Stalked (Rogues Shifter #2)

by Gayle Parness

  I felt my true body’s senses slowly returning and then Garrett was kissing me and I was kissing him back. We were on my cliff with the multi hued power crashing down below us against the rocky shore and we were lost in passion. I couldn’t tell if this was happening only in our minds or if we were really making love on the grass on that hill above the bonfire. I didn’t care. I was on fire and his touch cooled me with icy pleasure. He filled me with his powerful magic and I created the Balance that we finally released back to the earth and the sun and the universe.

  At the end I seemed to be floating for a few moments, or maybe a few hours. When I opened my eyes, everything was exactly as it had been. The fae were all standing in couples: singing and glowing. Garrett and I were still holding each other, dressed and not disheveled in the least. Liam was still holding hands with the pretty fae woman. Their eyes had morphed to a solid gold, but other than that he looked the same.

  “I think we might have had an out of body experience.” I whispered mentally.

  “My body was very much involved in what just happened. It was beyond all words.”

  I definitely had to agree. “Beyond all words pretty much sums it up.” We both laughed softly so as not to disturb anyone else’s hot dream date and spent the next few minutes curled around each other enjoying the incredible music and the euphoric afterglow of magical sex in Faerie.

  When the singing stopped, I noticed that most of the fae pairs had started drifting away, probably to pick up where their visions had left off. I was happy to see that Liam and his little redhead were gone, too. The images of the sun and the earth had disappeared, but the bonfire was stronger and more colorful than ever. A multitude of flowers, berry laden bushes and fruit trees had sprouted from the meadow’s soil during the ceremony. I thought that I could see creatures crouching or peeking out from behind some of them: gnomes, sprites, dwarfs? I shook my head and they were gone.

  I was experiencing some side effects as a result of taking in so much fae magic. My body buzzed with the power that I’d breathed into my lungs and soaked into my pores while traveling inside the lines. I mused that I'd become a magical generator that could keep a family warm all winter, or a battery to jumpstart a car. I sent Garrett a picture of myself attached to a car radiator on a snowy day and he had to cover his mouth to keep from exploding in laughter.

  When things got back to normal, or as close as a Fae Midsummer Solstice Ceremony can be to normal, I was corralled by several fae and asked lots of questions. The fae were very interested in how we liked the ceremony and when we might be coming back. Lady Erin sat with me and told some funny stories about Liam, who still hadn't returned, and Lord Caelen graciously invited us to join them for the fall festival in September. Garrett and I looked at each other and then said we’d let him know.

  Aedus handed Garrett an envelope that had all the information they had accumulated regarding the disappearance of Brina, Kaera's missing sister. While they spoke quietly together I walked to the far edge of the plateau and sat in a chair watching the different families and clans interact and enjoy the night. The lights had come up again so my view of the various gatherings was very good.

  I was sad to see that there were no children. There were fae that seemed younger, like Farrell and the couple who had been on the platform and were probably off somewhere very private right now. But there were no little ones. What had Liam said? The last time a child was born was seventy-five human years ago?

  Although practically immortal, no children meant no real future for the fae: a great loss for them all. The ceremony suddenly took on more meaning, because creating balance and the renewal of life energy was all tied in to the birth of a child. If a child or two were the results of tonight’s ceremony, then all of Faerie would truly celebrate.

  Samson, my furry shadow, lifted his head off of his paws and growled next to me. I looked down the hill and there on the platform was Kennet. He was speaking to Lady Jorrenn, but he must have felt my eyes on him because he slowly turned and looked for me on the hill. Our gazes locked together causing an icy sweat to form along my hairline. A cold jab pushed me out of my chair and had me teetering for a second on the edge of the plateau. I slammed up my wall while Samson snatched at the leg of my jeans to pull me away from the steep drop.

  Once I was steady on my feet and out of danger, Samson growled more fiercely, his fangs dripping with saliva and his eyes actually tinted with red. Kennet sneered and mouthed, “Soon”. The malice in his expression had me backing away feeling nauseous and afraid that I might lose my meal.

