by Jami Gray
Unfortunately, Jeremiah’s last act didn’t wipe out all the ghosts. Those remaining remnants found her.
Layer by layer, the chindis burrowed into her magic and peeled it back with greedy claws. Her ties with Gavin and Cheveyo begin to fray. The unnerving sensation sliced through her, arrowing deep where her wild magic roiled in fury.
Unable to think through the nerve-splicing pain, she released her iron control and let her magic loose. Flames, edged in black, roared to life, searing the sticky tendrils holding her to Jeremiah’s memories and driving the chindis back.
Then the hellish flames surrounded her.
Outside the fiery walls, the angry wails of the chindis rose into a deafening crescendo, only to fall into startling silence. In that unexpected well, a black leopard with silver eyes appeared and paced protectively in front of her. As the cat brushed by, bumping against her crouched form, she reached out and curled her trembling fingers deep into its fur. The cat’s message was clear—get up.
Straightening, she cautiously made her way to the edge of the flickering light. The chindis were gone. Behind the fire something huge and dark prowled. The Soul Stealer was back. It turned its head and Raine caught the impression of gold fire burning in empty eye sockets. The protective ring of flames sputtered and it lunged forward. She stumbled back even as the burning edge held.
As she and her leopard retreated, she did a quick check. They were safely tucked in position—two at her wrists, one at her back, and the two nestled in her boots. Here’s hoping they’d work as well in the spirit world as the real one. Otherwise, she was in a shit-load of trouble.
The reminder of back-up had her mentally reaching for Gavin. Magic washed over her psychic fingers like water, leaving her with nothing to hold. Her stomach iced with dread.
The wall of hellish flames shrank again, allowing the Stealer to stalk closer. Breathing through her panic, Raine ruthlessly demanded her magic to answer. Cold sweat ran down her spine and her teeth clenched with the effort. The weight of her leopard curling around her legs broke her concentration. She looked down, unnerved to see the cat crawl inside her as predatory animal and the woman became one. The last of her leopard disappeared under her skin and her magic woke with a painful snap.
The momentary distraction cost her. The Stealer charged through the fading flames, slamming against her. Her mental protections shuddered under the hit and her tenuous hold on the fragile strand tying her to Gavin threatened to break. Channeling her waning power, she sent a surge of power along their bond, praying it would be enough for him to find her. She was out of time.
The Stealer swiped out with monstrous claws, shredding through the remaining black-edged flames. It gave a triumphant scream as the fire stuttered again. Left with only her blades as protection, Raine braced.
She needed to stay on her feet until Gavin arrived. And he would arrive. It was just a question of would it be in time? Her magic was draining fast and her leopard had nothing more to offer.
Lips curled into a snarl, teeth bared, she set her feet, gripped her wrist blades, and let the last of the protective flames blink out, leaving her exposed.
The Stealer threw back its head, a long triumphant howl emerging from its throat. Lowering its head, the creature watched her with unholy glee.
“Bring it, asshole,” she taunted.
It stalked forward. Instead of the smoke and shadow form from previous encounters, it now sported a massive wolf-like body. The head was still a Dali inspired nightmare of sharp, pointy teeth animals. Grateful the chindis decided to bow out, Raine left her back unprotected to keep an eye on the approaching monster.
Like the opening sequence in a dance, they matched steps. Without warning, the Stealer sprang forward, lashing out with unsheathed claws. Ducking, Raine rolled right, blade extended, aiming for a gut swipe.
The monster managed to twist its spine so her first cut merely scored its skin, leaving black ichor oozing in its wake. Unfazed, the Stealer spun with lightning speed and its sharp claws scored bloody furrows into her lower back. Ignoring the tug of pain, she stumbled to her feet, and waited for the next opening.
The Stealer lunged, knocking her down. Along her ribs and hips her skin shredded under its lethal nails. It snarled and snapped, trying to get to her jugular, but she kept it back with her left arm. Using the blade in her right hand, she stabbed blindly, her world narrowing to pure survival.
