by Jami Gray
Tala shook her head, strands of hair escaping her braid. “We went to talk to the victims’ families.” Lines of exhaustion etched her face. “There wasn’t much more they could share.”
“Wasn’t much more they wanted to share,” corrected Xander, which earned her a dark look from Tala. Xander shrugged, addressing Gavin and Raine. “I’m not sure what’s going on here, but there seems to be some tension between the Houses.”
“Some tension?” Andrew let out a short, humorless laugh. “Hell, I’m surprised Jeremiah’s family let you in the door.”
“They didn’t actually.” Xander shot the other shifter a look. “Someone care to explain why?”
Raine decided to stir the pot. “I believe the Magi and Lycan Houses have a few relationship issues.”
Tomás avoided looking at Tala, his voice empty. “Our pack has no issues with Magi Whiteriver.”
Tala gave as good as she got, her response equally bland. “I have no issues with the Red Thunder Pack.”
Not about to let it go, Raine kept pushing. “Who does have issues then, Magi?”
Jaw clenched, Tala glared at Raine. “It’s not relevant.”
“Why don’t you let us make that determination?” Gavin cut through the tension, his patience obviously stretched thin. “Let’s start with an explanation of what kind of political mess we’ve stepped into.”
“It’s not so much political,” Tala reluctantly answered, her long fingers tapping absently against her knee. “It’s more cultural. Do any of you know much about the Native American people of this area?”
All three Wraiths held silent, so she continued, “Shamans are the native equivalent to earth witches. However, the native peoples have a long history of negativity toward the term ‘witch.’ For them, a witch is a negative being—someone who brings misfortunes to those who cross their paths.”
“In my House, those who come from Native American backgrounds tend to walk the shamanistic path of their forefathers. They keep themselves very separate from the other witches. They have no quarrels with the Lycan House as shape shifters populate their oral histories.”
“So the shamans accept Kyn who deal with natural magic?” Gavin asked.
Tala nodded. “For them, natural magic is neither good nor bad, it just is. It’s a part of the natural world, and as long as the practitioner respects it, they have no quarrels.”
That accounted for the majority of the Kyn, but it left two distinct groups out of the equation. Curious, Raine asked, “What about the Amanusa and the wizards, then?”
Tala’s gaze shifted to Tomás who answered, “They are considered unnatural and are to be avoided at all costs.”
Shock coursed through Raine. She wasn’t the only one. In front of her, Gavin’s shoulders tightened. Without censoring, she blurted, “You can’t be serious?”
Based upon Tala’s blank expression and Tomás’s hard one, they were, which left Raine stunned. Since long lifespans equaled long memories, some grudges never died and prejudices could run deep. Yet, the Kyn tended to accept their own, especially since they were vastly outnumbered by humans. Like everything else in the universe, balance was crucial—light to dark, mortal to immortal.
Four main groups made up the Kyn community: the Fey, the Lycans, the Magi, and the Amanusa. The Amanusa housed what humans termed “demons.” The Magi encompassed both witches—those who leaned toward natural magic and embraced the three-fold law—and wizards. The wizards were the witches’ darker counterparts. They relied on spells and darker magics, and harming none was a “suggested” guideline. In Raine’s experience, most wizards were seduced by the power—the more they had, the more they needed.
“Is it just the shamans who refuse to interact with the wizards and the demons?” Gavin’s icy question sliced through the daunting silence. “Or is this par for the course for the Southwest Kyn?”
Gavin’s unusual verbal attack made Raine blink in surprise. Questioning the heads of Kyn Houses was never a smart move. Not that it stopped her, but his approach tended to be more politically savvy than anything she ever managed.
His tone triggered a growl from the alpha even as Tala coolly admonished, “You have no right to question how our territory is run.”
“I beg to differ.” Raine took Gavin’s back, laying a hand on his shoulder. She found it strange to be the calm one in the room. “Your answer either gives us a new starting point or eliminates one.” She watched the witch and the alpha carefully. “So, the question is, do you share the shamans’ views?”
