“But have you reached out? Ever try to find your mother or anything?” He spoke as if giving any answer other than yes made me crazy.
I shook my head. “No. I knew she was dead, why would I have tried?”
“What about more recently. With your grandfather? Surely you’ve tried to speak with him? Tried to find solace?” Lochlan asked hopefully.
“He’s gone. I know that. Why would I have tried to reach out to him?”
“You truly never felt a connection to the dead?” Lochlan was back to his staring. “None at all?
“No.” I shook my head.
“I don’t believe it.” Lochlan’s stare intensified. “You should have felt something. A tug.”
“Maybe you have the wrong person. Ever think of that? Maybe you’re wrong about me?” I wasn’t sure what I wanted the answer to that to be.
“We’re not wrong.” Bryant wrapped his hand around my wrist. “I did my research. I always do my research.”
I prepared for pain, but his hold remained light. “Lochlan said it could skip a generation. Maybe that’s what happened.”
“I wouldn’t be excited about that possibility if I were you.” Bryant kept his hold on my wrist, but he moved his thumb to the spot above my pulse.
“Why?” I asked, afraid for his answer.
He applied light pressure to the spot. “Because if you’re useless to me, I’m going to get rid of you.”
“Get rid of me?” I shivered. “Meaning…”
“I’ll let you figure that out for yourself, but it’s not going to be good for you. I don’t believe the power skips generations. I believe it is always there but may be harder to pull out. We will do whatever it takes to activate your abilities. We have all the time in the world.”
“I was hoping to be able to do something here, but I can’t. We need to get to a cemetery or a morgue. We need to be closer to death.” Lochlan eyed my wrist nervously. I was feeling exactly the same way.
“That can be arranged.”
“What cemetery are we going to?” I still didn’t know where we were.
“Does it matter?” Bryant asked.
“Do I know anyone buried there?” That sounded like a fair enough question to ask.
“I do think that might be helpful.” Lochlan seemed to weigh in on my words. “It will likely speed up the process.”
“We can’t risk her being seen by anyone.” Bryant dropped my wrist. “Perhaps we start with a distant relative?”
“Or we slip into a mausoleum. She has distant relatives buried out closer to the coast. That might work.”
“They must be very distant relatives since I’ve never heard anything about it.” I knew nothing of almost any of my relatives.
“Your grandfather was buried in Pennsylvania?” Lochlan asked.
“Yes.” I nodded. “He was buried on our property.” Which was a reason I’d never ever sell that land.
“If she can’t reach her grandfather, traveling to Pennsylvania will be a waste of time. How many others are buried in this mausoleum?” Bryant stood.
“Close to a dozen, and it’s inside a large cemetery.” Lochlan was animated.
“Mostly paranormals buried there?” Bryant put a hand in his pocket.
“All, aside from mates,” Lochlan explained.
“And you are sure she has family there?” Bryant pressed.
“Yes.” Lochlan nodded. “I am positive.”
“Let’s do it.” Bryant pulled on my hand and pulled me to my feet.
“Let me explain the basics to her now.” Lochlan rose.
“Fine.” Bryant nodded. “But we leave within an hour. I’m done wasting time.”
“Understood.” Lochlan gestured for me to walk toward him.
“And I’m staying in here with you.”
“Ok, but you must keep quiet.” Lochlan nodded.
It looked like I wasn’t getting a break at all.
“There are two main exercises new Séancers can use to get adjusted to their talents.” Lochlan was excited. I wasn’t sure if that was good or bad for me.
“Get used to. That’s different than find. I need to find my abilities—if they exist—first.”
“They exist.” Bryant hissed. “They exist. Stop trying to pretend they don’t.”
“Fine. What do I do?”
“The first method involves closing your eyes and reaching out.”
“Reaching out where?” I asked. “Like to something physical?”
Lochlan chuckled. “No. Assume everything I say is in your mind.”
“Got it. So in my mind I’m supposed to reach out to what?”
“The deceased.”
“Wait. I’m supposed to be able to reach dead people in my head?”
“How else would you reach them?” Lochlan looked at me like I had two heads even though he was the one telling me to talk to dead people.
“Ok. So I close my eyes, reach out to dead people, and then what?”
“Try to talk to them.”
“Ok. What’s the other option?”
“It’s the same concept.” Lochlan folded his hands. “The difference is you picture yourself floating, clear your head, and then wait for the voices to find you.”
“This is insane.” Completely. Yet here I was agreeing to go along with it.
“It’s the way of your people. Show some respect.”
“I have no people.”
“You do.” Lochlan took both my hands in his. “You always have, and you may now be able to reconnect with them.”
“With dead ones you mean.”
“Eventually you’re going to forget there’s a difference between the two.”
I groaned. “Ok. Which one should I try first?”
“Either. It’s up to you.”
“Wonderful. Thanks for the suggestion.”
“Respect, Mara. Don’t forget that respect,” Bryant warned. “Lochlan works for me, so disrespecting him shows disrespect for me.”
