Witches (Runes series Book 6) Page 11

  Follow them, Onyx said.

  Do you know who could be in the other room?

  I know who the Earl of Worthington is. He’s your boyfriend’s father and an evil Immortal. We watched the battle last week, and I overheard your conversation with the pretty Valkyrie.

  Relieved I didn’t have to explain, I followed Jace and his father. Voices came from straight ahead—Jace’s high-pitched one and a deeper voice. British accent. I’d only heard the Earl yell during battle, but I’d seen and heard him in my vision and knew what he looked and sounded like. I slowed down as we got closer. Jace’s father was talking about filing a report with the police. How to look at them without alerting Worthington? As an Immortal, he’d see me cloaked.

  An idea popped in my head and I went with it. I lowered Onyx to the floor. Go and see if he’s facing us or not.

  Glowing runes were visible through Onyx’s fur. She padded to the entrance, then crouched low and peered inside. Immediately, she scooted back and came back to my side. He’s a big man.

  I know.

  He looks like your Valkyrie, only older.

  I know that too.

  He’s facing this side and might see you.

  Damn it.

  “Isn’t that right, Mr. Worthington?” Jace’s father asked. I’d missed part of his question.

  “Yes, the boys responsible should be held accountable,” the all too familiar British accented voice said and a shiver crawled up my spine. “If this was an attempt to force him to leave the team, the league should be notified. I played football in England growing up and know that every league has a code of conduct. You break it, you get a suspension. Physical altercation means immediate expulsion from the team. It is within your father’s rights to report this to the police and file charges, young man. He’s only looking after you.”

  Which century did he play football? This was clearly an attempt to make himself look good, and crawl back into Torin’s good graces. I picked up Onyx and backed up. Let’s go home.

  And leave him with them? I can keep an eye on him and come home once he leaves. Even better, I can follow him.

  No. He’ll know you’re there. Chances are he can feel our presence right now too.

  Then I’ll keep an eye on the boy only and report to you.

  Are you that bored?

  YES!

  Fine. Stay here until he leaves. Listen to anything he says and does. If you’re not back in thirty minutes I’m coming to find you. And do not follow Lord Worthington.

  She nodded again.

  Jace’s father was explaining the mentality of bullies when I lowered Onyx to the floor. This could be disastrous. If Worthington saw Onyx, he’d know we were onto him. I bit my lower lip, wanting to call her back. Then she did something that didn’t make sense. The runes disappeared then she meowed.

  “What is a cat doing in our house?” Jace asked.

  The last image I had of her before the portal closed was Jace bending to check for a tag. I was so happy I hadn’t put one on her.

  ~*~

  In twenty-four hours, Onyx had become a fixture around my bedroom. It seemed empty without her. I actually missed the ornery cat. Lights were on at Torin’s, but there was no one there when I stopped by. I had to talk to him about his father. Talking to Mom was out of the question because this was a private matter for Torin, which left Andris.

  I went to the mansion and followed the sounds to the pool. Blaine and two girls were in the hot tub. From the looks of it, he was making out with both. Finally, he was letting go of his dead girlfriend. He’d been pissed since Casey died during a football game.

  One of the girls saw me first and said something to Blaine. I didn’t recognize her, which meant she was either a local girl who’d graduated high school before my time, or a college student. Kayville had one private university.

  Blaine was out of the tub before I reached them. He shrugged on a robe. “You didn’t have to get out,” I said.

  “The look in your eyes says I do.” He waved to the two girls. “And they’re not going anywhere tonight,” he added in a whisper.

  “Two of them?” I asked.

  He grinned. “Why not? I’ve accepted that Casey is gone, so this is me moving on. So what’s wrong?” he asked after we left the deck and the pool door closed behind us.

  “I’m looking for Torin and Andris. Have you seen them?”

  “Torin stopped by hours ago then left for L.A. Andris said he had a date. Lavania is visiting her husband and Ingrid is in her room. You know, just in case you want to see them next before you decide to ask me for help.”

  I winced. He was newer to the group and tended to be overlooked. “I wasn’t.”

  He shrugged. “I know I have to earn my stripes. So, what is it?”

  I couldn’t tell him about Torin’s father any more than I could Mom. That was Torin’s story to share. “Someone I know might be in danger.”

  He sighed and chuckled. “Oh, phew. I thought you were about to tell me you saw the Earl.”

  I blinked. “You know?”

  “That he’s back? Yes. Torin told me. I’m to keep an eye out for him in case he decides to pay you a visit at school.”

  I shook my head. “He wouldn’t dare return to Kayville, the scene of his crime. He couldn’t be that bold. And I don’t need to be protected.”

  “This is not about protecting you.”

  “Yeah. Sure. I think he’s after someone Torin plans to reap.”

  “The asthmatic boy?”

  Okay, so he was in the loop on everything. “Yes.”

  He swore softly under his breath. “That bastard. I need to find Torin ASAP. Jace cannot be touched.”

  “I left my cat to keep an eye on him.” Saying the words sounded ridiculous, but Blaine didn’t miss a beat.