“Damn it, Gavin, where are you?”
Silence answered.
She jammed her booted feet into the Stealer’s stomach. Muscles straining, she heaved the crushing mass off. Curved claws tore at her skin as the Stealer went airborne before tumbling across the ground.
Rolling to her hands and knees, Raine sucked in air, her vision obscured by the tangled screen of her hair. Blood coated her hands, leaving scarlet handprints on the ground. Surprisingly, she managed to hold on to both blades. Using a forearm to push the matted hair out of her face, she got her feet under her just as a deadly snarl filled the air.
She jerked her gaze up to find the Stealer scrambling back to its feet, its hind right leg held high in pain and a dozen wounds leaking the disconcerting black blood.
Halle-fucking-luja, she managed to do some damage. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. Upright but unsteady, she watched the damn monster barrel toward her and knew another wrestling match would not end well. Ignoring her body’s battered cries, she let her first blade fly.
The black-matted, silver tumbled end over end scoring a direct hit, sinking deep into the left eye socket, extinguishing the flames nestled inside. The Stealer jerked back, a tortured, angered howl ripping through the air.
Drawing another knife from her back, she grimly set her feet and held her ground.
The Stealer decided to stand upright on its hind legs, revealing fur matted with black blood. Why wouldn’t it just die already? The various wounds she inflicted were definitely slowing it down—unfortunately, she could say the same about her injuries.
The Stealer charged. She stayed out of its reach, turning her blades into a lethal whirlwind. Back and forth they danced, each inflicting non-lethal hits. Then the Stealer managed to nail her with a brutal blow, weakening her already damaged leg. She stumbled. The Stealer took a vicious swipe, leaving its side unprotected. Raine lunged, punching her blade deep. Wrenching her wrist, she twisted the knife’s edge before ripping it free, causing as much damage as possible.
The Stealer’s shriek raked across her eardrums. Warm blood seeped from her damaged ears. The annoying voice in her head was back—Too slow, too slow. Off balance, she staggered forward, knowing she was in trouble but unable to stop what happened next. The Stealer’s paw slamming into her, sending her crashing across the floor. White flare of pain seared across her senses and her blades fell like silver stars.
Desperate and determined, she rolled to her back, pushing up on her elbows even as her vision wavered. Still, she make out the Stealer stalking her with deadly purpose. She tried to get her legs to move, but her body refused to respond. After seemingly endless seconds, she finally flopped onto her side, grabbed her unresponsive leg, and dragged it up. Her fingers found the hilt of her boot blade.
The Stealer loomed closer, its uninjured eye full of malevolence.
Her blood coated fingers slipped on the hilt. She gritted her teeth and pulled it free. This bastard was going down if it was the last thing she did. Unfortunately, that might be just what the Fates had in store.
A sudden blinding explosion ripped through the air and a wall of blue flames edged in black roared to life between her and the Stealer. The monster screamed in frustration, lunging forward to rake at the newly raised protective barrier. For a moment, time blurred, slipped sideways, then steadied.
Armed with an elegant sword, Gavin forced the Stealer back, allowing the strengthening flames to rise into position.
Intelligent enough to recognize the shifting odds, the monster screamed in fury and began to retreat. Gavin’s
magic forced the beast into the shadows outside the barrier, until the Stealer’s presence began to fade and the real world began to bleed through the web of magic.
Relief left Raine shaky as the world dipped and spun around her. Slowly, she lowered herself to the ground and closed her eyes hoping to stave off the nauseating sensation. Instead of helping, the spinning rose to dizzying new heights. Prying her eyes open, she stared into Gavin’s worried face. His jaw tightened as his gentle touch uncovered each injury.
“If you keep doing that, your jaw will break.” Her voice was so rough it was almost unrecognizable. She wanted to touch him, to let him know she was okay, but couldn’t get her hand to move.
“I told you to be careful,” he growled.
She managed to curl her lips into a small smile. “I was. I just had to hold him off until you came.”
