A Heart of Shame

by Kristen Banet

  “Stevenson is a Magi though!” Vincent snarled. “What you are talking about is that he hates his own kind so much that he is willing to actively work against us and let his own kind die. Elijah, that’s madness.”

  “It’s his faith,” Elijah whispered, stepping close to Vincent. “Stevenson is a God-fearing man in an uber-conservative area in Texas with little oversight. He was probably raised Christian. Think about it. You have so much faith in something, but your community would call you evil. Unregistered works for him. No one knows he exists, probably because he’s just so weak. He can hide from other Magi, pretend he’s not one, and gain the love of other believers, other fanatics.”

  “He hates himself,” Vincent realized. “He abhors that he’s a Magi.”

  “Yeah,” Elijah said with a nod, “I think he does. I think he wants to remove what amounts to sin from himself but can’t, so he works to the opposite end of the spectrum and helps fanatics.”

  “Fuck,” Vincent exclaimed, softer this time.

  “I think we’re on the right track, for all of this,” Elijah groaned. “I think he has our answers. Even if he doesn’t know the killer’s identity, him being here is just getting in our way. We need to take him out of the equation before he further impedes on our case.”

  “The killer started showing up in Sawyer’s dreams after you told Stevenson that we knew he was a Magi,” Vincent reminded him. “He probably knows who the killer is.”

  “Vincent,” Elijah tried to cut in slowly. “Do you think…?”

  “He’s working with him,” Vincent decided. He felt it. He should have seen it sooner, but his attention was divided at the worst time. He was thinking about Sawyer too much—thinking about working with the guys to win her to them. “We’ll raid his house, then we’ll confront him with anything we find.”

  “Roger that, Boss.” Elijah nodded. “Let’s do this.”

  Vincent mentally kicked himself again. He shouldn’t have been so slow. He shouldn’t be distracted. Distracted got people killed.

  Vincent saw the tiny home in the middle of nowhere and frowned. It was tucked away from the road, far enough back that there was no way of knowing if anyone was home.

  “I think we’re ready to go in,” Elijah told him quietly. “Sawyer, stay close to one of us, please.”

  “Yes,” Vincent whispered. Then he did something he rarely did. He zoned out for a moment and let the world disappear.

  He and Kaar were not Quinn and the wolves. They were both independent, preferring a degree separation that Quinn and the pack didn’t desire at all, but he could always rely on the wild piece of his soul that Kaar represented. He entered Kaar’s mind instantly and felt the raven’s indignant rousing at the intrusion. Kaar never liked it, but they made do when it was needed. Kaar also had a peculiar way of never letting Vincent know how he felt.

  Damn bird. Vincent was convinced Kaar liked Quinn more than his own Magi.

  They were perfectly suited for each other, Vincent and Kaar. Vincent liked the wolves more than he liked his damn bird. Perfectly suited, them.

  “Show me the sheriff, Kaar,” Vincent told the raven. Kaar swooped through the town, trying to blend in with other birds. Stevenson came into view near the town’s Baptist church. He was talking to the preacher. “Thank you. Stay on him like a hawk, Kaar.”

  The bristle of indignation from Kaar made Vincent smile in the Explorer. Never, ever compare Kaar to any other kind of bird.

  Vincent blinked and was back in the Explorer. He looked to Elijah and nodded.

  “We’re ready,” was all Vincent had to say. Something about this felt heavy, and they hadn’t even made it inside the door.

  “Let’s get this done,” Sawyer groaned and slid out of the Explorer. Vincent watched her meet Quinn, Jasper, and Zander around the front of their vehicles.

  “How’s Kaar?” Elijah asked him. Vincent snorted.

  “Very Kaar. He’s been… avoiding me more than normal. Avoiding everyone and everything more than normal. Since Sawyer came to live with us.” Vincent mumbled, tapping a finger on the steering wheel.

  “Bonded animals take a page from their Magi,” Elijah reminded him. “The more you relax, the more he will.”

  “You know, he spies on her. Kaar spies on her without letting me know.” Vincent chuckled for a moment. “Damn bird.”