  “Good move. Meanwhile I’ll track Torin down.” He started to walk away then glanced at me. “Stay away from the boy. You don’t want to spook him.”

  “I’m always careful,” I called after him.

  He chuckled. “He’s different.”

  Different how? Because Torin had taken a special liking to him? Back in my room, I watched the clock and paced. Lights were still on downstairs and I could hear a band playing. Femi was probably watching TV while Mom was probably with Dad. She slept with him downstairs sometimes, even though they didn’t share a bed. I hoped Torin and I would be like them. Loving. Supportive. There for each other, in sickness and in health.

  Minutes crawled by. Getting restless, I texted Andris. Nothing from him. He was probably lost in some woman’s arms, the man-whore.

  The portal opened and I stopped pacing. Andris glared at me from a bathroom which looked too fancy and sterile to be someone’s home. He wore a robe and from the logo on the robe, it was hotel issued. The bare legs and visible chest said he was naked. He smirked when my cheeks grew warm.

  “Never mind,” I said. “Sorry, I bothered you.”

  “I was just getting ready for round,” he counted his fingers, “three. What’s going on? Lost Torin?” he asked, peering behind me.

  A woman’s voice called his name. Andris ignored her and stepped into my room, concern flickering in his eyes as he studied me. “What’s wrong?”

  I felt silly pulling him away from his latest conquest. But by the time I finished talking, the lover was gone and a warrior had taken his place.

  “Where’s Torin?”

  “I don’t know, but Blaine went to find him.”

  “How did Jace seem?”

  “Okay. I gave him enough runes to bring down the swelling and left Onyx to keep an eye on him. Onyx is my cat,” I added when he shot me a questioning look.

  Andris didn’t even crack a smile. “Good. I’ll be there in a few.” He turned and re-entered the hotel bathroom. “Something has come up, sweetheart,” I heard him add. “A family matter. Let’s do this again.” The portal closed. A few minutes later, it reopened and he entered my room fully dressed. “Engage your invisibilit
y runes. Once you get your cat, you come straight home.”

  Yeah, right. I went to my drawer and pulled out the dagger. Was it only an hour ago I’d sworn never to touch it? I had no idea what was going on, but this boy was important enough to pull both guys from their ladies. I was going prepared. Besides, Onyx wasn’t back. The Earl might have her.

  “What’s that for?” Andris asked suspiciously.

  “For kicking ass,” I said.

  “Which part of ‘come straight home’ didn’t you get?”

  I pushed the dagger in the pocket of my jacket. “I’m getting Onyx back by whatever means necessary.”

  He frowned, opened his mouth as though to say something, then closed it and sighed. “This is going to screw up Torin’s surprise,” he mumbled, but I heard him.

  “What surprise?”

  “Let’s go.” The portal to Jace’s room opened so easily for him I knew Andris had been there before. Jace had picked up his room, and he was back at his desk either doing homework or online. “We find your little fur-ball then you head straight back home and to bed. End of discussion. You have school tomorrow,” Andris added.

  “Don’t call her Fur-ball,” I shot back. “Her name is Onyx.”

  “Okay, sheath your claws. Come on.”

  Jace looked over his shoulder and like before, stared straight at where we stood. My feet faltered and Andris’ hand rested on my shoulder reassuringly. We waited until Jace went back to his work, then cut across his room.

  “Did he hear us?”

  “Of course not. We are cloaked. That includes sounds. Don’t touch or move things in his room though.”

  I looked around and refused to panic. “Onyx is not here.”

  “Call her,” Andris said and opened another portal. This one showed Jace’s father in the kitchen, cleaning up. Cheering and sports announcers discussing a game came from the TV. It couldn’t be easy being a single dad, but Jace’s father seemed to be pulling it off. But then again, if his wife had been sick all those years, he’d probably gotten used to taking care of the house, himself, and Jace.

  Onyx? Where are you?

  Once again, just before we left his room, Jace glanced over to where we were and frowned. Andris didn’t seem bothered. As soon as the portal closed, he removed his artavus and started toward the man.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I need to question him,” he said.

  “About what? The cat is not here.”

  Andris sniffed the air. “Yes, but something was. Don’t you smell it?”

  There was a rotten stench in the air. “So he’s not the cleanest father in the world, but he’s trying. It’s not easy being a single parent. You’ve seen my mother. She’s great at everything except house chores.” I looked around. Jace’s father was turning off lights. “The house looks clean and Jace is a well-adjusted guy.”

  Andris shook his head. “Sometimes I forget how green you are. I’d know that scent anywhere and it’s not garbage.” His eyes locked on me. “You know what? I’ll find your little fur-ball on my own. Go home.”

  Something in his eyes set off warning bells. “What is it?”

  “It’s getting late, Raine.”

  He was hiding something. He opened a portal to my room and pulled me out of the path of Coach Taylor, who turned off the kitchen light, plunging the room into darkness. The runes on Andris’ and my body gave us enough light to see our way. Andris nudged me toward the portal. “Go.”

