by L. A. Boruff
Yes, find Kia and others, Grim replied then closed his eyes that had been staring up into mine.
In the back of my mind, I listened as Grim began trying to contact our two missing bond partners whom he loved almost as much as he did Kia and me. Despite their constant nagging at each other.
My attention returned to the two patiently waiting strangers. The dark gaze of Kragen, and the quick glances of Jareth in the mirror.
Jareth’s velvety, husky voice made the hairs rise on my arms and not in the scary way either. “Is your wolf alright? Can we do anything?”
“What?” It took me a moment to comprehend his words. “No, it looks like Grim’s head was hit. He has a small lump just below his ear on the left-hand side. When we can, maybe we can get some ice for it?” I replied, a question in my voice.
An arm reached over the seats pulling a box over to sit beside Kragen where he opened it and took out an ice pack. Squeezing it a few times, he handed it to me. I remembered the sound of several somethings being put in the back of the vehicle. The first aid kit had to be one of them, since it was here now and not still sitting by my Jeep.
I took the pack. Grim? I’m going to lay something cold on your head. It will hurt for a moment but should help with reducing the pain. Okay? I couldn’t recall Grim ever being injured, so hopefully, he would understand this would only help him.
Grim opened his eyes and they gazed up towards me. Then, he eyed what I had in my hand before closing his eyes again. Okay, he replied sounding more tired than nervous or unsure.
I carefully laid the ice pack against his head, making sure not to touch the pack to his sensitive ears.
“Now, before we get into the rest of what’s happening with your daughter. Can you tell us your name? Mine is Kragen Kerpov, and my broody friend and partner is Jareth Valonia.”
I knew that from hearing them speak with each other, so I saw no reason not to tell them mine.
“Sadie, it’s Sadie Ember and my daughter is Kia Ember,” I replied, still trying wrap my head around all that had happened.
“And where is your husband?” Kragen asked.
I gave him a look, trying to figure out why he was asking. Then, it occurred to me since I had a daughter, they must think there is a father in the picture too.
“No, no husband. It’s just Kia and me.” I thought for a moment, then added. “Well there is also Grim.” I pointed down to the wolf resting on my lap. “George and Sigrid whom I had following Kia, but I’ve lost contact with them for the moment.”
I patted the cell phone in my pocket, to hopefully stop the questions I knew were on their lips.
Grim was still trying to get those two to answer, every few minutes. Then, I hurriedly tacked on to distract them some more from asking who George and Sigrid were, since I hadn’t meant to mention them. I mentally crossed my fingers this would work.
“Oh, and as I mentioned earlier there is also Calista and Electra who have been with us for a few weeks and will need to be rescued as well. They were the ones I told you were shot and taken with Kia?” I felt bad; this was the first time they’d even really hit my radar.
I’d been so focused on Kia, other than to say they were shot that until now I hadn’t counted them in my rescue plans.
“Do you think these two ladies helped the kidnappers?” Jareth questioned.
I looked up to see his eyes fixed on my face in the rearview mirror. Mentally sighing in relief, the distraction worked. I responded.
“No, they came highly recommend by someone I trust implicitly,” I negated.
Sadie! Sigrid cried out in my head.
Finally!!
Sigrid? What happened? I haven’t been able to reach you! It felt like a lifetime had passed.
I don’t know, somehow, we lost the connection. I’m so glad I found you. George said the fledgling is really scared. I don’t like this. The box on wheels turned at the brown sign with big trees and with a wolf on it. They are still driving.” My poor crow was very stressed.
It wouldn’t surprise me if this throws him into molting. My heart ached at the thought of Kia terrified.
Okay, keep me posted. We are headed back in your direction now. Hopefully, we can catch up soon, I told my bonded crow.
Hurry! The bad stuff is still coming. We must all find a safe place, soon. Sigrid sounded even more scared and agitated.