  “Reminds me of a certain human,” Elijah muttered, so low that Vincent almost didn’t hear him. “Always watching her, desperate to be her boy toy, just like a couple of my other friends.”

  Vincent reached out and slammed a hand against Elijah’s chest, making the cowboy lean away from him and laugh.

  “I call it like I see it, Vin.” Elijah kept laughing, and Vincent jumped out of the Explorer and stomped over to the group.

  He knew he watched Sawyer, but he didn’t need Elijah’s constant reminders. He just… couldn’t stop watching her.

  He needed to stay focused on the task at hand. The morning of talking to her was one thing, but now was the time for the mess they had been thrust into. He’d been distracted enough just by thinking about her and what had happened right before they were thrown into Texas. He needed to put it aside for a moment. He couldn’t be thinking of her while they were trying to find their answers.

  “Let’s make this quick. Jasper and Sawyer, you will both get into the home and unlock the doors. We’ll leave things as undisturbed as possible. We don’t want him or any other occupants returning home to think someone had been here.”

  “Of course,” Jasper affirmed, nodding.

  “Quinn, you and your boys can patrol the property. Keep an eye out for anyone showing up.”

  Vincent was glad to see Quinn nod and immediately shift into his wolf form. The pack of wolves got to business quickly.

  They didn’t say much else, just aimless chatter as they got closer to the house. Vincent was on edge about it. This wasn’t the first time they had done something like this, and he trusted Sawyer to behave appropriately.

  He just wasn’t at ease with how little they knew about the sheriff. They chose this time of day to avoid any children, who should be at school, but Jasper found nothing about the sheriff having children. He was once married, but his wife seemed to have disappeared five years ago.

  The sheriff held secrets. They were distracting the team from the case at hand because they were pressing enough to need to be dealt with, not ignored or swept aside. Vincent only hoped those secrets tied back into the case at hand, because he was tired of having cases with so many secrets. So many twists and angles that made him stretch so hard to figure it out.

  He watched Sawyer and Jasper go through the front door. They would clear the house before unlocking the doors, just in case.

  A clatter and a few screams changed all of their plans.

  “Elijah, get the door open,” Vincent ordered. Elijah didn’t bother using magic. Vincent heard wood splinter as Elijah kicked the door completely off its hinges, sending it flying into the building.

  Vincent took point, his sidearm out, ready for action. With Zander and Elijah silent behind him, they walked slowly into the house, prepared for anything.

  The cold was first thing Vincent noticed. A cold he knew well.

  Something had made Sawyer furious or upset. He laid eyes on Jasper in the living, still as a statue. His eyes took in the scene carefully after confirming there were no injuries on Jasper. Just shock.

  A boy on the couch, pale and thin, A large bruise on the child’s cheek. He couldn’t have been more than eight. Vincent continued into the house as Zander passed him to see the boy. Nothing could stop Vincent’s wince as the boy screamed and ran from Zander to hide somewhere else. Zander didn’t move after him, taking the hint to not try and play doctor yet.

  Vincent found Sawyer near the small kitchen. A young teenage girl, with another younger girl behind her. Somewhere around fourteen for the older one, Vincent guessed. Ten, at most, for the younger. The older girl had a large kitc
hen knife, ready to attack anyone who came closer. Both kids in the kitchen were pale in fear. And the younger girl had a black eye.

  Secrets. So many secrets hiding in this tiny town run by a Magi whose loyalties were now clear.

  These children, his children, were also Magi. And he beat them.

  This was officially now an IMPO governed situation in all ways. Vincent could also no longer guarantee the sheriff’s safety until he was seen by the agents in the Dallas office. And Vincent didn’t care much about the sheriff’s safety.

  “Sawyer,” Vincent called out as Elijah moved around him as well. He needed to know that Sawyer wasn’t about to fly off the handle. The room was cold, but nothing else gave away her feelings. She didn’t turn to him, and he had no idea what her expression could possibly be, but he knew that a situation like this…

  “Why are you here?” The oldest girl called out in anger. “Why are you in our home?”

  “Put the knife down,” Sawyer commanded with such an authority that that left no room for disobedience. Vincent was shocked that the girl did put the knife on the counter, but the two young ones took several steps back, all the way into the corner of the kitchen. The oldest girl must have known the knife wouldn’t have helped her, anyway. “We aren’t here to hurt you.”