“No,” Tala bit out. “The relationship between the younger generation of witches, wizards, and shamans is much stronger than the older generations.”
Raine turned to Tomás. “And you, Alpha Chavez?”
Tomás’s growls faded, but the amber tint in his eyes remained. “No. The Red Thunder pack does not hold to those beliefs.”
Andrew’s quiet snort drew everyone’s attention. He raised his chin in defiance. “The pack may not hold to the beliefs, but there are some who do so privately.”
That was to be expected. No matter if human or Kyn, any diverse group would have issues. Yet one House remained unmentioned. “The Fey,” she murmured. “What’s their stand on all of this?”
“The Fey keep to themselves,” Tala said. “Their numbers are pretty small here. Most prefer to stay in Colorado.”
Gavin drew the conversation back on point. “Anyone in particular we should be looking at?”
Tala shook her head. “I brought Cheveyo here to try and determine who would hold such enmity with my House.”
Eyes turned to Tomás who gritted out, “Don’t have a clue.”
Gavin shot to his feet, frustration boiling around him as he paced. Raine resumed her leaning position against the wall worried about the speculation on his face. That worry proved well founded when he said, “Perhaps we don’t need names.” He held Raine’s gaze, but directed his words to Tala. “If we gave you a link to Cheveyo, could you follow it, Tala?”
Even expecting his suggestion, fear and anger surged. Raine fought it back, keeping her body relaxed and unconcerned.
Tala wasn’t blind to the tension between them. “What kind of link?” Hope was a bright spark in her voice.
Stealing Gavin’s thunder, Raine fed it fuel. “Cheveyo and I share a mental link he established a few months back.” She turned from Gavin to Tala, not missing the edge of some undefined emotion flitting across the witch’s face.
“I’ll need more details than that.” Her mocking tone was back in force, grating over Raine’s nerves.
“He tied his life-force to mine to negate a death spell cast by a psychotic half demon.” Outwardly, Raine was back to being coldly in control, but buried deep under that mask, fear seared a hole in her stomach. Or maybe, it was the chili.
Calculation sparked in Tala’s eyes. “We could use it.”
Raine’s fear dug deeper. Nope, not the chili after all.
Not done, Tala added, “As long as he answers when we come knocking.” The witch’s lips tightened and her eyes narrowed. “However, I’m not sure how it will affect you.”
Xander, who had been strangely silent through the whole conversation, cleared her throat. “What do you mean?”
Tala gave a nonchalant shrug. “There are quite a few possible outcomes. The best scenarios, we reach Cheveyo and are able to feed him enough magic for him to break free. Or, the link reacts like a telephone line and we follow it to where he’s being held.”
Raine wasn’t taken in by the witch’s studied casualness. When it came to dealing with magic, nothing was ever that simple. “What happens when I play conductor?”
“Depends on how strong you are.” Tala’s smile was chilling. “I’ve seen how stubborn you can be, so I’m sure you’re strong enough to handle all that power. You’ll be fine.”
Considering how twitchy her magic was lately, Raine wasn’t so sure. “If I can’t channel the magic, it’ll burn me out, right?”
>
“Maybe.” Tala’s cold smile faded. “If you fail, that would be the best scenario you’d face.”
Ice settled in Raine’s veins. Facing death was nothing new. It wasn’t that she had a death wish, but it shocked her what she was willing to do to ensure she kept breathing. That willingness is what allowed Cheveyo to tie them together.
On the positive side, binding herself to Cheveyo meant gaining a certain amount of control over the twisted magic that she called hers. That control gave her a measure of peace she hadn’t felt in a long while. She wasn’t all that anxious to give it up just yet. “Worst case scenario?”
Sympathy crept through Tala’s haughty demeanor. “Your soul will be unable to find its way back to your body. If you manage to survive, you’ll be a vegetable.”
A heavy shroud of silence dropped over the room as Raine fought the urge to squirm under the weight of everyone’s stares. Well, one bright note—being a vegetable outranked being stark raving nuts. It wasn’t like she had much of a choice. Cheveyo risked his life to save hers, could she really do any less?
