Shadow's Messenger: An Aileen Travers Novel

by T. A. White

  “It’s not me who’s betrayed you,” I forced out. “How many people did Victor send you out after in search of that locket and watch fob? Ten? Twenty? How long are you going to kill for him?”

  He drew back, the madness still very present in his eyes.

  How much of the doctor remained? Enough to feel anger at being turned into a weapon? Or was that person gone? Erased by a prison camp and the rage that made him cling to life long after it was time to move on?

  He bared his teeth, hissing again.

  He spun and loped up the stairs on all fours.

  The breath trapped in my chest finally escaped.

  When I got out of this, I was going to take up a job with zero danger. No running errands for sorcerers or accepting foolhardy deals. No marks. No magic and definitely no undead monsters.

  Chapter Fifteen

  People were arguing upstairs. Sounded like Victor and Angela. If I concentrated, I could barely make out what they were saying.

  “She should be dead already.”

  “I have a plan.”

  “I don’t understand why you would keep her alive. She knows everything. If she escapes, she’ll tell everyone. Any plan you have won’t mean anything if you’re too dead to reap its rewards.”

  I had a feeling the ‘she’ they were talking about was me. Angela seemed dead set on my death. I knew why, and she was right, as a witness my testimony would damn them with each of their kind.

  I didn’t know why she needed my death right this minute. I was chained in a basement with silver. Unless I developed super strength or lock picking skills in the next couple of hours, I wasn’t going anywhere or telling anyone their secrets.

  “Baby, trust me. You know I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”

  Whatever else Victor said was lost as he lowered his voice. There was a soft giggle and then the two became occupied with other things.

  Angela was a lot more naive than I’d thought to be seduced so easily by someone who obviously had a hidden agenda. She’d possibly turned against her own mentor as I still wasn’t sure what roll Miriam had played in this. Killed for him. They were a regular Bonnie and Clyde, if Clyde had secretly planned to off Bonnie in the last act.

  I put my head back and closed my eyes.

  Odd. I was tired. Maybe since I’d been up half the day, my body was now craving the sleep I didn’t get.

  Something was kicking my foot. There was a sharp pain in my knee, and I came all the way awake with a start. I jerked forward. The chains wrenched me back.

  Angela laughed as I struggled and slapped at what was holding me in place.

  I stopped, looking around as the cobwebs began to clear from my brain.

  I wasn’t in the basement anymore. I was in a cemetery. The same cemetery I’d landed in last night. Gravestones peeked from the ground in military straight lines. Rows and rows of them. It wasn’t a huge cemetery, but it was big enough.

  My sleepiness in the basement hadn’t been natural. Given the smug look on Angela’s face, I had the feeling she’d given my rest a magical boost.

  I looked up at the sky. The stars were visible, the moon still low in the horizon. I hadn’t been out long. Maybe a couple hours at most.

  The draugr appeared from the shadows beside me, his stench announcing his presence as effectively as a trumpeted introduction.

  Angela grimaced and turned away. Victor’s nose twitched, but otherwise he didn’t reveal any discomfort.

  “Hey buddy, this place work for you?” Victor asked.

  The thing that used to be Jackson Miller stared vacantly into the distance.

  Victor waited expectantly, the genial look fading from his face as the draugr continued to stare.

  “I have no idea why you wanted to do this here. You’ve had no problem with any of the other locations.”

  Graves. We were at his grave. The draugr was trying to keep our bargain.

  Not that it helped me at that moment. I’d envisioned having my hands free and not being chained to a headstone when I proposed this location.

  “Let’s just kill her and move on to the next part of the plan,” Angela whined.

  “No, it has to be by the draugr’s hands.”

  “Why? You said the alpha already knows you’re behind this. It doesn’t matter who does the killing any more as long as she ends up dead.”

  He snarled, his eyes flashing to wolf. Angela stepped back from the rage on his face, fear tightening the skin on her face.