  “We’re agents from the International Magi Police Organization,” Elijah said calmly, walking over to Sawyer. Vincent watched a large hand slide up Sawyer’s back as Elijah tried to get around her. “Why aren’t you in school? Will you tell us your names?”

  “We’re homeschooled,” the teenager hissed, pushing her younger sister further behind her. But Vincent saw the girl’s face soften. “What business is it to you?”

  “By who? And you haven’t given me your names, yet.” Elijah asked, patiently. Vincent looked over to Jasper, who locked eyes with the boy, now hiding toward a hallway.

  “Me? My name is Cara. This is my little sister, Samantha, and that is Bucky.” Cara finished with a point to the boy. “Bucky, come here.”

  They were all still as the youngest child, the bruised-cheeked boy ran to his older sister. They all looked like siblings, so Vincent was going to assume that they were.

  “Cara, have you finished your education? How old are you?” Elijah asked gently, continuing the soft interrogation. Vincent watched his hand on Sawyer’s back curl and grab a handful of her shirt.

  “I’m fifteen and no, I haven’t finished my school yet,” Cara whispered. “But I had to take over when…”

  “When what?” Sawyer growled softly.

  “When our older brother started leaving during the day. He used to be in charge of us, but he’s been busy.” Cara was suddenly nervous and uncomfortable, Vincent noted.

  He made a mental checklist, something he knew Jasper was doing as well. These children were Magi, they were obviously being hurt, mostly likely by Stevenson. They had to be removed from the home and transported into the care of the closest IMPO headquarters, Dallas.

  Three children would require four caretakers, one for each and an extra. Vincent ran that through. He knew better than to try and convince Sawyer. She would want to stay, and he would let her. Stevenson was a God-fearing man, and Vincent was already planning on letting Sawyer show him that God was not the only thing to fear.

  He wondered who else would stay. Himself, maybe. He nearly wanted to.

  “Who hurts you?” Elijah asked gently, pulling Sawyer back as he stepped around her and closer to the children. Vincent watched Sawyer step back and turn. He could finally see her face. He’d seen it before, in Atlanta, in the hanger bay.

  “Dad says that naughty children who consort with evil must be disciplined,” Cara told him, and Vincent’s jaw tensed as he saw the oldest girl begin to shake.

  “Shh, Cara, shh,” Elijah walked closer to her. “Can I make you a promise? We are going to take you away from here. We’re going to take you to people who can take care of you without hurting you.”

  “He’ll come after us,” Cara told him, whispering as she wrapped an arm around Bucky. “Then Mom… Will Samantha and Bucky stay with me? We won’t be separated? Mom told us to stay together, no matter what. You said… you said you’re the police, right? You’ll keep him from catching us?”

  “We are the Magi police, yes,” Vincent called out. “No one will separate you, and we won’t let your father come get you. We just want to make sure you are safe. Where is your mother?”

  “Gone,” Cara mumbled, looking at him. Vincent saw the haunted look in her eyes. “She left us.”

  “Sawyer, do you think they will come willingly? Do you think they will trust us to leave with us?” Vincent directed it telepathically to her. He watched her face change, so slightly to something sad. A small nod from her.

  “Come outside and speak with me?” Another small nod from her. He figured she needed some air, and he needed to ask her more questions.

  “Elijah, will you help Cara and her siblings pack something? Jasper, Zander, assist them. Zander, call Quinn back in when you’re done,” Vincent told them. Nods all around. He was glad, for just a moment, that his team followed orders. They got started immediately, gently convincing the children quietly to follow them.

  He turned and left, Sawyer hot on his heels. They walked a clear distance from the broken front door before Vincent turned back to Sawyer.

  “What’s your advice?” he asked her. She had dealt with children like this before. He watched her face change from the cold mask, felt her magic lash out from her with nothing to direct it. It was like riding out one of Quinn’s outbursts with less power. She was strong, but she wasn’t Quinn. She was colder, though, and sharp. The feeling of her magic was a like a blade, and Vincent was thankful that it wouldn’t truly cut him.