He stilled, watching her closely. Frustration was rife in his tone. “Damn it, woman.”
“Damn it, man,” she chided. “What took you so long?”
He picked her up.
The sudden change in position left her stifling a moan. “That frickin’ hurts!”
Ignoring her, he demanded, “Do you have any idea how deep you went?”
She shook her head once before giving up and leaving it on his shoulder.
“Too damn deep for my comfort. If it hadn’t been for the flare you sent out, I’m not sure I would have found you. What happened?”
“Found Jeremiah,” she mumbled. “But he sacrificed himself, hoping to take some of the chindis with him. They weren’t too happy about it. Then the Stealer came.”
“Rest,” he said. “Let’s get you out of here.”
She was more than happy to let him take care of things. Her eyes drifted closed. The heat of his magic twining with hers sent a small surge of needed strength through their fragile bond. It wasn’t as strong as before, but better. So much better.
“Missed you,” she whispered.
“Missed you, too, baby.” His gentle words followed her into the darkness.
Sometime later Raine lay in the back seat of the rental car while the heater ran full blast. She woke when Gavin set her in the passenger seat and her body decided to see if it could shake itself apart. Before it could succeed, he dragged her into the back and wrapped his long frame around her, adding his own version of a thermal blanket to the mix.
Pressed between the slowly heating leather interior and his warm body, her muscles slowly relaxed. Bone deep aches and sharp pains clamored for attention. Considering how much damage she endured on the other plane, she wasn’t surprised. No doubt she would soon be the proud owner of a few, new black and blue badges. As the minutes passed, she managed to unlock her jaw without worrying her chattering teeth would amputate her tongue.
She pulled the sharp intoxicating scent unique to Gavin into her lungs, unable to muffle her soft moan when her ribs protested. He shifted his weight, giving her enough room to slip her hands under the soft material of his T-shirt. Pressing her palms against the firm heat of his chest, she took comfort in the small touch. She left her head on the comfortable pillow of his shoulder.
“How bad?” His chest vibrated under her hands.
“Bruised ribs, my thigh burns like hell, and my back isn’t any picnic.” Her physical complaints could have been worse.
“Better than I expected.” His casual statement caught her off guard.
Forcing her head up, she studied his face. “Excuse me?”
Dark green eyes burned out of a remote mask, making her heart stutter. This wasn’t the Gavin she was discovering, the one who could hold her with such gentleness and strength. This was the warrior. Remote, cold, and calculating. The creeping chill slipping into the newly reclaimed warmth had nothing to do with the winter temperatures. Against his chest, her hands curled into fists.
He shackled her wrists, stopping her. “Don’t.” He stroked a thumb over her pulse. “I spent some time repairing the damage to our bond.”
Only because they were face to face did she catch the glint of fear he quickly squashed. That peek sent worry spiraling, knotting her stomach. Determined to see for herself, she closed her eyes and slipped between worlds. The transition was becoming easier and only took a moment for her to bring the expected light show into focus.
Finding the unique tie she and Gavin shared, she discovered the reason behind his worry. Normally, her magic was a bright metallic silver with flecks of obsidian. Not now. Instead, it was a lifeless, pitted gray. Even more startling was the change in their bond.
Initially, their blue and silver had wrapped around each other to create one thick thread. Now she could see where he delicately combined his magic with hers, weaving a protective layer over her obviously fragile one.
Shocked and dismayed, she blinked back to the waking world. She reached for her magic and the slumbering cat residing inside only to feel…nothing. No wall, no answer, just an empty void. Panicked, she stiffened in Gavin’s arms, trying to push free.
“Stop.” His hold didn’t relent, his arm becoming steel bands holding her flailing body tight. “It’s not permanent.”
“You don’t know that.” She stared into his face, trying to counter her rising desperation. “Let me up.”
His lips thinned, but his arms loosened. Carefully, she braced her back between the seat and the window so she could glare at him.