Crossing her arms over her chest, she bared her teeth in a semblance of a smile. “When do we start?”
Tala gave a long slow blink. “Tonight. We need to go back to my house.”
Of course they did, because like most earth witches, Tala’s home base was a loaded power reserve. The more powerful and older the witch, the deeper the well. Which was why most high-ranking witches didn’t bother living with a personal guard—unlike the alpha shifters.
Raine let out a soft sigh and pushed away from the wall. “Fine.” Giving the alpha and his silent mate a respectful nod, she said, “Thank you, Alpha Chavez, for your hospitality and help.”
Xander rose from the couch muttering, “Guess the meeting’s over then.”
Raine gave a sharp smile. “No point in wasting time.”
They weren’t going to get any more answers here, to many egos in the room. Gods, she hated politics. They were such a waste of time, and right now Cheveyo didn’t have the luxury of waiting for them to wade through the political swamp of the Southwest Shifters and Magi.
“Fair warning,” Gavin stood as well, cruel practicality lacing every word. “Our priority is to retrieve our magi and keep him safe. Whatever is hunting you and yours will have to wait.”
Andrew snarled, his voice coming rough and dark. “You were invited down to help us with this threat.”
“No, we weren’t.” Raine didn’t bother hiding her malicious glee. “Cheveyo was. We are here to protect our magi from any and all harm.”
Her implied threat was unmistakable. If these Kyn continued to keep needed information hidden, then they would be treated accordingly. For now, the Wraiths had one purpose—find Cheveyo and keep him safe, at any cost. Regardless of who stood between them and him.
The tension rose to a screaming point, but the three Wraiths—Gavin, Raine, or Xander—didn’t waver. It was time to let these chiefs decide their next move.
“Fine.” Tala snapped, rising from the couch. “Tomás, Lizbeth, I’ll call you later.”
Tomás rose as well. “Please do.” He turned to Gavin and Raine. “While Tala is helping you find your missing magi, I’ll be contacting Mulcahy.”
Unable to help it, Raine laughed. “Please do, Alpha Chavez.”
Even Gavin’s lips curved, while Xander lowered her head to hide her grin. If Tomás thought threatening to sic Mulcahy on them would yank them in line, he was bound for disappointment. As captain of the Wraiths, Mulcahy would have never sent them down if he didn’t trust them to do their job.
Knowing she was pushing it, Raine added, “Let him know we’ll contact him in the next day or so.”
Based on the roil of angry power surrounding the alpha, her dismissive tone managed to get under his skin. Before the claws came out, Gavin took her arm, pushing her toward the front door. He gave Tomás a nod as he crowded Raine out of the house, with Xander and Tala following behind.
Chapter Eleven
By the time they pulled into Tala’s driveway, the inky blanket of darkness stretched through the sky. As they walked to Tala’s front door, Ash trotted out of the surrounding woods to follow them inside. Ash and Tala headed to her room, leaving the others to the back bedrooms down the hall.
“Get changed and meet us up in Raine’s room,” Gavin ordered Xander softly.
With a quick nod, she moved ahead. When Gavin turned to disappear into Raine’s room, the blonde shifter caught Raine’s eye and raised an eyebrow suggestively. Raine flipped her a one-finger salute before closing the door on Xander’s quiet chuckle.
Gavin sat at the end of the bed, with his elbows on his knees and his chin resting in his hands. She let him have his silence, knowing he would talk when he was ready. Instead, she moved around him, arranging a couple of pillows against the headboard. Taking off her boots, she let out a quiet sigh as she leaned back. She closed her eyes, the weariness washing through her.
Thanks to the two rounds with the Soul Stealer, or whatever the hell it was in the woods, and her still-healing body, she wasn’t feeling her best. The last few days—hell, the last few hours—left her feeling like road kill. She needed a minute to shore up her defenses before heading back for more with tonight’s little adventure.
Falling into that weird in-between state where sleep and awareness blended into a soft unreality, she could hear Gavin’s even breathing. If she concentrated enough, she could hear Xander moving around in her room across the hall. Her mind wandered, letting the noises fade into the background.
