Lion's Claw: Spirit Sorceress: Book 2

by D. L. Harrison

  I barked a laugh in agreement as I stood up, “Mondays are evil.”

  She snickered, “Have fun playing with the wolves.”

  I blushed, my thoughts immediately going to my dream last night.

  “Right, see you later,” I muttered in embarrassment, and got out of there before she could ask me about my strange reaction.

  This morning had played out in my mind a thousand times. We’d share a look and then I’d tell him all of it, explain what we were, and… just everything. Then I hoped we’d talk like adults, and either let it go, or give it a chance despite the insane obstacles in our way.

  Obviously, I’d been hoping for the latter result all morning, but was prepared for the former as well. The intimacy we shared in the dream had connected us, and never in a million years did I expect what actually happened.

  When I let the pack in, Jared didn’t even look at me, and seemed completely uninterested. Was he embarrassed or ashamed of his dream? Disgusted with himself? That he wanted me? Or did he not remember it at all? Either way, he didn’t even look at me or say hello, much less talk to me.

  Jared said loudly, “Let’s get to work people. Harris, Cade, you’re with me,” and as the sound of his voice ripped me apart, he retreated toward the burned up bathrooms with the twins in tow, and a bag full of tools.

  Bob grunted, “I don’t know what’s going on with him, but something crawled up his ass this morning. It’s nice to see you mini-vamp. Have a good weekend?”

  I swallowed the bile and cleared my throat, “It was fine, although I had no luck finding that rogue shifter. Not yet anyway.”

  Bob shook his head, “That’s pack business.”

  I winked, “Maybe it is dog breath, but keeping the secret is ours. If the detectives figure something out, we need to be in the loop. The guys killed what, three so far?”

  Bob cleared his throat, “Four, but you didn’t hear that from me. That also makes me sad, I totally brushed my teeth this morning, just for you.”

  I giggled, “Thanks Bob, I need to do something in the back. I’ll be back out later.”

  Bob muttered, “Crazy mini-vampire.”

  He’d cheered me up momentarily, but as soon as I was alone in the kitchen area I felt like I was suffocating. I took a few deep breaths, and then finished walking through and into the office in the back. None of the stuff in the kitchen or office was damaged, so I didn’t expect any company. I sat in the chair and leaned back, hoped I didn’t fall out, and spirit walked.

  Between Jared, and the lion shifter, I was having a bad day.

  I’d searched the city fairly quickly for the second time, but didn’t find any lion shifters at all. Not even Carly. I checked with the detectives, they didn’t know anything new, which wasn’t surprising at all. I considered maybe eight was too early, some people didn’t get to work until nine, or even later.

  I decided I’d check again later, but as long as I was out of body, I might as well check the forest too, and the pack’s territory north of the city. It only took a few seconds, and I didn’t find a shifter. I did find a human though, right around where I’d found that body. So I stopped and took a look. The man had a shovel, and looked to be digging another shallow grave.

  So I reached out with the power of elemental spirit to read him. I had the magic focused on him tightly, and that’s when I felt it. A little bit of fire and earth magic, and some spirit magic as well. It would have been so easy to miss. I had missed it. And I couldn’t believe what I was reading from his soul.

  Then I did feel Carly, she was with Ted, and they were moving quickly toward us. I skimmed her quick, since I’d already read her anyway. She’d stayed with the pack last night, thank Inari she hadn’t slept with Jared, I don’t think I could have taken that. They’d set up motion sensors out here, and were springing a trap. But I wasn’t all that sure they could face it, just the two of them.

  I returned to my body and grabbed my phone while I sent Jared a message in mind speech to get out front now. I hoped it pissed him off, but I was pretty sure he’d be curious enough to actually do it anyway. But then I’d been wrong about him before, Inari knows.

  In just a couple of seconds I was in my car, with the passenger door open. I opened my phone and called Lisa.

  Jared asked angrily, “What is so damned important.”