I think if it wasn’t for his bond with me, he would be long gone. I turned my head to look out the side window and looked up. There were hundreds of birds flying east as fast as their little hearts could. Craning my neck towards the back, I winced at the pain that caused but still looked. As far as I could see, which granted wasn’t far with the tall trees surrounding us there was zero light behind us. Just the dark, menacing clouds with their streaks of lightning giving off the only light. Cracks and booms followed close on our heels. The ground while it wasn’t as turbulent was still occasionally shaking the earth with aftershock tremors.
I took out my phone and pretended to look at a text.
“Look for a sign that says Forest Wolf Lodge. Sigrid just contacted me saying the kidnappers were headed in that direction.”
Jareth’s eyebrow raised. Puzzlement clear in his eyes. Time to finish the rest of the disaster the day had been and continue distracting them.
“Also, according to Sigrid before I lost contact earlier, there are a total of eight that grabbed the nagas and Kia. Plus, we don’t know how many will be wherever it is they are taking my daughter.” I interrupted.
“Wait. Nagas? What nagas?” Kragen snapped his question at me.
Shit fire and hold the toilet paper. Did I have a brain? I tried to save it. “Nagas? No, I said Calista and Electra.” I turned my head a bit and gave him a small clueless smile.
I hoped.
“No.” Jareth dragged out in that drawling voice of his while rolling his eyes at my blatant lie. “You said, nagas.” I caught the two of them staring at each other in the rear-view mirror, my heart sinking.
Jareth’s eyes left Kragen to capture mine, but not before he glanced at the road. Thank goodness. One accident was enough for one day.
“Why don’t you tell us the full truth, instead of this half-assed one you’ve been tap dancing around? While you’re at it, you could tell us what you are?” Jareth’s voice had hardened, which I was pretty sure he meant business.
“What I am? I’m human. What else is there?” Yeah, I knew I’d screwed up.
I mean, I was even more careless when I told them I’d spoken with Sigrid. My cell phone hadn’t even buzzed or rang reminding me of my ineptitude.
“Sadie,” Jareth voice was full of warning.
Mother? Please! Can I trust them? Kia needs me, please mother. I begged once more.
A spot of color caught my attention in the open space from the headrest. There on Jareth’s neck just beneath his ear was the tree of life with a wolf crouched to spring from its hidden spot in the foliage that surrounded the tree. Its golden eyes flaring with anticipation.
My answer, Gaia’s mark. The breath left me in a great sighing whoosh. Thank you, Mother! A feeling of love surrounded me for a moment before it was gone.
I couldn’t help looking between the two, even before I saw the mark on Jareth’s neck, I’d trusted them for some reason beyond my comprehension. Maybe, they really would help me get my daughter back.
My hand was lifted, and a zing shot through me, shaking me out of my thoughts. I looked down to see my small hand cradled in Kragen’s larger one. I looked up to see his warm, espresso eyes staring at our hands in wonder. I started to pull my tingling appendage away, but his grip tightened.
12
October 30, 2026
“Sadie. You can trust us.” His expression and voice said trust me, trust us. “We won’t hurt you, and we won’t allow anyone to harm you either.” Kragen looked at the mirror to see a firm nod from Jareth. “We will also help you rescue your daughter and the nagas on our word of honor.” K
ragen gave me a chiding smile for trying to lie to them. “Which by the way, I thought were practically extinct. Last we heard, there are only a handful left. How did you meet them?” His tone quizzical and truly interested.
He squeezed my hand and gave it a little shake when I didn’t answer right away. I’d been staring at his lips as he spoke. Shaking my head, sickened at myself, I slowly pulled my hand from his warm electrical one. This time he let me go, although reluctantly. I pulled Grim closer to me like a living teddy bear. Grim’s eyes opened and stared up at me, his body tensing I’m sure in discomfort. I quickly released him and nabbed the ice pack that had fallen from my hand when I’d pulled him to me.
We’ve stopped. There are many creatures here, and the nest is very big. They’ve taken the fledgling inside it. There were no more turns. Road leads straight to nest. Sadie, please come soon! So much danger, Sigrid reported anxiously to me.