  Garrett appeared and nudged me behind him. He hissed at Kennet, his fangs out and his eyes instantly turning a solid silver. Kennet laughed out loud and turned to walk away, but Liam was suddenly in front of him, his enchanted blade at the seelie lord’s throat. He snarled something in fae, then Kennet shouted back angrily. They were staring each other down when Lady Jorrenn snapped at them furiously, forcing Liam to sheath his blade. Taking one last glance in my direction, Kennet smirked and walked away.

  I was shaken, but with Kennet gone, the rest of the night’s festivities continued without another disturbance. Garrett encouraged me to try out some of the fae dances, the delightful music making me light on my feet. I ate my fill of delicious food, both Garrett and I probably drinking a little too much wine. It must have been nearly dawn when we finally crawled into bed and drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter Five

  The next evening at sunset, Garrett and I were on our way home, the strange events of last night still fresh in our minds. Garrett was stretched out across the seat with his head in my lap, humming melodies from the Fae songs that we’d heard performed at the celebration. I was playfully running my fingers through his thick reddish brown hair, while he closed his eyes and clasped my other hand against his chest. Samson was content to spread out on the seat across from us, listening to Garrett’s clear voice with a curious expression.

  Liam had decided to extend his visit for another day to discuss a few things with his father and we’d assured Lord Caelen that we didn’t need Kaera to escort us home. We hadn’t spoken too much about what had happened with Kennet or even about the intriguing solstice experience. I think we were both feeling a little drained from sensory overload and needed some quiet time back in the real world.

  I was particularly excited about seeing my friends, the other members of our team of rogues. Kyle, Ethan, Sinc and I were brought together because we had special skills which complemented each other, and so had spent many hours training each week, the long range goal being to help protect our shifter community from dangerous threats of the supernatural variety.

  In my lap, Garrett had relaxed to the point of dozing and so I leaned back against the seat and closed my eyes.

  I dreamt.

  Garrett and I were in cheetah form hunting game among the giant California redwoods. We were chasing down a Roosevelt Elk, a large prey, but one that the two of us thought we could bring down if we worked together. We’d cornered the animal between two outcroppings of rock and I could smell its panic, a smell as intoxicating to a feline predator as morning coffee to a caffeine addict.

  I was getting closer when the elk’s sharp hoofs struck out at me. Fortunately my speed and reflexes helped me to avoid being slashed. I heard a loud crack and Garrett went down, blood flowing steadily from his shoulder. Then another crack and the Elk’s head exploded in front of me. I raced to Garrett and watched as he changed back to his vampire form, only—he wasn’t a vampire. He had a heart beat and his skin was warm. He smelled like a shifter and was completely vulnerable in this state.

  My cheetah licked his shoulder wound, trying to help him heal, but the bleeding never stopped. He grabbed my neck to get my attention, then shouted, “Run, Jackie!” I heard a noise and looked up to see Lord Kennet laughing at us. His two men stood behind him, one of them holding a rifle.

  He bypassed my mental shield and forced me with a cold surge of power to change back to human f
orm. I crouched on the ground, very weak, attempting to cover my naked body. He walked toward me like a shark about to feast, grabbing my hair and pulling me up. I cried out in pain as he said, “You will learn to respect me” He pulled back his hand to slap me across the face. I closed my eyes and braced for the pain.

  “Jackie, wake up.” Garrett was sitting up on the seat and shaking me gently. I was soaked with sweat and shivering, still lost in my nightmare. Loving arms enfolded me as I tried to fight back the tears. “Kennet?” he asked and I nodded, describing the dream. He lifted my face gently with his fingertips under my chin and smiled reassuringly. “I swear that I will never let him touch you.” He pulled me into his lap and buried his face in my hair to take in my scent as I automatically did the same; a visceral instinct that comforted us sometimes more than words ever could.

  A few minutes later, I’d left the dream and its tension behind, relaxing against his chest as he rubbed my back with soothing strokes. “Do you have any idea where to start looking for Brina or Drew?” I asked.

