by Tamsin Ley
Kepler grimaced and nodded, one hand going to his chest to touch the tender scars the creature had left there. “Maybe I shouldn’t try to get away. Is there some way you can have everything ready to go so I can finish the spell right there?”
Her eyes grew thoughtful. “We do have more of the glass with her wolf’s blood on it. If I construct a blade, and you mingle their blood—”
“The host is human,” Tessa interrupted. “She doesn’t have the experience or knowledge to respond to an open hellmouth. We can’t take a chance that something worse than the agathion will come through.”
Kepler wasn’t sure who he hated more, Jen for hexing Ashlyn, or Tessa for hindering the only means of saving her. “Ashlyn’s wolf is an Alpha. She’ll know what to do.”
Tessa looked at him with pity. “In order to cast the spell that let the agathion through in the first place, Jen bound the wolf. Ashlyn is on her own.”
His heart sank as he thought of Ashlyn all by herself on the other side. What if Ashlyn was already dead? Ashlyn, please respond. He tried to summon their mental bond again.
No response.
Even so, he insisted, “Ashlyn’s smart. She’ll know to come through when she sees it.”
Annoyingly calm, Jen replied, “She may be able to free her wolf. Hamilton’s helping her now.”
The pinprick of hope was all Kepler needed. He turned to Tessa. “We have to try.”
Tessa shook her head. “And if we fail?”
He looked first at Finch, who nodded, then at Cal, who looked a little unwell but nodded, too. They knew the stakes. They knew what had to be done.
Fighting back the chill trying to paralyze his bones, Kepler said, “If we fail, we kill her.”
Chapter Fifteen
Ashlyn stepped over the mushrooms into the circle, holding her breath in anticipation. The next thing she knew, she stood in what looked like a study. I was right, that was a portal. Looking behind her, she was relieved to see an open wooden door that revealed only blackness. That must be the opening I just stepped through. This place was so weird.
The room held a closed roll-top desk, a rickety wooden chair, and bookshelves, everything in sight a monochrome shade of orange. But what struck her most were what had to be a hundred mounted taxidermy heads on every spare inch of wall space. Some appeared to be common animals from Earth plus a few that appeared to be human, but others had grotesque horned protrusions, extra eyes, or double rows of teeth.
She cradled the ferret against her chest like a teddy bear. “What am I supposed to do in here?”
It wriggled to be free, so she set it on the floor. It loped toward the chair and jumped from it to a bookshelf and began to climb. Was this where the demon that possessed her body lived? She moved toward the desk, but her steps faltered as she caught sight of the head of a man mounted to the wall. His curly hair and contorted expression was familiar. The shifter who attacked me in the alley. She wanted to be sick.
The ferret latched onto a book, tipping it from its slot on a high shelf, and Ashlyn forced her gaze away from the menagerie of heads to help pull the book free. In the weird orange light, it looked almost red, and the cover felt velvety yet slick at the same time. Her gut churned thinking about what it might be made of. No writing or images decorated the front or thin spine.
Opening it, she discovered its pages were also blank. A smell like oatmeal wafted upward, and as she turned the pages, the smell changed to diesel fumes, strawberries, campfire… Each page had a smell instead of words. She frowned and looked up at the ferret. “What is this?”
It scurried back along the bookshelf and hopped to the top of the desk cabinet, scratching at the closed roll-top.
Ashlyn shut the book and moved to the desk. The tambour moved smoothly as she slid it up, revealing a desktop that looked more like a surgeon’s table, with bloody instruments laid out in a neat row. Appalled, she drew back.
The ferret nudged a scalpel and looked at her.
“What do you want me to do with that?” Ashlyn glanced at the heads staring blankly into the room. No way was she removing body parts from anyone or anything.
Standing on its hind legs, the ferret used a front paw to point at the book still clutched in her hand.
“Oh, you want me to cut up the book?” Destroying the nasty thing felt right. She swiped aside the medical instruments and set the book on the desk. Picking up the scalpel, she poised it over the cover.