  “Get them something to eat,” Sawyer whispered, crossing her arms. “Don’t treat them as invalids. I normally had Charlie doing what Elijah did in there. Charlie did the talking while I just listened, trying to control myself in front of the younger children. Remember that… sometimes they know it’s wrong, and sometimes they don’t. In this case, I’m nearly certain that Cara knows this is wrong. I’m assuming, based on what she said, that Stevenson’s abuse is recent.”

  “His wife disappeared, left the scene, five years ago. No one really knows what happened to her,” Vincent reminded her.

  “How long has he been Sheriff?” Sawyer asked, looking back towards the house.

  “Fifteen years,” Vincent let her know. He knew where she was taking this, and the thought was chilling. “The wife didn’t disappear. You think she’s dead. It would be the easiest assumption. Or that she left, something drove her away, maybe the sheriff himself.”

  “And Stevenson lost his mind or blamed it on the kids... or killed her himself. He could just be an alcoholic in private, but with what Cara said…” Sawyer shook her head. “There’s a few ways this could have happened, but honestly, Vincent… I don’t care what lead him to this. It just needs to stop.”

  “Who do you want to stay with you?” Vincent asked her. He watched a moment of shock pass over her face as she looked back to him. “I recommend anyone except Jasper.”

  “You know, that’s what I like about Jasper,” Sawyer said quickly. “He’s always good, always has been and always will be. There’s no bad in him. It’s nearly inspiring. I want Elijah to stay with me, though. You and the others are taking the kids to…”

  “Dallas,” Vincent said, filling in the gap. “To hand them over to the headquarters there. They’ll probably be sent out to Atlanta after that.”

  “To the orphanage,” Sawyer groaned. “Not the worst place, and they will get to stay together…”

  “If any relatives are found, they’ll be sent over once their mental health has been evaluated. The WMC won’t keep them at the orphanage unless there are no other options.” Vincent sighed. “Why Elijah?”

  “Reasons,” she mumbled, as they watched Zander walk out with the youngest, the boy. Bucky. Vincent c
ommitted the names to memory. Cara, the oldest, Samantha, the younger girl, and Bucky, the boy. He needed to use their names, show them he was paying attention, make them feel more comfortable.

  He didn’t like Sawyer’s answer for wanting Elijah to stay behind. He knew there were reasons, but he wanted to know what those were. He wasn’t sure he wanted to ask, though. He would talk to Elijah before they left with the children. He checked his watch. It was still mid-morning. They had plenty of time. The earliest the sheriff would be back was lunch, if he decided to come home for that.

  “Why are you letting me stay?” Sawyer asked, looking back at him. “You know what I’m going to do.” The violence he saw in her eyes scared him a little. Less now than when he’d first met her, but it still brought a touch of fear to his heart. She was a scary person, Sawyer Matthews. Thief, vigilante, assassin. He now knew exactly why she seemed to put people around her on edge. The knowledge of why didn’t stop something in him from being slightly scared of her, though.

  “I know that justice sometimes requires blood. I never had a problem with what you did in New York,” Vincent told her, crossing his arms, giving her the most honest answer he could. “Sawyer, I grew up in a family who broke legs. Not quite as bad as the Russians, mind you, but we did it, nonetheless.” Well, not him. Vincent had never taken a bat to someone’s leg, but he knew his father called enforcers to do it. He knew after his mother died, his father had her lover doused in acid. Vincent didn’t agree with it, but now seeing her and seeing those kids, he understood it. And he understood her more seeing it in person.

  And he wasn’t so perfect, like Jasper, that he would try and stop Sawyer. Maybe she would also get some information out of the sheriff.

  “Well, damn,” Sawyer huffed. “I forgot about that for a second.”

  “I’m not going to stand in your way. We need to leave people behind to get handcuffs on him without causing a scene in town. He’ll come home and get arrested in private. Simpler. I don’t like only leaving two of us, but we also can’t risk the sheriff bolting when he realizes his kids have been taken.” Vincent continued explaining his reasoning. This was the on the job training she needed. The understanding to protocol. “Four adults need to accompany the kids. We like a one-to-one with a spare to make sure every child has a guardian of some sort.”