you for reading Rare Find! If you enjoyed this book, I'd love it if you'd help others enjoy it as well. Reviews make a difference. And, I’d appreciate it if you’d leave a short review.

  I love to hear from readers, and you can contact me at my website: www.dalemayer.com or at my Facebook author page. To be informed of new releases and special offers, sign up for Dale Mayer's newsletter. And if you are interested in joining my street team, here is the Facebook sign up page.

  Stay tuned for the next book in this series. If you'd like to read about other books I've written, please turn the page.

  Cheers,

  Dale Mayer

  Touched by Death – adult RS/thriller

  Death had touched anthropologist Jade Hansen in Haiti once before, costing her an unborn child and perhaps her very sanity.

  A year later, determined to face her own issues, she returns to Haiti with a mortuary team to recover the bodies of an American family from a mass grave. Visiting his brother after the quake, independent contractor Dane Carter puts his life on hold to help the sleepy town of Jacmel rebuild. But he finds it hard to like his brother's pregnant wife or her family. He wants to go home, until he meets Jade – and realizes what's missing in his own life. When the mortuary team begins work, it's as if malevolence has been released from the earth. Instead of laying her ghosts to rest, Jade finds herself confronting death and terror again.

  And the man who unexpectedly awakens her heart – is right in the middle of it all.

  It's a Dog's Life – novella

  It's the first day of Ninna's job in the local animal shelter...and a dog is talking to her. Not just any dog...a fat, old, smart-alecky Basset Hound who says his name is Mosey.

  She can't quit, she needs this job. And then there's the yummy vet. Who turns out to live across the street from her in a much bigger house than her tiny house. Big enough to hold a few animals – including the mouthy Mosey. With all this going on, she doesn't have time to worry about the rash of break-ins and the sense of being watched. She's too busy worrying that she's nuts.

  When Ninna agrees to dog sit for the cute vet from work, she sees it as a trial at being a pet owner and a way to build on her budding relationship with the vet. For Mosey, this we
ekend means time to get to know each other.

  For the stalker who's tracking Ninna's movements, it means…opportunity.

  About the author:

  Dale Mayer is a prolific multi-published writer. She's best known for her Psychic Visions series. Besides her romantic suspense/thrillers, Dale also writes paranormal romance and crossover young adult books in several different genres. To go with her fiction, she also writes nonfiction in many different fields with books available on resume writing, companion gardening and the U.S. mortgage system. She has recently published her Career Essentials Series. All her books are available in digital and print formats.