Last Chance (DarkWorld: SkinWalker Book 3)

by Ayer, T. G.

Her eyes narrowed, unamused. “Something like that,” she snapped, clearly grumpy because of the hour of the day.

  “You tell Storm where you’re headed?”

  Lily nodded. I was being motherly, but I didn’t have a choice. I had to be sure she’d checked off everything that was necessary.

  “Did he have any objections?”

  She snorted. “Of course he did. He seems to think he’s my father or something.” She rolled her eyes, then returned to blowing on her coffee.

  “Lily, he is your guardian, you know. It’s what you agreed to. And it shows that he cares.”

  “I know.” She sighed and set the mug on the counter. “I’m just not used to someone being so overprotective.” She rolled her arms, elbows out, as if she were struggling under a blanket weighing her down. I knew how she felt. It was exactly the way I’d felt in Tukats before I decided to hit the road. How could I fault her?

  Silence shifted between the three of us until Logan cleared his throat. “You girls need to be extra careful in Wrythiin.” He seemed to blurt out the statement as if he hadn’t intended to say anything in the first place but had been unable to control himself.

  “Any particular reason?” I sipped and wondered what he knew. “Omega know something we should?” Logan’s eyelids dropped the tiniest bit of an inch, and in that movement I knew the answer was yes. “So what does Omega have on the Wrythiin situation?”

  “It’s not very specific. We’ve tried to gain information, but it’s pretty difficult considering we don’t have a Wraith working for Omega, so a deep cover agent isn’t a possibility.” He paused again, then drained his mug. “Our knowledge of the political and social situation in Wrythiin is solely from back when the Wraiths were originally banished from the Earth. Since their banishment, they’ve been careful to ensure as little interaction with Omega or Sentinel and even the High Council of Protectors.”

  “Well, if they weren’t allowed to come to our world, how was anyone supposed to keep an eye on them?” Lily asked.

  I waited for Logan to respond.

  “I wonder about that sometimes too. Surely someone would have ensured that we still kept open a mutual liaison line, but as far as I know, the information coming from Wrythiin is little to none.”

  “So all we know is based on our limited knowledge of their activity in our world? Does Omega have a standpoint on their current activity?”

  “You’re referring to their slow and persistent penetration into business and politics?” he asked, a curve to his lips.

  I nodded. “I hadn’t expected them to be that smart.”

  “They’re Wraiths, not imbeciles.”

  “Point taken. It’s just in my encounters with them, I never got much chance to discuss business or politics.” I laughed. “So I’m walking into the middle of a war.” The thought was sobering, and based on Logan’s expression, he wasn’t comfortable or happy about it.

  “From what we know, intense conflict, rebellion. There are two resistant factions. One who believes the Wraiths should have access to all the other worlds. They believe they shouldn’t be made to suffer for their forefathers’ indiscretions.”

  “I take it the other Rebel faction is led by Widd’en? Or was?”

  Logan nodded, a drop from his still-wet hair falling onto his shoulder. A wet patch had spread on each of his shoulders. He’d been so preoccupied he’d forgotten to dry his hair. It worried me now that I worried him so much. “Yeah, with him out of the way, who knows who the next Rebel leader will be? Let’s hope his death doesn’t mean you have worse on your hands.”

  I grunted. “Just my luck, right?”

  “Well, don’t borrow trouble. Who knows what you’ll deal with when you do get there?” With that, he set his mug down and stepped around the counter. “I should be going.”

  I snuck a glance out the window. It was still too early for the sun, but the sky held a tinge of light that teased with the promise of another dawning day.

  I slid off the stool and walked him to the door. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lily scoot off her seat, scurry to my bedroom, and close the door. I smiled, knowing she’d want to avoid seeing any farewell kisses. If she’d stayed in her seat, she would have seen that concern was unwarranted. Logan’s phone began to buzz and he flicked it open. After a few terse words, he shut the phone and gave me a rueful smile.

  He opened his arms and I slid into their comfort. He held me tight for a while, then released me. He kissed me hard on the lips, growling the words, “Be careful,” against them. Then he turned and hurried out the door. So. He didn’t like long good-byes.