  “Stupid girl. Do I need to explain everything to you? If I kill her, both the wolves and the vampires will be gunning for us. If the draugr kills her, the vampires will blame Brax for abandoning her in battle.”

  “And they’ll fight amongst themselves,” Angela finished.

  “Even if the wolves win, they’ll be weakened, and it’ll be easy for us to take control.”

  “I don’t think it’ll be as easy as you think,” I said as I tested my restraints. Free, I had a chance. If I remained tied down like this, I was as good as dead.

  “What would you know?” Angela asked with a sneer.

  “Quite a lot actually. The vampires already know who the mastermind behind all this is. They know you have the draugr’s treasures and are using them to control him. There’s not going to be a war. Just the execution of two idiots on a power trip.”

  “That’s impossible. The vampires wouldn’t trust a word the wolves said,” Victor said.

  “Maybe not, but they’ll trust my word.”

  They both laughed at that.

  “And how will you tell them once you’re dead,” Angela said. “Vampires don’t leave ghosts or shades. This time, you die forever and your secrets go with you.”

  I shrugged. “That’s okay. They already know.”

  Victor tensed. “What’s she talking about?”

  “Nothing. She’s lying.”

  “Am I?” My gaze shifted to Victor. “You should be able to tell, right? At least Brax could. You’re not weaker than Brax are you?”

  He closed his eyes and sniffed, drawing scents deep into his lungs. He opened his eyes as they shifted to amber.

  “She’s not lying,” he growled. He whirled and sent a fist into one of the headstones. It broke in half.

  “How?” Angela asked, her eyes wide in horror. “When did she have the time?”

  I allowed a small smirk.

  Their plans were crumbling around them much like that headstone had under Victor’s fist. It felt good to be the one responsible for that. Even if I died here, they wouldn’t achieve their goals.

  “Does it really matter how?” I asked as my gaze shifted to Angela. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Miriam knows of your involvement. I told the vampires where she lived so I’m sure they’ve notified her. I wonder what witches do to misbehaving apprentices. If it’s anything like what a sorcerer does when he’s upset, you’re in for a very painful death. If I was either of you, I’d be making a beeline for the border. Remain around here, you’re bound to wind up dead.”

  “Oh God,” Angela said. “Miriam can track me. It’s only a matter of time before she catches up to us.”

  Victor glared at me. He smiled, his mouth turning cruel. “No. We still have the draugr. You said yourself it couldn’t be killed. We finish her, and then we strike at our enemies before they have time to regroup.”

  Damn.

  They weren’t running. My bluff hadn’t worked. I was going to die. Probably horribly painfully.

  “Buddy, we’re here like you asked. Kill her.”

  The draugr’s mad eyes finally shifted to me, and he smiled. It was a smile that spoke of evil deeds done in the dark. Things that man had forgotten or tried to forget. It sent tremors coursing through my body.

  Whatever part of Jackson Miller that had convinced them to move the scene to this graveyard was gone. Only madness and hunger remained.

  My back pressed hard into the cool of the headstone. If I could, I would have tried to climb through
it to escape what was coming.

  I yanked at the chain, hissing as the silver stung my palms. The chain didn’t budge.

  The draugr crept closer. His head doing that bird thing as his eyes fixed on me.

  Fuck. Fuck.

  I yanked harder, watching him come closer and closer.

  I bared my fangs and hissed and snapped as he reached for me with one bony hand.

  A blur came out of the dark and barreled into the creature, spinning him away from me. The draugr landed on the ground with a snapping, growling wolf on him.

  Dark ichor flew as the wolf sank teeth and nails in its victim.

  “Brax,” Victor snarled, his face sprouting fur. His bones shifted and popped as his snout lengthened and ears grew from the top of his head.

  I yanked harder at my chain. How did they get this stupid thing wrapped so tightly? At the very least I should have been able to slide it over the headstone.

  “Kill the vampire,” Victor ordered. His words were crisp and sharp despite the fangs that suddenly lined his gums.

