Gone Hunting

by Cecy Robson

  I meant what I said, but she didn’t hear a word of it.

  Like the times before, I watched her cry. There was one more to hunt. I only hoped this one would give us some answers.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The darkness encasing me dimly shifts into light, forcing my eyes open even though my feet were walking long before I could see.

  I’m shadowing Celia. The weather is as hot and humid as it was when we first started hunting and Celia is more like I remember her now. A black tank top stretches across her back, the hem long enough to brush the rear pockets of her tight jeans.

  The man we’re following is drunk, the bottle of whisky he’s carrying swinging back and forth as he sings. It’s a ballad of lost love. It’s as much as I make out with the little Spanish I know.

  I glance over my shoulder, feeling like we’re being followed. “Celia,” I say, catching up to her. “I think she’s here.”

  She, meaning the witch. I can feel her magic and power. It’s strong, like the scent of the jungle following a storm, odd considering where we are. I frown, sensing something immature about it, as if she hasn’t quite figured out how to manipulate the gamut of power she’s carrying. A young witch perhaps? Or someone naïve and not yet skilled with magic?

  Celia keeps her focus ahead, ignoring the catcalls of the boys pretending to be men, who loiter on the next corner we pass. It’s yet another moment I wish I was actually present. They wouldn’t dare disrespect her if I was here.

  My head whips in the opposite direction when I feel another wave of magic stir nearby. This one is stronger, darker, with enough menace to make me growl. We keep walking, our steps faster when the man we’re following tries to climb into a car.

  The door swings open and two women scramble out, screaming at him as they shove him away and slap at his face. The man laughs, having fun at their expense. He staggers away, almost losing his footing as he continues his song. Another growl rumbles my chest when I feel yet another dark form appear, and another after that.

  There are three witches, plus the one I first sensed. The first feels threatened by the others. She doesn’t seem to think she can take them. She skitters away, frightened, the scent of the wild jungle disappearing with her.

  That young witch is terrified for a reason. We shouldn’t be here. Not alone.

  “Celia!” I yell. “Celia! We have to get out of here. There are three dark witches following you. Not just one.”

  I turn, walking backwards. Less than a block away, I feel the presence of darkness, then again to my far right and once more toward the left. The witches have spotted Celia and they’re closing in, fast.

  Celia is no longer the hunter. She’s become the prey.

  The man turns around, sensing he’s being followed. I don’t expect him to recognize Celia, not when her eyes remain human. Somehow, he does.

  “La diabla,” he screams. “La diabla.”

  He calls Celia the she-devil, just as the woman who witnessed Celia’s first kill did. Of course. With his other buddies dead, he must have guessed he’d be next. And by the looks of it, so did the witches trailing us. But how?

  The man throws his bottle at Celia and charges into traffic. She easily ducks out of the way, but not as easily around the cars speeding forward. An old Chevy almost mows her over. But as fast as this truck is going, Celia’s reflexes are easily two steps ahead. She rolls over the hood instead of leaping over it, hitting the ground running as she swerves around the remaining cars.

  Celia curses when she reaches the walkway and sees the man race into a crowded parking deck. She starts forward without me. I only hesitate, because I know we’re not alone.

  The dark witches separate like hyenas ready to take down their kill. They’re not nearly as fast, but Celia is on her own and unaware of their presence.

  Celia stops at the entrance to the garage. The way she listens makes me think she picked up on the witches until she cuts through the garage and out the other side. The man lured her into the deck to confuse her, but his drunken state made him sloppy and loud. She hears him exit and thinks she has him.

  We give chase, running across another busy street. While I know I technically can’t get hit, I don’t take any chances, not with the dark forces I feel behind us.

  I let out a breath when I see him near an alley. This is it. The place Celia gets cornered.

  Celia surges forward, snagging the man by the collar and throwing him into the alley.

  “No . . . por favor,” the man begs. “Don’t kill me, little one.”

  Celia ignores him, her attention shifting right and left before storming forward.