The ferret lunged forward and nipped her wrist.
“Ow! Why’d you do that?”
It clawed the book open, riffling pages until the book fell on one that smelled familiar. Wildflowers. Honey. Wolf.
Her eyes widened. “My wolf?”
With one small claw, the ferret made a cutting motion along the bound edge of the page.
Ashlyn looked from the scalpel to the page. “Cut the page out?”
The ferret backed away.
“All right…” Licking her lips, she took a breath and placed the scalpel against the page. When the ferret didn’t object, she sliced the page free.
She’d expected to feel something, see something, but the page just sat there. “Now what?”
The ferret pushed the page toward her, so she picked it up. Then it hopped off the desk and ran back to the door, where it turned around to look at her expectantly. Okay, she was supposed to follow it again. Wrapping the page around the scalpel, she clutched them both in one fist.
Then she thought of something. “What about you? Is there something in here that can help you?”
The ferret shook its head and edged closer to the opening.
Feeling sorry for the tiny creature, she picked it up. This time, it didn’t flinch. The blackness beyond the door was daunting, but she knew her wolf was on the other side waiting. With a final glance at the strange room, she stepped through, once more finding herself at the edge of the mushroom circle.
“Wolf, I’m coming!” she cried.
Somewhere in the darkness, her wolf whined, and she followed the sound until she could see its blue glowing eyes. At her animal’s side once more, she set the ferret down and knelt on the stone floor. “I got this.”
She unwrapped the page, keeping the scalpel in her other hand. Except the page was no longer a paper. It was a leaf with a long, serrated stem. Not a stem. She turned to the ferret. “A key.”
The ferret nodded, front feet pressed against the wall where the chain was connected.
“I feel like Alice in Wonderland,” she muttered and placed the key into the keyhole on the wall. “Here goes nothing.”
Color exploded all around her. The scalpel fell from her grip and she closed her eyes against a sudden return of vertigo, groping blindly for her wolf. “Wolf? Wolf, where are you?”
Her wolf pressed against her, body warm and solid in the ethereal surroundings. Clinging to the animal’s thick ruff, she knelt, feeling warm and giddy with success. “We did it!”
She cracked open one eye, focusing on her wolf and allowing the billowing colors to flow past her. Her elation faded a little. “We’re still not in my body.”
Small paws touched her leg, and she slid her gaze down to find the ferret looking up at her. In the colored light, it looked even more abused, the reddish fur patchy in places and the missing eye crusted with scar tissue. Trembling, the ferret climbed onto her lap and curled itself into a ball.
A scent like anise grew stronger, and Ashlyn’s entire being prickled with awareness as she remembered how it had pursued her earlier. Was it one of the monsters the agathion had warned her about? She searched the ground around her for the dropped scalpel, but it was nowhere in sight.
Her wolf leaned against her, muscles tense and wary. Ashlyn felt like a rabbit caught in the open. She had no option but to remain perfectly still and hope whatever it was passed her over.
After the smell faded, she whispered, “Do you know what that was?”
Of course the animals couldn’t answer. But they both
stayed close, as if she held the power to shield them from danger. Longing for Kepler, she closed her eyes and pictured him, strong and protective. She imagined his arms around her and the warm masculine scent of his body when he held her close. Kepler, what do I do?
Ashlyn, I knew you were alive! Kepler’s voice flooded her with relief.
We’re still connected!
Of course. You’re my mate.
She wished she could fall into his arms. I freed my wolf, but I have no idea where I am or what to do next.
Can you sense your body? We need to know where it is.
Her chest tightened. No, I’m completely disconnected.
That’s okay. We can follow your scent. The witches have come up with a plan to get you back into your body, Kepler said. Watch for the hellmouth. When you see it, don’t hesitate, go through it.
She tried to remember what she’d seen when the agathion had thrust her out of her body, but she’d been so confused. I don’t know what it looks like.
I’ll tell you when, but if we lose connection again, trust your wolf. Follow her lead. He hesitated, as if uncertain what to say next. And Ashlyn? Forgive me.