  I said, “Carly and Ted are in danger, we need to go now, get in.”

  Lisa answered, “Hello?” as Jared growled at me and slid in the passenger seat.

  Is it wrong that his growl turned me on a bit? Maybe because of his scent too.

  “Lisa, it’s me. The killer’s name is Patrick Needleman. He’s human and he’s dumping another body now. He’s got some artifact, or what he thinks of as an artifact. A Lion’s claw ring. I know that sounds crazy, but some idiot Spirit sorcerer bound a lion shifter’s soul to one of his own claws. Basically, when a human puts the ring on, it will shift them.

  “Patrick wasn’t very well balanced before he got the ring, but now he’s completely crazy, and worse, the rings power makes him a very powerful shifter, much more so than a normal one. Anyway, I have Jared in the car with me, and were going to where he is now, hopefully before Ted and Carly get hurt.”

  I kind of doubted that though. I flew down the highway doing over a hundred, my spirit power playing cop radar, but I doubted we’d make it before it was too late. I went on explaining things.

  “As far as the murders go, it has nothing to do with territory, he just picked that spot because it was remote. He doesn’t even know real shifters exist, he thinks the ring is some magical spell a wizard cooked up. He’s totally ignorant of our world. His victims are all people who have hurt his business over the years. Two months ago he was forced to file for bankruptcy and lost his life’s work that he put into the business, and now he’s getting his revenge.”

  Lisa asked, “Alright, be careful, what do you need from me?”

  I smiled, “Send someone to Legends? And maybe have someone check on Needleman’s place? I’ll call you later, we’re almost there.”

  I hit end and dropped the phone in the drink holder.

  Jared looked really angry when I looked over. Well, too bad.

  Jared asked angrily, “How do you know all that? You were told to stay out of it.”

  I shrugged, “I’d planned to, but I was told to look into it. To make sure the detectives didn’t decide that the things that go bump in the night are real. As for how I knew all that, I read Needleman’s soul when I caught him dumping the latest body. Umm, think out of body experience.”

  “When we get there, you will stay out of it. In fact, stay in the damned car!” he growled out.

  That kind of pissed me off, and turned me on at the same time. On balance, I went with pissed off. Mainly because it was obvious he’d never ask me for help, so I wouldn’t be able to help him. Damned protective alpha. On the other hand, it was a solid indication he truly cared about me in at least some fashion, even if it was alpha male nonsense.

  I pulled off the main road and gunned it, the tires bit and sent gravel flying as my car shot into the state park. Damn, I loved my car’s speed, I just hoped I hadn’t already scratched it. The dealer said it had that space age crap on it though, so it should be fine. I pulled off into the parking lot and jumped out.

  He started to get undressed and growled at me to get back in the car.

  I smiled sweetly at him but I imagine my eyes were stony as I said in honeyed tones, “Catch up if you can alpha,” and shifted as quick as a blink, clothes, sunglasses, and all, and took off at vampire speed toward the dump site. I only wished I could have seen the look on his face. Then again, maybe it was better I hadn’t.

  As I got within a half a mile, I only felt Ted’s and Carly’s souls, Needleman must be gone. They also felt alive, but weren’t moving…

  Chapter 10

  By the time Jared arrived, I was already back in human form and checking them over. I couldn’t help, not unl
ess anyone asked, but they wouldn’t need it, they’d be fine.

  I stood up and faced him when he growled at me.

  “Needleman’s gone, and these two got very lucky.”

  He growled deeper and then changed. I guess he didn’t know I could hear mind speech. Had Reah not told him?

  He asked in a tight voice, “How the hell is this lucky?”

  I waved a hand at them, “They’re clawed in the neck and chest, same as his human victims. Do you remember me telling Lisa he knows nothing of our world? If he had, he would’ve finished the job. He left them for dead, because he didn’t know any better, and he was too spooked to think it through. They’ll heal, but it will take a while.”