  Neither did I.

  ***

  Chapter 8

  Our footsteps sounded off the wood of the pier, echoing around us so loudly I was sure we’d be spotted. Early mornings on the docks weren’t usually the quietest time of the day. I glanced around, and thankfully we didn’t have an audience. At least not one I could see. I never forgot that Sentinel and Omega were likely to be keeping an eye on me.

  I gave my cell-phone one last check and found a message from Iain. ‘I won’t make it K, bring her home and be careful.’ I hadn’t wanted Iain to come with me and now I could not deny that I was relieved he’d changed his mind.

  The wind surged against us as I adjusted my overflowing satchel on my shoulder. I was glad I’d dressed in a turtleneck and my warm leather jacket. I had no knowledge of Wrythiin weather, but I decided to dress warm in case. My black leather pants and sturdy biker boots finished my ensemble. A glance at Lily confirmed she was beginning to opt for a similar style, although in her case, she made do with jeans.

  Lily’s face was pale in the bland morning light. The waves smacked against the pilings beneath the pier and a light wind swept past, playing with her matching pale hair. She’d been unusually subdued since we’d left the apartment.

  “You okay?” I asked, watching her face.

  She peered up at me from under her thick lashes, reminding me so much of how young she was. Sixteen may not be all that young for a Walker, but a life on the streets wasn’t a good place to find a happy, calm existence. I suppressed a laugh. Lily would be the last person to say she needed happy and calm. She liked the hunt too much. Must be something about being a feline Walker. Something in the blood that drives us along in search of the next adventure.

  Lily nodded. “Yeah. I’m good. The sooner we get Anjelo and your mom home, the better I’ll feel, though.”

  “You nervous?” I asked Lily.

  She snorted. “I am a dimension-jumping virgin, you know.”

  I laughed softly as I slid my hand into my jacket pocket and withdrew the portal key. It gleamed in the light, the solid weight giving me a strange comfort. A ripple of unease volleyed through me as I recalled the blood promise the high priestess had drawn from me. Sometime soon, that would come back to bite me in the ass. But right now, I refused to think about it.

  Now I concentrated on Wrythiin.

  I stepped to the edge of the pier and held the key over the water. Lily stopped beside me, silent but sending off waves of nervousness. I understood how she felt, so I let her be.

  I threw the key over the water and watched it hover above the heaving black waves. It didn’t take long for the light to begin to shine. It streamed upward from the center of the donut-shaped key, so bright that the average human would have had to shade their eyes or risk being temporarily blinded. Not so for Walkers, whose eyes were far stronger.

  The column of light filtered through the hole and down into the murky bay, pulsing intermittently as if it had its own heartbeat.

  “Ready?” I asked Lily. I watched her face, her stiff shoulders, taut spine. She was a bundle of nerves and that was good. Fearlessness was dangerous.

  “Yes,” said Lily, nodding as she stared at the hovering key. Then she gave a mock shudder as she glanced down at the pulsing black water.

  I laughed softly as another gust of wind buffeted me, throwing my loose locks into my face. I sl
ipped a finger into my pants pocket and retrieved an elastic band, then tied my hair into a low ponytail. Not particularly fashionable, but good for dimension hopping and Wraith hunting.

  “Right, then, let’s go. On three.” I took two steps back and Lily did too. I held out my open palm, and as soon as the lynx Walker placed her hand on it, I gripped hard. Leaning forward, I ran, feeling Lily keep pace beside me.

  We both leaped together, flying through the air toward the bright column of light. For a moment, my chest tightened with fear. What if we didn’t get close enough? But I needn’t have worried. The key itself seemed to have an attractive force around it. It caught us in its path and began to pull on us like a magnet attracting its polar opposite.

  We sailed over the water and straight at the seal. I half closed my eyes as we flew, heading into the center of the key. The first time I’d used a key, I’d been terrified that either I’d never enter the thumb-sized hole, or I’d be squashed forever for the effort. Experience told me I’d be fine, that we would both be fine, but logic screamed in my brain and I felt a dart of fear slash through my gut.