  “No,” the man says again. “Please. I have children.”

  Celia hoists him up by the throat. “No. You don’t. But my parents did.”

  I hear the crunch of bones, but I don’t look. All at once, dark magic penetrates the end of the alley. Of the three witches who followed, the strongest has come for Celia and the others aren’t far away.

  I growl, guarding Celia with my body. “Stay away from her,” I warn, already sensing the pain the witch wants to inflict. She’s not just here to kill Celia. She’s here to make her scream.

  The witch raises her staff, the amount of energy she casts into her spell damaging the veil she used to camouflage herself.

  Celia turns, finally sensing the magic the witch kept carefully hidden.

  It’s then the other witch, the young one who reminded me of the jungle and whose power is not fully realized, appears.

  The dark witch didn’t see me, but the younger witch meets me dead in the eyes.

  “Salvarla!” she screams, filling the alley with white light.

  I startle awake in Mimi’s cave with Celia shaking uncontrollably in my arms. My friends surround us, their expressions tight with worry.

  Mimi watches Celia closely, brushing her hair away from her head in a gentle manner I don’t expect. “You have to get up, little tigress,” she says. “They’re coming for you.”

  Koda rushes to the door, peering out through the small peephole as I help Celia to her feet. “There’s nothing there.”

  Mimi shuffles to the now dwindling fire. “But there will be, and it’s too late to run,” she says. “Liam. Be a dear and have some of this bird, won’t you, precious? I don’t want it to go to waste.”

  Mimi turns, hoisting a silver platter of fried breast meat and legs that wasn’t there before.

  “Sure, Aunt Mimi. Thanks,” he says. He lifts the platter from her hands. “Hey, you guys want some?”

  Koda is ready to slap Liam upside the head and he’s not alone. “Are you seriously going to eat right now?”

  Liam frowns. “You heard Mimi. It’ll go to waste if I don’t.”

  “Good boy.” Mimi pats his arm, returning her attention to the fire.

  “Good boy?” Koda hollers. “Liam, you didn’t see what Aric and I saw—”

  “Wait,” Gemini interrupts. “You were there, too? When Celia fought the man who bloodied her face?”

  My head jerks in his direction.

  “Someone bloodied her face?” Koda growls. Gemini nods. “No. That’s not what I saw. Aric and Celia were in an apartment. One of the men who killed her parents was there, in bed with a young woman—”

  “My parents,” Celia stammers. “You saw what happened to them?”

  Koda’s skin grows an odd shade of gray. “Yeah. I saw.” He turns back in the direction of the door, unable to meet Celia’s bruised expression.

  “Gemini,” I say. “What did you see?”

  Gemini’s expression steels. “I saw the night Celia lost her parents. Then I saw you and Celia hiding behind an abandoned house. I wasn’t physically there. It was more like watching a movie.”

  “Speaking of movies,” Liam says between chews. “I saw you walk into that theatre.” His expression turns stony. “After what he did to your folks, he deserved what he got and more.”<
br />
  Koda and Gemini tilt their heads in agreement. They mean well, but there’s no disguising Celia’s shame.

  Perspiration gathers along her crown. She lifts her chin from where she’s pressed against my chest. “You were there?” she asks. “With me?”

  “I never left you,” I tell her.

  “How could you?” Mimi scoffs. “Your wolf has latched onto her tigress.”

  “What?” I ask, my attention bouncing between Celia and Mimi. “Why?”

  Mimi cackles, her concentration on the firepit never faltering. “Why do you think?”

  I don’t move. No. She can’t mean . . .

  “I’m sorry,” Celia says, her trembling alternating between severe and less pronounced. “I never wanted you to see what I’ve been through.” She bows her head. “Or what I’ve done.”

  I stroke her cheek, wishing I could take away the memories that haunt her. “I’m sorry, too. Not because of what you did, but what it did to you.”

  Thunder rolls in the distance. It’s different than the thunder that accompanied Mimi’s arrival, more like a screech of madness than anything nature could summon.