He didn’t need to say anymore. “I’ll try to reach out first.” That seemed safer. I closed my eyes and had no idea what to do. Instead I pictured myself floating. Still nothing.
I opened my eyes. “I need better instructions.”
“You need to be closer to the dead.”
“Then let’s go.” Bryant headed to the doorway.
“Off to the cemetery we go,” I said under my breath.
10
Ian
I pulled off to the side of the road. I was glad for my truck’s clearance as I drove into and over a ditch. A normal car would have been stuck in the kind of terrain I was driving in. There was no amount of distance from the road that would guarantee us privacy, but I did my best. We had enough trouble to contend with already.
I stopped and turned off the ignition. Tyler and I wordlessly hopped out and went around to the back.
I opened the tail gate.
“You could have stopped sooner.” Claire hopped down from the back. She was actually dressed still—a feat in and of itself.
“I wanted to make sure we weren’t followed.”
“We probably were. We’re always followed.” She leaned against the back of the truck.
“Then maybe we shouldn’t talk.” Tyler frowned. “Is that what you’re suggesting?”
“We should. There is a lot to talk about.” She put her hands behind her in a deceptively submissive way. She was so used to luring men in that she did it even when she didn’t need to.
‘Then start talking.”
“You didn’t tell me there was a Pteron involved.” Claire hopped up to sit on the back of the truck.
“Who said there was?”
“Don’t bullshit me, Ian. There’s a Pteron involved, and it would have been nice to have known that from the beginning.”
“I didn’t know how he tied in.” I resisted the urge to tug down on her dress. She’d get too much enjoyment out of it. Instead I kept my eyes on her face.
“So
you admit it?”
“Yes.” There was no sense denying it. She already knew.
“And he is the one who has your girl.”
“Is that a question?”
“No. It’s fact. Willem is pissed as all hell. At first he thought you guys still had her, but he had a spy who witnessed everything.”
“So what’s he doing about it?” The answer would help shape my next move.
“Searching for him. They’re ready to storm The Society if they have to.”
Tyler laughed. “Good luck with that. I guess it’s good because then the Pterons can take care of them for us.”
“I doubt they’re that stupid.” Claire ran her tongue over her bottom teeth. “Although you never know. The guy I talked to was.”
“What was he doing when you left?”
“Sleeping.”
“Uh….” I wasn’t sure I wanted to know how that was managed.
“I slipped him something instead of giving him what was promised.”
“And what was promised was you?” Tyler cocked his head to the side. “Right?”
“Yeah… but my standards are higher.”
“I wasn’t aware you had standards.” Tyler smirked.
Claire jumped off the back in a blur and slapped him across the face.
“Hey. It was just a joke.” He touched the place where she’d hit him.
“And it was just a slap.”
I had to hand it to Claire. She could take care of herself.
“Did you learn anything else?” I didn’t look at my brother. There was nothing to say. He’d had it coming to him with that comment.
“She’s powerful. What is she?” Claire turned to me.
“I thought this is about what you learned, not what we know.”
“Tell me what she is. I thought she was human. Cute, but human.” There was a hunger in Claire’s eyes, and it had nothing to do with me. It was a hunger for power. Aside from sex, it is what she hungered for most.
“She is human—with a potential of something else. But I didn’t know. I had no idea, and it hasn’t been proven.”
“What?” Claire moved closer. “What is the potential?”
“None of your business,” Tyler snapped.
“It is my business because I’m helping, and despite you being complete idiots, I am willing to help. You need my help.”
“Need is a strong word.” A very strong one.
“It’s a true word.”
“What else do you have?” She wasn’t getting off easy. I needed any information she had.
“Willem’s got a place by the lake.”
“I know that.” I was grateful I didn’t need to thank her for that info.
“But did you know who’s guarding it and where?”
“You have that info?” Now that kind of information could be useful.
“Originally I thought the girl was there. It would have been helpful had you told me she was with a Pteron so I could have used my time more wisely.”
“The information you have is still useful.”
“How useful?” Claire’s eyes widened.
“Damn it, Claire. Is everything about what you can get out of it?”
“Why else would I do it?” Claire folded her arms over her chest. “Don’t act like you do things out of the goodness of your heart either. We’re the same. One day you’ll get that. I could care less whether you want to sleep with me, but you should work with me. We work well together.”
“Then help me find her.”
“That’s what I’m doing.”
“And we’ll get your sister out of the mess she’s in.” I couldn’t forget Claire had an interest in this.
“I’m glad you didn’t forget about that part.”
“I’m not that much of a jerk.” And I liked Trisha. She deserved better than whatever trouble she’d gotten herself into.
“Jerk. I’d have used a different term.”
“I’m sure you would have.”
“Want to head out to the lake?” She pointed in that general direction.
“Tyler, can you meet with Monica?” I was divvying out a lot of tasks, but I didn’t see any other options. There was far too much to do all at once.
He nodded. “Yes, but don’t forget to check in with Noah.”