Count those outside, I ordered; over the years I’d managed to teach all three of them to count to one hundred.
My heart skipped a few beats. We were getting closer. They gave me space for the moment, but I caught movement from the corner of my eye that drew me back from my chaotic thoughts. Kragen was texting someone.
“Who are you texting,” I asked suspiciously, I hadn’t seen a mark for him.
He glanced at me, a smile forming at the corner of his lips. “Our people. There are eight kidnappers and an unknown number of others currently. While we are both excellent fighters.” Kragen took his hand away from his phone for a moment to wave vaguely at himself and Jareth. “And depending on what species they are, it would still be very difficult for us to take them all on with the just the three of us. So, I’m calling in backup.” Kragen frowned down at his phone.
He started cursing in three different languages. My hand reached out to touch his arm, but I pulled it back. I didn’t have time for tingles. Kragen caught the movement, speculation entering his eyes, but he quickly returned his attention to his phone.
He looked up to the rearview mirror. “We’ve got problems. My people are blocked at our new location, half the city of Coeur d’Alene is trying to flee east. Spokane and the whole western side of the seaboard are in a state of emergency. The road leading in this direction is blocked with fallen rocks, buckled roads, and trees along Highway 90. It wasn’t just one volcano erupting, it’s at least five. Two in Oregon, two in Washington and one in California so far. We are not getting help from my end. Can you check with your people?” Kragen carefully laid Grim back on his suddenly vacated seat before just as gracefully returning to the front to grab the wheel while Jareth started texting.
I caught a glimpse of a mark just below his ear when he turned his right side to me. It was the tree of life, but instead of forms, I only saw shadows, but one stood out. Right in the center towards the top of the tree were a pair of blazing, fiery green eyes. Shock froze me. I shook my head; I couldn’t have seen it wink. Right? By the time I looked back, Kragen was already sitting with one arm across the console as he drove the speeding truck from the passenger side. Still, I couldn’t help the relief I felt when I saw he had Gaia’s mark as well.
“You live in Coeur d’Alene,” I asked, even now wondering how I’d missed so many Kindred.
“Brake,” Kragen said in a far calmer voice than I felt as I craned my head to see what he had.
Relief flooded me. It was the sign for Forest Wolf Lodge, we were closer. The truck turned smoothly before picking up speed again.
Ten outside. George said there are eight inside. Fledgling is in a room on the top floor and locked in. The snakes are in there with her.
So, eighteen.
“moved here.” I’d missed most of the response from Kragen while I listened to Sigrid.
More cursing had me looking towards Jareth. I’d been staring blindly at Kragen.
“My people are coming, but the roads are blocked where they are as well, but they think the backroads can get them in this area in an hour. They have to come up 97 where it intersects 90. Based on what’s coming at us, we’re on our own. I told them to return to the den and get everything ready for the storm.” Jareth stressed the word, ‘storm’ like it had more meaning than just the one almost upon us.
I wanted to chew on those words for a minute because I was pretty sure he meant the ‘ONE’ Kia had foreseen, but I had to tell them my bad news first.
“Um. Sigrid just told me there are eighteen that have been confirmed. Ten outside watching and eight inside. That doesn’t mean there aren’t more. Just the ones Sigrid has seen, and the ones George has sensed.”
Eight stinging individual pricks of pain shot across my nerve endings where the mark of Gaia lay just behind my ear. I closed my eyes, waiting for it to be over. I didn’t have time for this, damn it. I had to find my daughter and get back to our fortress on the outskirts of Coeur d’Alene before the shit hits the fan in earnest.
Similar sighs of resignation came from the front seat. My swords were still in their sheaths crossed along my back. The spell that hid them came from a witch I’d met two years ago. I’d saved her life and she placed a spell on my weapons so they couldn’t be seen, sensed, or felt unless I used them. Once I put them in action, anyone could see them. I’d liked her. She’d gone by Mead as she hated her first name and her middle name made her feel like a flower child of the sixties. She’d been funny and kind to us but had her own problems, so we parted ways. Kia had liked her a lot. Hopefully, she’d found safety from her troubles.