  “Koda,” I say, sensing a freakish change in the atmosphere. “What’s out there?”

  Koda doesn’t appear to pick up on what I’m feeling. But he does infer that something’s wrong. “Nothing,” he replies, peering outside. “I say we make a run for it while the coast is clear.”

  He wrenches the door open, only for it to slam shut before he can clear it. He grabs the knob, pulling it hard, but it won’t give.

  I turn to Mimi. “Why are you keeping us here?” I demand.

  Mimi pulls another steaming cup of tea from her sleeve, her attention on the crackling embers alternating in shades of gold and red. “I told you, it’s too late to run. They’ll come for the tigress and anyone with her.”

  “I’ll go alone.” Celia steps from my reach. “I’m fast. I can lead them away from you—”

  “No,” I snarl. “That’s not an option.”

  Koda positions himself to my right. “We’re not leaving you, Celia. We’re in this together.”

  Liam, now done with his snack, edges closer, cracking his knuckles. “We didn’t get to help you track down those men, but we can help you now.”

  “Wait a moment,” Gemini says. He looks to Mimi. “We came here for answers and we have none. Why did we see what we did?”

  Mimi sips on her tea as another screech of thunder bellows. This one a lot closer. “That’s a good question,” she replies.

  “You mean you don’t know?” Koda growls at her.

  I don’t blame Koda for his harsh response. It’s taking everything I have to keep from lashing out. “What do you know?” I snap.

  “Celia is cursed by darkness, as are her sisters,” Mimi answers simply. But as she continues to speak, it seems her words are only meant for Celia. “The curse backfired, my dear. Something meant to kill gave you the tigress, the wielder of fire and light, the mistress of weaponry, and the healer, instead.”

  “Your other sisters’ powers,” I guess.

  Celia didn’t mention what her other sisters can do, protecting them as she’s always done, even from me.

  Mimi places her teacup on the saucer, appearing to work through her thoughts. “The lighter power knew you were in trouble and that they were coming for you.”

  “They?” I ask. My narrowing gaze tightens. “And who are they, exactly?”

  “You’re asking me, young wolf?” Mimi asks. “You sensed them, all of them. What can you tell me of their power?”

  “What is she talking about?” Koda asks.

  “I was with Celia when she chased down the last of her prey—”

  “Don’t,” Celia says, scrunching her eyes closed. “Please don’t refer to them that way.”

  It’s what they were, but Celia can’t seem to wrap her mind around it. How can she, when there’s such a disconnect between her and her beast?

  “Three dark witches followed us,” I say, carefully choosing my words. “I’m sure that’s what they were. But there was another one, a light one, who was young and awkward.” It’s a strange word to use, but thinking back, it’s the only one that fits.

  “Awkward?” Gemini repeats, glancing toward Koda. “What do you mean?”

  “Her power was different from the others. It was strong, but raw and uncontrolled. The dark witches didn’t have that problem. They were well-trained and organized.”

  Koda frowns. “Just so I’m clear, this light witch was out-matched, but she still went after the dark ones?”

  “Not exactly,” I say. “I think she knew she couldn’t take them in a fight. That didn’t stop her from trying to help Celia. The dark one, though . . .” I shudder, remembering the feel of her kind of evil. “The dark one was too much for both of them.

  “Both meaning the light witch and Celia?” Gemini asks.

  It’s hard for those who have inner beasts not to feel superior to all other supernaturals. Gemini has seen first-hand how tough and smart Celia is. But what I felt was deadly and beyond Celia’s abilities.

  Celia doesn’t possess what it takes to make a kill, make it count, and walk away without it affecting her. The dark witch who shadowed us was all about death and suffering, taking pleasure in the malice she inflicts.

  “Neither stood a chance,” I confess.

  I don’t like admitting what I do, especially to Celia. “I’m not certain what happened to the other two dark witches. I think they were close, but only the strongest presented herself,” I explain. “As Celia mentioned before, this dark figure appeared at the end of the alley. But then the light materialized immediately behind her.”