Instinctively she reached out to her magic. It was there, just out of reach. Using the mental exercises Cheveyo drilled into her, she followed a familiar mental path. Working her way deeper behind her psychic shields, she searched for the reason behind her power’s sudden shyness. The trail brought her to a barred door.
The brush of fur under her hand heralded the arrival of her leopard. She looked down to find its attention focused on the door. A warning brushed across her psychic nerves leaving her instincts humming.
She studied the door. It appeared to be solid metal, the locking mechanism similar to those found on old bank vaults. If it followed logic, the spiked wheel would control the locking bar on the other side.
Ignoring the low warning rumble from her leopard, she inched closer and reached out. Before her hand could touch the surface, her leopard fully formed between her and the door. The flash of sharp canines nipped at her fingers.
“Fine, I get it. No touching.” Instead, keeping distance between her palms and the door, she skimmed the surface. The air was strangely warm and thick against her skin. Nerve endings tingled as if she played with static electricity. A low level dread formed in the pit of her stomach. Whatever lay behind this door was powerful. Curling her fingers into fists, she rubbed them on her thighs. “Damn it.”
Something told her that to get to Cheveyo, she needed to get beyond this door. She looked around and found the glimmering strand of her magic, faint and wispy, trailing under the door. She reached for it, only to have it fade. Battling back her frustration, she tried coaxing it. Nerve-wracking moments passed before it began to twine around her. It was frighteningly insubstantial.
She needed to strengthen it if she planned on surviving whatever waited on the other side. Her leopard wove around her legs and she watched, stunned, as her magic responded, twisting closer. Looking into the silver eyes of her cat, she thought it through.
Taking a step back, she put space between her and her inner kitty cat. Her magic started to fade. She stepped back to her leopard, feeling it brush against her legs. The glimmer of magic stopped its disappearing act.
Okay, that was helpful, but was it enough?
Deciding it would have to be, she reached for the door. A grim thought hit before should touch it. What if Cheveyo wasn’t Cheveyo anymore? If she opened the door, and whatever held Cheveyo managed to destroy him, what would she be inviting in?
“St
op scaring yourself, idiot,” she muttered.
Maybe she should wait for Tala. Hopefully, the witch knew what the hell she was doing.
A light knock shattered her concentration, snapping her back to the real world.
Gavin’s voice was low. “C’mon in.”
Xander stepped into the room as Raine rubbed her tired eyes. Pulling her feet back, she made room for Xander to sit on the end of the bed next to Gavin.
Xander aimed her serious gaze at Raine. “Are you ready for this?”
“Honestly?” Raine shrugged. “I don’t know, but it’s not like we have much of a choice.” She kept her voice as quiet as Xander’s, neither wanting Tala to overhear their conversation.
“There’s always a choice,” Xander chided.
“Not this time.” A small smile twisted Raine’s lips. “I owe Cheveyo, not just for what he did for me, but because it’s my job to keep him safe.”
“This wasn’t entirely your fault,” Gavin said. “You got sent into a job unprepared. Can’t fight what you don’t know is out there.”
“Maybe, but I have to finish it.” She appreciated their support, but they knew as well as she did that trying to save Cheveyo was a nonissue. Wraiths were trained to keep the darker nightmares of Kyn world in check. Whatever held Cheveyo qualified.
“Fine.” Under her delicate facial tattoos, Xander’s jaw hardened. “What are our options?”
Gavin pinned Raine with an unbending look, something disturbingly deep moving in its depth. “We need to be there for whatever Tala’s planning.”
Not about to argue, she agreed. “Given, but you won’t exactly be able to help. It’s just Tala and me taking the trip in my head.”
Determination carved his face into harsh angles. “I’m tagging along.”
She didn’t try hiding her sarcasm. “And, how exactly, are you planning on doing that?”
“Tala’s not the only witch in the house.” His teeth flashed in a grin that would do any shifter proud. “I’m going to mirror you.”
Xander shot him a sharp look. “You sure you can do that without letting Tala know?”