  “I would prefer you didn’t,” Liam said, landing between us.

  He appeared to have dropped in from the sky. I looked up. Did he fly? Vampires could fly? Could I fly?

  “I understand why you want her dead,” he said. “She is rather vexing, but I have business with her later which requires her to be alive and kicking.”

  Looks like the cavalry was here and working together despite Miriam’s certainty that the species couldn’t put aside differences long enough to get anything done.

  Since Brax was distracting the draugr and Liam was keeping the witch occupied, I turned my attention to getting free.

  I examined the headstone. The silver chain wrapped in a loop around the stone and was hammered into the ground by a spike. It made slipping free impossible.

  I cringed as rock flew by, followed by the body of a wolf.

  Maybe if I broke the headstone, I could slip the pieces free and then use the slack in the chains to slide free myself.

  I threw my back against the stone, again and again. It. Wasn’t. Working.

  Angela raised her hands. They sparked green and purple before the two colors curled up her arms.

  With a bored face, Liam watched as she raised them and threw something at him. He dodged. The purplish green landed on a grave two over from me. The stone melted.

  I threw myself harder against the stone. Needed to get away from here.

  A second wolf flew past me to tackle Brax as he savaged the draugr’s arm. He knocked Brax away and ripped at him. Blood flew as angry snarls and pained yelps followed.

  “How is it that you continue to find the worst circumstances to insert yourself into?” an irate voice said next to my ear.

  “Peter! What are you doing here?”

  He sighed and pointed at the mark on my arm. “That mark means I can track you, idiot vampire.”

  Same old Peter. Good to know he hadn’t changed when shit hit the fan.

  “Okay, less talking, more freeing,” I said.

  He seemed in the mood to chat. “Your vampire and wolf friends needed someone to track you, and since they’ve both seen the mark, they were able to find me and insist I help them locate you.”

  I gave him a surprised look. And he did it?

  He rolled his eyes at me, appearing like the teenager his looks suggested.

  “They gave a convincing argument. So here I am.”

  Yes, but I would prefer he be helping me escape.

  “How nice. So glad you grew a pair. Now if you could just help me get free.”

  “It’s not all bad being here. The vampire and wolf alpha have a much better chance recovering my items than you. Of course, since you actually didn’t play a part in me regaining them, it means you will still owe me that hundred years.”

  “Wait, what? No, I’m the one who found the draugr. I’m the one who uncovered the plot, and I’m the one who figured out who had your stupid locket and watch fob. No way can you say I didn’t help.”

  He shrugged. “Since you’re a little tied up, you won’t be able to assist in their actual retrieval.”

  That was bullshit.

  “That’s bullshit.”

  He smiled.

  I really wanted to knock his smug, little teenage-self back on his ass.

  “What will it take for you to help me get free?”

  He lifted one shoulder and brushed a lock of hair from his forehead. The cuff on his wrist shifted.

  “Fine,” I said. “I’ll undo the first lock if you get these chains off me. It should give you some of your powers back.”

  He held up his hand and jiggled it. The cuff taunted me.

  “Nope. Not doing both locks. It’s one or none.”

  He gave the chains surrounding me a significant look.

  I glared, not willing to give up my one piece of leverage but also not seeing another way out of this.

  Liam sailed through the air and landed next to us. He didn’t move, just lay there with his back to us.

  Angela sauntered over with a smirk on her face. “Guess vampires aren’t as dangerous as everybody says. One good shot and he’s out cold. Pathetic.” Her eyes began to glow green as she turned her attention to us. “Now, let’s get you taken care of so my honey and I can take this to the next level.”

  “Both locks. I’ll release both locks.”

  “Deal.”

  He reached behind me and dropped a liquid onto the stake holding the chains in place.

  “Hurry, hurry, hurry,” I chanted as Angela stalked closer.

  “It’s working as fast as it can. The bitch put a spell on the thing so it wouldn’t budge.”