  Mimi agrees. She didn’t mention taking that journey with us, but whatever she saw was enough. “The light couldn’t vanquish the dark,” she says. “Not this time. So, she sent Celia where she would be safe.” She shakes her head. “But it cost the light dearly. She paid the ultimate price for interfering with those who seek to kill Celia.”

  “She’s dead,” Celia guesses. “The person who helped me?”

  Mimi tucks her tea and saucer back into the sleeve of her cloak. “Nothing can help her now.”

  We all quiet. If not for another closer screech of thunder I think more time would have passed in silence. “Why did the light witch send me here?” Celia asks. “Until now, I didn’t know anyone in Colorado.”

  Mimi smiles. “Did you not hear her words, child? Salvala. ‘Save her,’ she said.” She turns from Celia and looks me dead in the eyes. “The light sent you to the safest place you could be.”

  “Colorado?” Liam asks, confused.

  “No,” Mimi replies, her voice lowering. “With Aric.”

  Celia and I look at each other. I think I should say something, but something isn’t coming.

  “I need to get back to my sisters,” Celia says.

  “No,” Mimi says. “If you survive what’s coming, you’ll only lead the dark ones to those you love.” Mimi puckers her wrinkled brow. “Oh. Looks like the dark ones are already here.”

  She shuffles to the door and opens it. A torrent of power detonates above us and thousands of mini-lightning bolts blast into the soil, rocking the earth and knocking everyone over.

  Mimi brushes herself off as she rises. “Humpf,” she says. “This is worse than I thought.”

  If Mimi is trying to piss me off, it’s working.

  We scramble to our feet, stopping in front of the door. From each pocket of broken soil, something stirs. Lots of little somethings. A small pointy spike, covered in armor, pokes through the ground. It swings back and forth, feeling its surroundings before scurrying out.

  “Okay. Scorpions,” Liam says. “That’s not so bad. Hey, they’re kind of cute.”

  The scorpion is tiny. Just a baby. It shakes off the dirt covering it, each shift causing him to grow and his body to expand. Beside it, another scorp
ion emerges, only for the first scorpion to sting it with its now much longer tail.

  The smaller scorpion flips upside down, screaming, its legs thrashing wildly and the pinchers making a high-pitched clicking sound. As we watch with our jaws on the ground, it turns a sickly gray and begins to decompose, splitting open and exposing its sticky innards.

  The bigger scorpion devours it piece by piece, each swallow doubling its size, until he reaches the diameter of a full-grown tortoise.

  “Well,” Mimi says. “That’s disturbing.”

  And then she giggles.

  More scorpions appear, growing in size and devouring those too slow to grow or get out of the way. “All right,” Liam concedes. “We might have a small problem.”

  At the sound of Liam’s voice, one of the larger scorpions throws itself at the opening to the cave. It bangs against Mimi’s invisible ward. The scorpion shrieks, the power of Mimi’s magic sizzling through its armor.

  An army of smaller scorpions don’t waste time, crawling over their brethren and eating him alive.

  I drag my hand across my face. “The wards are holding, but we can’t stay here forever.”

  “Nonsense,” Mimi says. She shuffles back in the direction of the firepit. “My wards won’t hold longer than a few minutes.”

  “What?” the rest of us ask.

  Another scorpion throws itself at the ward, causing it to sparkle and split down the side.

  Mimi steps into the fire, her right foot disappearing as she does so.

  “Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Koda bellows.

  “I’m not staying here,” Mimi tells him. She points to herself. “I want to live.”

  “So, do we!” Koda fires back.

  Mimi bats her hand, sinking into the firepit. “I need time to figure out Celia’s predicament.” She frowns when I glare at her. “That’s what you sought me for, was it not?”

  “That’s before we knew what was coming,” I snarl.

  Mimi cackles. “You have me there, wolf.”

  Her crow-like laughter echoes around us as she dissolves into the sizzling embers. “She left us,” Koda says. “That nutcase up and left us.”