  Garrett shook his head. “Rob called with some bad news. Drew was found in his family’s home yesterday with his wrists slashed. It looks like suicide but it's too early to know for sure.”

  “How awful for his family to find him like that. Do you think she killed him?” He knew who I meant.

  “It's unlikely. The fae don't kill and then try to make the murder look like something else. Rob thinks Brina followed Drew, not because they were romantically involved, but because he had information that she wanted. The team has already done some preliminary digging. We’ve come up with an idea that might work well for the investigation, but you may not like it.”

  “When did you talk with the team? While I was sleeping?" He didn't respond so I pulled away and leaned my back against the window and faced him. "You might as well tell me now.”I was annoyed that he hadn’t seen fit to let me in on the discussion.

  “How do you feel about enrolling in a summer class at the high school in Gasquet? The second session starts soon.” He leaned back against the opposite window so he could watch my reaction. He waited as I processed the idea, always a good plan where I was concerned. If someone pushed me too hard I'd dig in and never agree. Garrett had become an expert at reading my moods.

  “Do you think Brina is at the school?”

  “We’re fairly sure that Brina is a student, or possibly even a teacher at the high school. She’s adept at illusion, better than the Elders. All fae can change shape to look like someone or something else, but Brina can even change her scent, her voice, her manner of moving. You’ll have your work cut out for you. Her aura is the toughest thing for her to change, so you could try to check for that. The tricky part is that you can’t let her know that you’re on to her. If you do, she'll disappear again."

  His thoughtful look morphed into a more wary one. "We’re enrolling Ethan too.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Do you really think that’s a good idea? He’ll have a group of drooling girls following after him wherever he goes, and please don’t tell him I said that.”

  Garrett grinned. “We could always tell him to shave his head.”

  “That might attract even more girls.” I smirked. “Anyway, he wouldn’t do it.”

  “He’d do it if I asked him to.” I shrugged, agreeing that he was probably right. "We’ll enroll you as brother and sister, fraternal twins. You two can come up with a background story and a fake name, then Sinc can create fake ID’s.”

  I sighed. “He’ll tease me unmercifully and say he did it so it would seem like we’re really brother and sister.”

  Garrett grinned. “Sounds like good strategy.” I glared at him. "Rob and I are staying out of this as much as possible.”

  “Our first solo mission, huh? Cool.” I thought about my dream. “The fae are powerful, so stay close.”

  He looked at me with an arched eyebrow and said teasingly, “Who are you and what have you done with my mate?”

  “Very funny. Let’s just say that I’ve learned a lot in the last three days. I just hope I can get the other three to listen to me.”

  “I feel like I’ve crossed over into the Twilight Zone.” Garrett started humming the Twilight Zone theme so I pushed him hard in the shoulder with my bare foot, which didn’t seem to faze him. Instead he grabbed my foot and started to massage it while his eyes darkened with anticipation. “We have a meeting with Rob and the team tonight. Later we can play rough.” I crossed my arms with a snort. We’ll see...

  Chapter Six

  Arriving home at 11 PM, I headed straight to the shower while Garrett fed Samson and made some calls. Twenty minutes later I was throwing on capris and a t-shirt and running a comb through my damp hair. It felt so good to be home again.

  While Garrett showered, I made pasta, using the homemade sauce Liam had left in the freezer, all the while waiting for the gang to show. When I heard Sinc’s convertible pull up, I ran out the door and jumped on Ethan’s back as he got out of the passenger side of the car. He caught me and laughed, spinning me around and easing me back to the ground. Then I ran to Sinc and hugged her enthusiastically giving her a kiss on the cheek. Kyle returned his hug with a chuckle.

  “Hey crazy cheetah, what happened? Did the bad fairies scare you or something?” Kyle looked great whether in human form or prowling the forest as his spotted leopard. Fit and slim, his bleached blonde spiky hair and his exotic Asian features meshed with his usual black jeans and gruesome graphic tee. The eyebrow stud and leopard tattoos polished off his edgy look.