  He sighed, “I understand, and you’re right. You’re going to drive me crazy, I told you to wait in the car.”

  I shrugged and smiled impudently at him. If he wanted a retiring flower he’d have to look elsewhere. Although, I could be soft too. Just not when ordered around.

  “Can you help them?”

  I nodded, “Since you asked so nicely.”

  I connected to their souls, and fed them both as much spirit magic as their souls could handle.

  “They’ll heal about eight times faster now, but it will still take time.”

  He grunted, “Any idea where he is now?”

  I smiled, he asked me for two things, maybe this won’t be so bad after all. Although I had no delusions he’d ask for help in a fight.

  “I can check, watch my body? I’ll be right back.”

  I smiled in satisfaction when I saw his jaw clench at my choice of words. I almost said something about the dream, but it wasn’t the time, or the place.

  I sat on the ground and then laid back, and spirit walked. Normally it would be impossible for me to find a human soul in a sea of human souls, but only if I hadn’t read it completely. I knew his soul well and read it thoroughly, it would stick out for me. I did a quick search of the area, and then headed toward his home. He was halfway there already.

  I popped back into my body, “I think he’s going home, he’s halfway there.”

  Jared grunted, “Someone should be here soon to help, I don’t want to leave yet. I called them before I shifted back.”

  He bent down and checked on them both himself. He was truly concerned about both, and while that warmed my heart and told me he was a good man and pack alpha, I couldn’t help the twinge of jealousy at the gentle concern he showed with Carly. I squashed the feeling though, I knew it was stupid. They had history yes, but what I’d read from Carly told me they were close friends more than anything.

  Two wolves showed up to take over watching over them, apparently four more were coming in human form to carry them out on stretchers. They should be fine in a couple of days, but until then the less they were jostled around the better. Jared and I returned to the car, and chased after Needleman.

  The drive was rather tense, and when we pulled up to Needleman’s house twenty minutes later, I couldn’t feel his soul.

  “Crap, if he stopped here he’s gone now.”

  Jared asked tightly, “If he stopped?”

  I shrugged helplessly, “He was headed in the direction of his house, at the time I read him he had his house on his mind, but he could have changed his mind and just kept going south. He wasn’t exactly planning anything at the time.”

  Jared grunted, “That was what, a half hour ago, can you look again?”

  I nodded, “Sure, be right back,” and spirit walked.

  I searched up and down Seattle again, then back north, then east toward the forest, then south toward Tacoma which should be as far as he could have gotten in a half an hour. Unless he’d really been blowing the speed limit, then he could be farther south. Either way, I couldn’t find him anywhere on the roads or nearby them. I returned to my body.

  “He’s gone.”

  Jared frowned, “What do you mean he’s gone?”

  I sighed, and explained all the places that I’d looked and how far.

  Jared nodded but he looked frustrated and said, “Fine, let’s check his house, see if he stopped here or not.”

  I wasn’t sure how that would help, but it couldn’t hurt. I’d read his mind, and although I didn’t know where he’d went, searching through the memories would be just as good as searching the house for clues. We got out of the car, and approached the house. It was in an affluent neighborhood, and there was a realtor’s sign out front.

  We went up to the front door and Jared grunted, “He was here, maybe twenty-five minutes ago.”

  I wondered if breaking in was the best thing, when Jared forced the door open and stepped inside. He seemed to know exactly where he was going as he took the stairs up to the second floor, and walked to the back of the house. I followed him into the bedroom, and towards the closet.

  The whole house looked eerily familiar, and despite him being a serial killer and insane, I felt a little guilty being here.

  Jared frowned, “Look at this, he came home, went up to his bedroom closet, and didn’t pack any clothes. Then he left. So what did he come here for?”

  I closed my eyes and ran through his memories, and then opened my eyes and looked in the closet.

  “He did, he took two suits, also…” I trailed off as I slid by him and into the closet. In the back I moved a pile of blankets over, and then typed in his safe combination, and popped it open.