Facing her with his back lodged in the corner of the backseat and one knee on the leather seat, Gavin laid his arm along the headrest. When she continued her silent condemnation, he flexed his mental muscles and those phantom fingers gave a sharp tug on her braid.
“Ouch!” She yanked her head back. “Knock it off.”
“You ready to listen now?” he drawled.
Swear to gods, he drove her nuts. “I’m listening.”
“Your magic isn’t gone.”
She narrowed her eyes. “There’s nothing there when I reach for it. Sure seems gone to me.”
He shook his head. “Think about it. Your magic is like any other muscle. You use it, it burns energy. Train it and it becomes stronger. You use it too much, you’ll strain it.” Catching her disbelief, he frowned. “Didn’t Cheveyo teach you anything about how magic works?”
Defensive, she crossed her arms in front of her. “Yeah, some.”
Gavin waited.
She ground her teeth. “Mainly we’ve been working on figuring out what, exactly, mine does.”
Tapping his fingers on his knee he said, “Magic is part of you, but just like any other skill, it has limits. You draw on it too much in one go, you risk draining it. Then you have to refill your reservoir.”
“And to refill?”
“Takes time.” His answer made a strange sort of sense. He leaned forward and caught her chin. “Do you have any idea how much you used today?”
Unable to look away, she shook her head. He let go of her chin, but not before she caught a peek behind his mask, where worry and concern battled for supremacy. Her defensive anger drained away because leaking at the corners was a disconcerting fear. For her.
“You went under so fast, I couldn’t follow.” Impotent fury darkened his face. “I’d catch a glimmer of you and then the shadows would suck you back under. I knew you were in trouble, but I couldn’t find you.” His remembered frustration at being unable to reach her was evident in those dark green eyes.
“The shadows, those were ghosts,” she said.
His head jerked at her statement. “Explain that.”
She sighed. “We’re not just dealing with the Soul Stealer. He has little ghostly carnivorous friends.”
“Chindis.” His voice was hard as steel.
She nodded and continued before he could interrupt. “Jeremiah’s memories pulled me under before I realized what was happening.” She kept her voice low, trying to calm the raging storm in the man sharing her space. “I couldn’t get out of his head until—”
“Until he killed himself and almost took you w
ith him,” Gavin snapped.
She leaned forward and cupped his jaw. “He didn’t, but it was enough to kick me back into my own head.” She watched him carefully. “I knew my magic had taken a hit, but I held on to what I could. You obviously got my message.”
“You scared the shit out of me, Raine.” He leaned in to her touch briefly. “I don’t like it.”
Her laugh was rusty. “Yeah, I wasn’t having much fun either.”
“I told you to be careful.”
She bit her lip not wanting to grin at the unusual grumpiness of his tone. “I tried.” Her humor died as the ache in her head returned. “How long before it’s back?”
He tucked her close. “The Stealer, the chindis, or your magic?”
She rested against his shoulder, taking what comfort she could. “Any.”
“If you’d stop poking at them, the Stealer and chindis might leave you alone for a bit. As for your magic, you need to rest and eat.” She felt him brush a kiss on the top of her head. “Back at Tala’s I should be able to do a healing spell. It may boost your recovery time.”
She remained silence, trying to find comfort in the fact at least their bond worked on some level.
“It’s still there, promise,” Gavin’s voice was soft but sure. “We just need to let it recover.”
She held his promise close, her throat tight as she tried to ignore the empty spot deep inside.
Chapter Nineteen
Gavin pulled into Tala’s graveled driveway as a sun-faded, blue pick-up followed close behind. Raine pushed her door open, while Gavin walked around the front of the car to meet Xander, who hopped down from the pick-up. Carlos, one of Chavez’s men, gave a short nod then put the truck in reverse and drove off.
Gavin, Raine, and Xander trudged up the gravel path to Tala’s cabin. Ash lay in the yard, basking in the brief wintry warmth of the late afternoon sunlight. He watched them approach, not bothering to move. When they were a few feet from the door, it swung open.
“Guess we don’t need to knock,” Raine muttered.