  “She’s almost here. Do something.”

  The sorcerer glanced up as Angela neared. Her glowing eyes gave her entire face a greenish cast. She looked possessed and furious.

  “Crap. You’re on your own.”

  He turned and ran, leaving me gaping after him.

  “What about our deal?” I yelled.

  He waved one hand and kept going.

  “You really shouldn’t put any trust in sorcerers,” Angela said, flicking her hair behind her. “They’re not known for being particularly brave.”

  “Says the woman who plans to kill me while I’m tied down and can’t defend myself.”

  I wiggled against the chains and was surprised when they gave. It wasn’t much, just enough slack for me to lean forward.

  She gave a shrug of acknowledgement. “Fair enough.”

  The chains loosened further as I rocked back and forth.

  “Why do this?” I asked. There was just enough room to shift one arm free. Whatever the sorcerer had put on that stake was working. My struggles were loosening it. “Miriam doesn’t seem that bad. I’m sure she’ll forgive and forget if you just go home and apologize.”

  She made a derisive sound. “That old hag never forgives and she never forgets. I wouldn’t go back to her even if I could. There’s nothing for me there. For years I’ve listened to her nag about balance and choices and never once did she teach me about the things she promised would be mine in time.”

  The chains slipped around my chest as Angela vented. I leaned forward creating more room.

  I was beginning to see why Miriam hadn’t taught Angela the stronger stuff. The girl was a little crazy. There was a major persecution complex there. Probably made her easy pickings for an opportunist like Victor.

  “She’ll see, though. I’ll make them all see. The one laughing in the end will be me. They will all bow.”

  “Oh man, come on. Enough with the ‘woe is me’ shit. No one cares. Life is hard. Blah, blah, blah. It didn’t go the way you wanted it to. Whine, whine, whine. God, it’s a miracle Miriam was able to teach anything to someone so pathetic.”

  Angela’s face turned murderous. “You bitch. You’ll pay for that.”

  She stepped forward.

  That’s right. Keep coming.

  I scoffed. “I
bet Victor can’t stand touching you. Who can blame him? He probably can’t bear all the whining. I know I’m tired of listening to it.”

  She screamed with rage, the sound ugly and sharp like razor blades.

  She rushed forward, hands outstretched. An unseen force pressed against me, trying to force me back through the headstone.

  I grabbed a rock lying next to me and hurled it at her face.

  She flinched, raising both arms to protect herself.

  I slithered free of the chains and flung myself at her, tackling her to the ground. She batted at me with one arm, her fear and anger taking over. I grabbed her hand and pinned it to the ground then grasped the locket around her neck and yanked. It came free.

  She screamed again and struggled. It was easy keeping her pinned. Lucky for me, her emotions made it hard for her to concentrate her magic enough for an attack. Without that magic, she was almost human weak. Her strength was no match for my vampire enhanced one.

  I grabbed her hair and banged her head against the ground, once. Twice. Until she was unconscious.

  The smell of blood pulled at me. Hunger bringing out my fangs as I eyed her pulse. Her blood smelled like dandelions and grass. Saliva pooled in my mouth and I leaned down toward her neck.

  “It’s about time you made your move,” Liam said next to me.

  I jolted forward, scrambling off the witch.

  He stood relaxed next to us, already turning his focus on the draugr and the two wolves.

  I looked between him and where he was supposed to be lying unconscious on the ground. “How are you? I thought- Weren’t you unconscious a second ago?”

  He gave me a roguish smile, the expression turning his face almost sinfully handsome. “A second class witch isn’t enough to take me down.”

  Well, excuse me. It had certainly looked like she had. That’s usually what people assume when someone is lying motionless on the ground.

  “The sorcerer seemed to think the mark wouldn’t disperse without your direct involvement,” he continued, ignoring my glare. “I just manipulated events for the outcome I desired. Now that you’ve obtained the locket by yourself, there shouldn’t be a problem with fulfilling your end of the bargain.”