  I turned and looked up at him, “He took about fifteen grand in cash. It was his emergency funds. Who knows where he could be by now?”

  He shook his head and asked, “You tell me.”

  I sighed, “He didn’t have any solid plans for if he got caught, much less if he ran into the supernatural. The money was attached to the concept of in case of emergency, but not much more than that.”

  Jared cursed under his breath and then said, “We need to stop him before he completely loses it and goes shifter in public.”

  I nodded, “I know, can we put someone to watching the house? I think he’ll come back eventually, he’s obsessed with revenge, to make people pay for their crimes against him.”

  At least I hoped so, the shock of the supernatural world might have knocked that obsession out of him.

  Jared sighed and said in annoyance, “Yes, and I imagine if I don’t, you will.”

  I smiled and said teasingly, “Well, you know us vampires, we’re all so well behaved, and all those bored security men back at the coven need something to do.”

  He snorted and pulled his phone out to make arrangements, and we headed back to the car…

  We were at a dead end for now, so we headed back toward Legends. It started to feel awkward between us, and I knew why. I needed to stop being a coward and say something. I wished I felt even half as confident as I did last night in his dream, when I’d given myself to him. Now it all seemed… so far away.

  “Jared, we should talk, do you have time today, maybe after you guys are done today?”

  He didn’t answer for a long moment, at least he wasn’t playing stupid and asking why, that was a relief. By why the long pause?

  He finally nodded and I saw him studying me out of the corner of my eyes. It was obvious he was attracted to me by the look in his eyes, but I already knew that. The problem was that he also looked hesitant and conflicted.

  “If there’s time, there’s a lot going on right now and I have a pack to look after,” he finally said.

  I froze for a second, and then nodded. I guess he just told me where I sat on his priority list, and although I expected to come second to his pack, it still wasn’t pleasant to hear it out loud, even before we’d discussed anything. Either way, I needed to lighten the mood before I had a breakdown.

  I pulled into the parking lot and asked, “So, you guys like pizza right? Is fifteen enough for lunch?”

  Jared snickered, “Barely, better be safe and get twenty.”

  Two pizzas each? They must break the bank when they go food shopping. I pulled out my phon
e and ordered fifteen meat lovers and five supreme, and then we went back inside. Jared made a beeline back to the bathrooms, had he wanted to get away from me that badly? I went back to the office and sat on the desk, Cheryl was in the office chair.

  “Hey Cheryl, you can go if you want? Thanks for covering.”

  She shivered, “How do you handle it? I always feel like they’re one second away from tearing me apart, and I have to resist the urge to kill them first.”

  I shrugged, “They don’t bother me like that, magic thing. Apparently they don’t want to kill me either.”

  She snorted, “That’s… not really reassuring Miku.”

  I laughed, “I suppose not, for you anyway, maybe you should sneak out the back.”

  Cheryl nodded, “Good idea, if you need more coverage… don’t call me.”

  She smiled to take the sting out of it, and then took off. Just a second later I heard the back door slam shut. I circled the desk and took a seat in the chair, and then leaned back and closed my eyes. Maybe I should pick up a good book, werewolf sitting was going to be boring.

  I decided as long as I sat here I’d go over Needleman’s memories again. I didn’t find anything. He had no summer home, no cabin in the woods, no friend with cabin, or a boat. He’d been a quiet loner, no family, no friends. There was just nothing there to tell me where he’d go next, or where he’d hide. Wherever it was, it had been a spontaneous decision on his part, after I’d read him.

  I wasn’t sure what to do, except to check for him in the area every once in a while. What else could I do? It felt like there should be something more I could do, but I couldn’t imagine what it was.

  I was missing something obvious.

  My mind bounced between the need to find Patrick, and to talk to Jared later with the hope things worked out, and all the other small dramas with the coven. I wondered when the next rogue would come along, the rape gang hadn’t been much of a challenge, although I supposed that was a stupid thing to complain about.