“What’s Noah doing for you?” Claire asked with interest. I hoped it had nothing to do with what brother was involved. She needed to stay away from him.
“Trying to get his feelers out to The Society to figure out who this Pteron is.”
“Oh, little Noah,” she said in a patronizing voice.
“Don’t.” I held out a hand in warning. “Don’t go there.”
“See, you haven’t forgiven me. Maybe once you admit that we can move on.”
“You’re a bitch.” There was no better way to describe her.
“And you’re a jerk. It works well. Like I told you.”
“Can I take your truck?” Tyler pointed his thumb at it. “Or do you want it?”
“It’s going to be safer if we run.” I tossed him the keys. “Take care of it.”
“You don’t actually care about it.” He was right. I wasn’t known for materialism.
“As long as I get Mara back I don’t care about anything.”
“Oh, a bear in love.” Claire laughed.
“Enough of that,” I snapped.
“Why? You do love her.”
“Of course I do.”
“There’s no of course about it. Plenty of your kind take mates they don’t love.”
“As compared to your kind?” I threw it right back at her.
“Of course we do. But unlike you I’m not going to pretend it’s out of the ordinary.”
“She’s special. She’s mine.”
“He’s really getting into the whole Alpha thing, isn’t he?” She winked at Tyler.
“I forget. You know about that.” Tyler blanched.
“Everyone will soon enough. The story about Jonovan being out of town is going to wear out soon.”
“I know, but I don’t need that distraction.” I didn’t need any distraction.
“Or maybe it’s exactly the distraction you need. If everyone’s talking about Jonovan they won’t be watching your every move.”
“They’ll be watching even closer.”
“They’re watching closer anyway. There are bears infringing on your land. Everyone wants to see how this goes down.”
“Great, isn’t it?” I went heavy on the sarcasm.
“Hey, there are worse things.”
“Like a Pteron kidnapping my mate?”
“She isn’t quite your mate yet, is she?” Claire raised an eyebrow.
“No,” I couldn’t hide that truth unfortunately. “I’ll be taking care of that soon.”
“‘I’m surprised you waited.”
“He was being a gentleman.” Tyler grinned. “Slept with her but didn’t make her his own.”
I glared at him. “Get back to the bar.”
“I thought I would get punched for that one.”
“I need you in one piece.”
“Glad my usefulness is saving me.”
“It won’t save you forever.” Especially not if he talked about my sex life with Mara again.
Claire laughed. “Some things never change.”
“And some do,” I said mostly under my breath.
“Once we find the girl, you have to snap out of whatever this mood is your in.”
“Her name is Mara.”
“Yes.”
“Stop calling her the girl.”
“It’s a name. Don’t waste your breath.”
“It’s more than a name. You won’t use it because that would admit she matters.”
“She matters to you. She doesn’t matter to me.”
“I’m leaving, and you two should stop arguing. It’s not going to get you anywhere.” Tyler gave me a knowing look.
I nodded. “No. It’s not.”
“Looks like it’s just us.” Claire pulled off her dress.
“Could you give me warning before getting naked?”
“What kind of fun would that be?” She winked again before shifting and taking off into the brush.
I stripped down and reached out for my bear, preparing myself for the shift. He was just as desperate as my human side, and that wasn’t good news for anyone who got in my way.
11
Mara
Letting Bryant blindfold me went against every shred of common sense I had, but the look in his eyes and the malice in his voice let me know I had no other option. Self preservation can be a powerful, yet dangerous thing.
I'd hoped Lochlan would stand up for me, the whole we are both Séancers thing, but he didn't. He said nothing as Bryant tied the bandana over my eyes.
In another situation I would have made a quip about the last time I'd worn one was in pin-the-tail on the donkey, but this wasn't another situation. I was kidnapped by Bryant and being taken to a cemetery so I could commune with dead people. This was anything but a game.
"Do I need to tie you up?" Bryant put a hand on my arm. At least I assumed it was him since he was speaking from so close.
"No." I shook my head wildly.
"Yes I do." He pulled my wrists together and proceeded to tie them.
"Why did you ask then?" I mumbled.
“What was that?” He pulled the rope harder. “Do I need to tie your legs too?”
I held in the comment about him doing it if he didn’t want to get kicked in the balls. Lochlan was on his side, so even if I could get away from Bryant I had him to deal with.
“Maybe you do learn.” He patted my back. “I still contend that when this is all over we’ll be very good friends.”
I said nothing.
He laughed. “You were easier to break than I thought.”
“Shall we be going?” Lochlan said from somewhere farther off.
“Yes. I believe we are all ready now.” Bryant wrenched me out of my chair.
I let out a slow deep breath. Getting angry or showing him he’d hurt me wasn’t going to help.
He linked his arm with mine and led the way out toward where the car waited. At least he wasn't flying me. That was something I hoped to never experience again—drugged or not. And this time I wasn’t drugged. That was another good thing about my still admittedly horrible situation. Well, as far as I knew.
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