For what?
Breaking the curse is going to hurt.
Kepler rode the four-wheeler hard, losing sight of Cal’s russet fur as he rerouted to avoid a fallen tree. He couldn’t carry the glass knife Jen had made while he was in wolf form, and he couldn’t easily track the agathion in human form, so they’d settled on letting Cal sniff out the trail. Kepler wore an old flannel jacket the witches had given him, along with a pair of cargo pants that were one size too small, the hexed knife hidden in the pocket on his thigh.
In Kepler’s head, Cal said, I think we’re getting close.
Do not let it spot you, Kepler warned for what felt like the hundredth time. He nudged Ashlyn. We’re almost there. Be ready.
Okay. Her voice trembled.
He was about to reassure her when Cal interrupted, Shit. It’s almost to the highway.
They had to stop it before it reached civilization. A naked woman asking for help on the side of the road would immediately attract attention, and they wanted to keep this as quiet as possible. Kepler gunned the ATV. One of his wheels caught air, and he leaned into it to keep the vehicle upright, landing hard, wheels churning up leaves and dirt behind him.
Between the gray trees far ahead, he spotted a flash of pink and blue hair. I’ve got her, Cal. Pull back.
Good luck. Cal slowed to a trot, allowing Kepler to whip past. We’re ready if you need us.
Kepler’s stomach clenched. They had to end the monster, one way or another, and if the plan didn’t work or something happened to Kepler before he could complete it, Cal and Finch would move in and kill the vessel. Kill Ashlyn. Kepler wasn’t about to let that happen.
“Ashlyn!” he yelled over the roar of his engine, hoping to stall the agathion before it reached the road.
The pink and blue hair stopped, and the figure turned to face him, blue eyes flashing purple. He pulled up just out of reach, letting the engine fall to an idle. The agathion cocked its head. “You surprise me, shifter.”
“I thought about what you said, about being your consort.” Kepler’s heart thundered against his ribs and made it hard to keep his voice steady. “You’re obviously powerful. Humans will fall at your feet and worship you in terror. So, I agree.”
A grin split its mouth, and Kepler fought to keep the revulsion off his face as it stepped toward him. “Do you know what a consort does? What will be required of you?”
“I understand what being a consort means.” The witches had discussed this in detail, directing Kepler on exactly what the agathion was likely to crave, including tastes of his soul. But if that’s what it took to get close enough to save Ashlyn, Kepler was ready. Still, he wanted to offer other alternatives first. The monster was restrained to human limitations while inhabiting a mortal body. It had to be tired and cold.
“But first let’s give you comfort.” Kepler gestured to its naked, scratched up skin. Ashlyn’s skin, Kepler thought, examining the twigs and leaves snarled in its long pink and blue hair. Its bare, dirty feet were also smudged with blood. “I can provide clothes, accommodations, transport, food. Whatever you desire.”
The agathion took another step toward him. “Your mate is no longer in this body, if that’s what you’re worried about. She’s dead. Even if I decide I’m done with this realm, this body will be a corpse.”
Kepler pressed his lips together. The agathion must not know Kepler was still in contact with Ashlyn and that her soul was alive. Alive and ready to fight back. He nodded deferentially. “I understand. You’re stronger than she was.” God, he hated saying that. He shrugged. “That makes you my mate, now.”
As if acknowledging a victory, the agathion lifted its chin. “It’s good you recognize that. I accept your service.” It shifted its gaze to the ATV. “What is this transport you have brought me?”
Things were proceeding better than Kepler’d expected. Sliding back on the seat to make room, he gestured to the handlebars. “A four-wheeler. I’ll show you how to drive.”
If the agathion was occupied steering the ATV, Kepler could use Jen’s knife. The blade was nothing more than a shard of glass no bigger than his thumb with a wad of duct tape for a handle, but it had to be embedded in the body in a place it could not be dislodged, at least not until Ashlyn regained control. Once she did, he’d remove the dagger, shatter it, and break the agathion’s power over her.