“I’m a guardian,” I blurted it out.
My hand slapped over my mouth; my eyes had gone wide as they flicked back and forth between the two males in the front seat. I crossed my eyes to look down, trying to see my possessed mouth. I hadn’t meant to say anything at all even with seeing Gaia’s mark. Old habits die hard and all that.
“Um, say what?” Jareth responded in a stunned tone of voice.
A huff of laughter from Kragen had my eyes returning to the front. “What are you doing?”
“It’s possessed,” slipped out from between the fingers I held over my lips, before I could stop it. “Wait! Just ignore me. I’m having a slight malfunction.”
They both laughed this time. Damn it! This wasn’t a laughing matter. They were still chuckling and shaking their heads when the vehicle suddenly pulled over.
“What are you doing? My daughter. Please we have to get to her!” My voice had gone up an octave as I scanned our surroundings.
“We are only a half a mile from the lodge. We passed a sign not more than a minute or so ago. Please, calm down and let’s get some things figured out. We will not leave your daughter in their hands any longer than we can help, but we have to plan, not go running in there only to get our heads shot off,” Jareth’s husky voice was low and trying for soothing again. “Now, let’s start with you’re a guardian, because all the layered realms have been told the guardians were all dead as of five or six years ago. Not even a hint there was any still alive,” Jareth’s request was a flat-out order to come clean.
I glared. “Let’s just pretend there aren’t and start planning my daughter’s rescue,” I snapped. “We don’t have time for fucking twenty questions. It’s already getting late. The sun will be gone as the storm will be here in less than thirty minutes and the world will go to hell in a hand basket not long after that. WE DON’T HAVE TIME.” I stressed with frustration at the all the delays that had been piling up over the last few hours.
“Sadie. We understand, and we promise we will get her out in time. Jareth’s den is not far from here. Once we have Kia and the Nagas we will head straight there until the worst has passed. We will get them, but we need information to plan appropriately,” Kragen’s voice had gone almost hypnotic.
Was he trying to use persuasion on me? What a dumb ass. I was a fucking guardian for fucks sake.
Grim? You good to go. We are out of here so we can get our Kia back. I asked my wolf as I pretended Kragen’s words were working on me.<
br />
My patience utterly gone.
Yes. Head better, Grim responded.
Before either of the ‘dear chaps’ in the front seat could react, Grim and I were out of the vehicle and running.
Grim? Scout, I ordered.
Grim took off into the trees his body quickly fading from sight. Two sets of hands reached for me. “Don’t touch me!” I snapped. “I’m getting my daughter, now. Not in ten minutes, not in twenty, and sure as fuck not in thirty at the rate you two want to talk. If and when we get out of here safely, then, and only then, will I say anymore,” I spat, my rage building.
Whoever took my daughter would pay with their lives.
13
October 30, 2026
“Sadie wait.” Jareth ordered curtly.
I turned. There was anger and annoyance stamped on his face, but I continued walking on the side of the road backwards.
“What?” I asked impatiently, a plan was forming.
I just needed a little more information and Grim would get it for me. Right now, I needed to get closer, so I was ready when the opportunity presented itself.
His eyes bore into mine. “I’ve called in some others that we know, who are closer. If you can wait just a little longer then we will have more backup,” Jareth said with a mix of understanding and frustration that I wasn’t falling into line.
“No.” I told him then turned back around before diving into the woods.
“Besides, you told me it would be an hour before backup arrives. We don’t have an hour. Now, you’re miraculously telling me there are others?” I scoffed in disbelief and doubt.
My two heroes made sure to stay with me. There was a rumbling growl from behind me and to the right. I glanced over my shoulder to see Jareth; irritation stamped on his features. I looked over my left to see Kragen’s features morph to implacable and unreadable versus the expressiveness he’d shown me earlier. Which one was the truer?