  The next thing I knew was darkness. When I squinted against the blackness, I found I was blinded by the light emanating from the column. As suddenly as the light blinded me did it disappear again, leaving us in pitch darkness. My body hurtled through black space, gusts of wind slamming against me and throwing me into a slow spin. I wondered how Lily was doing and worried she wouldn’t be able to handle the ride.

  And then I hit ground and my head slammed into something solid. A sound exploded next to me and reverberated around us. Lily hit the ground with a thud and a small, “Oomph.”

  I sat up and rubbed the bump at the back of my head. The silence was thick, as solid as the darkness around us. I sensed Lily shift beside me. “You okay?” I whispered.

  After a moment silence, as if Lily were giving the question serious thought, she whispered, “Yeah. Wow. That was some ride. Now I know what babies feel like, being shoved through a tiny hole just to see life.”

  I snorted. Trust Lily to do something as ridiculous as compare traveling through dimensions to the act of birth.

  I smiled into the darkness and channeled my panther sight. Heat coursed through my eyes, electric pulses rippling along the surface of my eyelids, surging into my eyeballs. I felt my eyes widen, my pupils stretch wider and adjust their shape from round to the feline almond shape of a cat’s eye. The blackness began to fade as it turned to grey and solid darkness transformed slowly into the outline of Lily’s body with the ebony rock of the tunnel wall behind her.

  I got to my feet, dusting myself off from the black sand covering my clothing as well as my skin. It was the strangest feeling to be immersed in thick shadow, as if swimming in a pool of ink.

  Lily struggled to rise beside me. “Be careful. The walls are not smooth and the tunnels are fairly narrow.”

  “Have you been here before?” came Lily’s soft voice.

  I nodded, then realized Lily couldn’t see me in the solid blackness. “Yes, or at least I’m assuming I landed in the same place I did the last time I arrived in the Wraith dimension.”

  “How come there’s no dark water?” Lily asked.

  I frowned and realized Lily had a valid question. Even in the Greylands, there had been dark water to assist in inter-dimensional travel. But here in Wrythiin, I’d arrived on hard-packed ground. “Maybe the water is close by, maybe on the other side of the wall. Or maybe portal keys don’t need dark water in the Wraith world.” Lily didn’t answer, and I could imagine her frowning as she considered my words. ““Right, I think you need to turn on the Walker sight.”

  “Easy for you to say,” came Lily’s voice.

  “Sorry,” I said. “We’re in no hurry. Take your time.” Being Pariah, even a partial transformation was a task in itself. I knew it would sap some of Lily’s strength, but she needed at least a little sight so she wouldn’t be a liability to me. The last thing I needed was to have to worry about a blind Lily in this world. She’d come to help, so I hoped she wouldn’t chicken out just because she was reminded of her Pariah status.

  “Okay, let me got my bearings. Where exactly are you?” Lily asked, and I watched her reach out. Then I felt a warm hand on my breast and choked back a laugh.

  “Lily, this isn’t the time to be fondling me.”

  Lily snorted, then dissolved into a fit of laughter as she withdrew her hand and placed it on a much safer part of my body. “Sorry, I got my wires crossed there for a moment. I thought you wanted me,” Lily said dryly. Then unable to hold the tone, she giggled.

  I reached for Lily’s hand and lifted it off my shoulder. When I placed the girl’s palm on the rock wall, I said, “Here’s the wall of the tunnel. Now concentrate on the change. You want to see, so open your eyes.”

  “Okay,” said Lily, a nervous lilt to her voice. A few moments passed and Lily sniffed. “I don’t think I can do this.”

  “You can. Otherwise, you’ll make me regret bringing you. You wanted to be here to help me, right, not to be a distraction? I don’t have time to spend concentrating on you instead of the mission.” I spoke sharply and hoped I wouldn’t hurt her feelings too much, but I had to be blunt. I wasn’t planning on sugarcoating anything. She needed to channel her sight so she could also be an asset. Otherwise, I should really just leave her right there to wait for me to find Anjelo and Mom.

  The soft susurration of Lily’s breathing was the only thing to mar the solid silence that fell upon the tunnel. Until Lily yelped and the high-pitched sound echoed around us.