  “You have no idea.” I laughed. “I missed you all so much.” I held the door and they streamed into the foyer, heading toward the living room with the large leather couch, the two comfy arm chairs and the large fireplace with the hand-carved mantle. Before they sat I motioned to them saying, “Come into the kitchen, I made pasta.”

  Sinc, dressed perfectly in a slinky summer dress put her arm around me as we walked. She whispered, “I missed you too." Sinc was sophisticated and stunning with long thick dark brown hair and striking blue eyes, which stayed the same color when she changed into her snow leopard form. She was a little shorter than me but was curvy in all the right places. Full of sparkling energy, she definitely turned heads when we were out together.

  Ethan, dressed casually, still managed to look like he’d come off a movie set. With large golden brown eyes, rich chocolate hair that always hung around his face in a wavy state of disarray and a muscular body, Ethan was hot. Women flocked to him like a thirsty herd to a cool watering hole. Unfortunately for them, Sinc was his only love.

  When the team was all seated and I’d dished out the linguini, salad and garlic bread, we started to chat about what had been going on around Crescent City while I’d been gone. Apparently, Drew was a well known member of the Brownlow pack and his death was a shock to the community. No one had met Brina, in fact he’d only mentioned her to his closest friend, George. George, also a member of the same pack, told Kyle that Drew had confessed to dating someone new, but that he’d been hesitant to say anything else about her. George felt that he was definitely hiding something, and seemed on edge lately, acting as if he was in some kind of danger. Drew had also mentioned picking her up at the high school. Sinc hacked into the school’s data base and found that one teacher and three students had enrolled in the school within one week of Brina's departure from Faerie. It seemed like a good place to start.

  Rob showed up just as Garrett joined us in the kitchen. I greeted him with a hug and a kiss on the cheek, then served him pasta while Ethan cleared away everyone’s empty dishes. While Rob ate, Garrett and I were bombarded with questions about the fae and Faerie and the Midsummer Solstice Ceremony. We answered their questions as well as we could without going into too much detail. Caelen and Liam made it clear that their world was kept secret for a reason and we shouldn’t share too much information. However, Garrett and I both had decided that we needed to tell them about Kennet. If he was after me, then one of t
hem could get hurt, so they deserved to know all the facts.

  Garrett gave my hand a squeeze for support as I began to recite my list of unpleasant encounters with Lord Kennet. I told them how he’d propositioned me after the duel, how he’d assumed I’d accept his offer at the fae meeting and that he was shocked and angry when I hadn’t. I described his attack at the Midsummer Ceremony, but didn't bother to mention my dream. Their angry expressions made me grateful to have friends who would always have my back, even against a fae lord. Samson ambled over to lick my hand and curl up by my feet, his doggy version of support.

  “Well, I’ve got two words for that asshole, “Kyle spoke up. “Cold Iron, baby.”

  “That was three words”, Sinc spoke without thinking and then smiled at Kyle sheepishly. They’d been trying to lay off each other and not argue so much. “Sorry. Habit.”

  “Forget it, Sinclair”, he grinned. She hated it when he used her full name. He spoke to me.“I have plenty of iron and steel weapons, so you can strap one on before school and you’re good to go.”

  Garrett said, “It's more complicated than that. He’s a Fae Lord, which means he's over 3,000 years old and a half brother of the other Elders. Iron may not harm him. Plus Jackie and I are allies of the Cascade Sidhe. We can’t use iron against any fae unless it’s proved beyond a doubt that he's trying to kill us. Even then it could mean trouble.”

  “That doesn’t stop me from killing him with iron. I’m sure that Kyle can come up with something strong enough.” Ethan’s voice was tense. Ever since we’d met on the island and trained with Rob, Ethan had been extremely protective toward me. He was my best friend and I loved him like a big brother, although he was barely a year older than me. I glanced Sinc's way and saw her smiling at him. She probably thought his protective streak toward me was sweet.