The agathion waved him back toward the driver’s spot. “You shall transport me.”
Shit. Kepler felt his eye twitch and hoped the agathion didn’t notice. He should’ve known things wouldn’t be easy. Time for Plan B.
Instead of sliding forward, he dismounted and went to the back of the vehicle where a tote had been strapped to the rack. “Let’s get you clothes first. You must be cold. It’ll be even colder riding the wheeler.”
Swaggering forward, the agathion put both palms against Kepler’s flanks, pressing itself against him from behind. “I believe humans have many methods of keeping warm.”
Skin crawling, Kepler remained steady. He couldn’t disengage without making the agathion doubt him. “I look forward to showing you many human pleasures once we’ve reached the comfort of my house.” He pulled open the tote and removed a white cashmere sweater one of the witches had donated. “Right now, you’ll enjoy these clothes. I promise.”
The agathion frowned and looked past him to the tote. “Where did you acquire these things?”
Kepler shrugged, trying to remain nonchalant. His heartbeat pounded in his ears. “Stole them. There are plenty of homesteads in these parts that don’t lock their doors.”
To his relief, that seemed to satisfy the agathion. It took the sweater and held it against its chest. “What else have you brought me?”
Kepler reached for the knife in his pocket. He had to strike just right, or he’d kill rather than incapacitate. When the agathion leaned over to rummage through the clothing, Kepler struck. He angled the blade into the agathion’s back, sliding along ribs until the glass shard lay beneath the skin like a splinter.
The agathion screamed, body contorting. It tried to remove the blade, but the handle was out of reach. Blood welled around the embedded hilt, trickling down the amber skin.
Now, Ashlyn! Come through now!
Crimson light filled the air, and all of a sudden, a small reddish ferret popped into existence. It tumbled across the ground and came to rest at the base of a tree, immediately righting itself and scurrying out of sight. He’d been prepared for monsters, but a ferret? He called to Cal, “One of you catch that thing.”
It’s that witch’s familiar, Cal replied. Let it go. The russet wolf and Finch in his huge grizzly form had emerged from the underbrush.
Hell, no, Finch said and shot off into the trees. The witch betrayed us.
Kepler didn’t have time to wonder that he could now hear Fin
ch. The agathion had turned to focus on him, purple lightning arching from its fingertips. “Traitor! You will pay!”
Dodging the bolt, Kepler called, Ashlyn, where are you?
Had the witch betrayed them? Had this all been a ploy to get her familiar back? If Ashlyn couldn’t get control of her body, he knew what had to happen next. He’d promised. But he didn’t want Cal and Finch to touch her. Ashlyn was his. His love. His life. His responsibility. Heart breaking, he prepared to shift into his wolf.
Just as Ashlyn’s body collapsed to the forest floor.
Chapter Sixteen
What felt like a hurricane struck Ashlyn, shredding the surrounding colors into jagged pieces and making it impossible to breathe. Kepler’s voice reached her just as the smell of ash bowled her over, breaking her hold on her wolf. She tumbled end over end, dizziness intensifying until she could no longer tell up from down.
By pure force of will, she stopped her momentum and got back on her feet. Ferocious snarling drew her attention to where her wolf was locked in combat with the figure of a man. Purple lightning danced across his skin. The agathion! The hellmouth must’ve opened, but nothing around her looked like a portal.
Scrambling forward, she waited for an opportunity to jump in and help her wolf, but the fight was too chaotic. She was afraid she might do more harm than good. Her wolf’s teeth and claws cut into the agathion, and he returned damage with arcs of light. She couldn’t tell who was winning.
Behind her, she heard her name. Turning, she spotted a dot of gold no bigger than her thumb. It remained steady while the world around it churned. Through it, Kepler’s nearness was a lifeline, drawing her toward him. The hellmouth.
Kepler, the agathion is fighting my wolf!
You need to come through now! he urged.
The agathion had her wolf by the throat. Ashlyn clenched her fists. Short of throwing random punches, she was helpless. I can’t leave her!