  “Gosh, Lily, a little louder please. I don’t think they heard you in the Greylands. Do you want to alert them to our presence?”

  “Sorry. I just felt my eyes transform.”

  The excitement in her voice was contagious, and I forgot to be annoyed with her. “Good girl. Can you see yet?”

  She was breathing fast, excitement and the thrill of lynx sight rushing through her veins. “Yes, yes, I can. The sight isn’t the best, but it’s not dark any longer.”

  “Good. Then we can get moving,” I said, not waiting for her response as I began to walk forward. The tunnel curved left up ahead, and I moved quicker, determined to get this job done fast.

  “Kai?” Lily asked as she hurried to keep up with me.

  “Yes, Lily?” I responded without looking back.

  “Thank you.” Her voice filtered to me, soft and hesitant.

  “What for?” I frowned but kept walking, eyes open and alert.

  “For being so patient with me. And for bringing me along.” Her voice revealed she’d known all along how close I’d been to saying she couldn’t come.

  I shrugged, but the movement was obliterated by the weight of the weapon-laden satchel on my shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. Just don’t make me regret bringing you, or I will have to send your ass back home immediately.” I smiled to myself. Sometimes it was hard pretending to be an adult.

  My feet hit the stone floor as we moved down the tunnel, sending low thumping sounds echoing around us. I cringed, but there was nothing to do but plod on.

  “Will you really do that?” Lily asked hesitantly, and I considered her question.

  Then I nodded without looking back. “Yes. If you become a burden or jeopardize the mission in any way, I will take you straight back home.”

  Lily grunted and I could just see her pout. “Geez. You’re such a slave driver.”

  I snorted. “I don’t expect any more of you than I do of myself.”

  “I guess you’re right,” Lily conceded before falling into silence. She hurried to keep up with my long alpha strides, but I didn’t slow down. Lily would think I was being easy on her, and the last thing I wanted was for her to become complacent.

  Not in Wrythiin, when all our lives were at stake.

  As we took the corner, the sound of oncoming footsteps slammed into me. For a moment, I was fixed to the spot, unsure of what to do. Then I fell into f
ighting stance. Lily heard the footsteps too and stopped just at my shoulder. I could taste the tension coming off her body in waves.

  A hooded figure stalked toward us, head down, footsteps in a fast, purposeful rhythm.

  ***

  Chapter 9

  Just when I thought the Wraith hadn’t seen us, he looked up. His face was within folds of shadow, hidden by the large hood of a Wraith cloak. I watched as he slowed to a stop, one black-gloved hand flipping aside the folds of his dark mantle. The black sword at his hip glinted in the meager light. Even in panther sight, the obsidian blade flickered ominously, making my stomach roil in response.

  My hand followed suit and my fingers curled around the hilt of my own appropriated obsidian sword. But it was stupid. The whole hand-on-sword-hilt move was meant to be threatening, but it held no substance. Not when these narrow tunnels made a true sword fight near impossible.

  The Wraith stood stiff, shoulders straight as he waited for my next move.

  Moments passed in which we both seemed to be waiting for the other. I felt he had the advantage, as he was able to see my face while all I could make out was black shadow under the hood. It seemed we both decided at the same time, launching into a run.

  Lily’s voice echoed behind me, her cry of, “No!” reminding me I wasn’t in this alone. In the moment of studying my enemy, I’d forgotten I had her to back me up. Now I just hoped if this fight went south, she’d be strong enough to help me.

  I moved fast, panther blood pumping through my veins, energy burning through my muscles as they thrust me forward, closer to the enemy that bore down on me. The tunnel was silent and all I could hear was the thumping of my heart, the rush of my breath as I ran. We closed in on each other, only a part of my awareness registering the slimness of my enemy’s legs, the feminine shape to the thigh, the elegant arch of her neck.

  This Wraith was a girl.

  But I paid little attention to that knowledge, just ran headlong into her. I hit her in the middle of the chest, fingers curled in a tight punch. The power rippled through her, the force of the blow reversing her forward momentum so swiftly I heard a crack as her neck snapped forward then back.