  “Fine. Find Onyx, okay? She might be a pain, but she was just starting to grow on me.”

  I turned to enter the portal, but a flash of light appeared in the corner of my eye and I whipped around. Squinting, I peered out the window and into the darkness. I could recognize runic lights anywhere. It had come a fair distance from the house. I had no idea where Jace’s family lived, but I knew StubHub was in Carson, California. The area appeared to have medium-sized houses with trees in the distance. The lights zig-zagged again to the right, then a howl filled the air, rattling the windows.

  “What was that?” I asked.

  “Garm. Go home, Raine.” He shifted to hyper-speed, created a portal, and disappeared through it.

  Garm was the hound guarding the gates of Hel, the realm of the dead, definitely not Valkyries’ territory. Something was wrong. I engaged my runes and followed Andris before the portal closed.

  He zipped around homes and headed for the trees, then stopped so suddenly I almost bumped into him. We were inside a fenced basketball court at a neighborhood park or a local school. I couldn’t tell which from the surroundings. There was a building to our right, bushes and trees adjacent to it. No one was playing basketball. Instead, headless bodies and ripped limbs littered the ground. The carnage was straight out of a horror movie, the stench suffocating.

  Some of the limbs were too big for regular humans, the skin gray like mummies, but they were definitely human cadavers with long, stringy hair. Most were male in tattered gray pants and no shirts. Even more puzzling was the lack of blood. Just red flesh inked with black gooey stuff.

  A flash of light zipped across the basketball court. Even at hyper-speed, I recognized Torin chasing one of the gray men. Things. Or whatever they were. It was huge.

  Torin leaped and tackled it. A loud roar escaped its mouth as it lost its balance and started to fall. Moving faster than I thought possible for something its size, it turned and tried to grab Torin, but he was no match for Torin. He turned and rammed his fist into its back. Bones cracked. A bellow left the thing’s mouth as the impact of the blow propelled it forward. Instead of hitting the ground, it disappeared through it and was swallowed by the earth.

  Okay, that move was definitely not human.

  “What are these things, Andris?”

  “You’ve got to be shitting me,” was his answer.

  “What?” I glanced at him, but he was looking to his right, where Blaine was fighting one of the creatures. But Andris wasn’t staring at Blaine. His focus was on the second man fighting further ahead. The Earl. Despite the beard, I recognized the Earl of Worthington.

  “Raine!” Torin yelled. “What the hell, Andris?”

  “I told her to go home, but you know how she is,” Andris said, his eyes still on the Earl. “Do you guys need my help or shall I just take her home? Because I think you need our—” He didn’t finish his question and I saw why.

  One of the things was moving toward us. Andris pulled out two artavo and went to meet him. He leaped up, landed on its chest and severed its neck with a blow. Inky goop dripped from its neck and I could have sworn I saw a dark head-shaped shadow inside the body before it disappeared.

  Badass Andris. Guess the next one will be gunning for me. I shouldn’t have followed Andris. Death and mayhem wasn’t my thing. I was a witch. A Seeress. A healer, not a killer. Worse, my presence was distracting Torin. He kept trying to keep an eye on me while kicking heads off of the humanoids as they slithered from the ground.

  “Behind you!” I yelled when one reached for his legs.

  He whipped around, grabbed the head, and ripped it clear off the thing’s neck. Most of the body was still partially buried. No wonder the place was littered with heads. This time, I was sure I saw a second head. It was the soul of the thing. It looked like a regular person. There was even something familiar about him. Like we’d met before. Torin pointed a glowing artavus at it and snarled something. Light shot from the artavus, but the soul sank into the ground with the rest of the body. Torin cursed.

  “Miss, can you take me home, please?” a voice asked and I turned. A boy around ten stared at me with round eyes, a skateboard under his arm. What the heck was he doing here?

  “You shouldn’t be out here this late,” I said.

  “I was going home from a friend’s when I saw you. There are weird noises coming from the trees.”

  Weird, he could see me when I was cloaked? Lavania often said children were sensitive to the supernatural. Still… I put some distance betw
een us. “Where’s your home?”

  “Over there,” he pointed past the trees.

  “Okay. Come on.” We barely reached the line of trees when his body started twitching, bulging, and stretching. In seconds, the boy was a man. Not just any man, a Native American with markings on his face and long straight hair. I stumbled backwards and reached inside my pocket for my dagger.

  “Hungry,” he growled, saliva dripping from his mouth. “Food.”

  He dove for me, but I already had my speed runes. I leaped to the side and brought my dagger down, aiming for his neck, but he seemed to be growing larger. I caught him in the chest instead, leaving behind a gaping wound oozing black blood. He kept moving, like the wound was nothing. He loomed down to grab me, his breath hot and stinky, a gurgling sound escaped his mouth.

  I turned to run, but he was faster. He grabbed my leg and pulled. I lost my balance and landed on the ground, rocks digging into my hands. His head lowered, rotten teeth bared. He didn’t have fangs, but I was sure he didn’t need them to eat me.

  Someone yelled my name, but my mind was focused on the blood-thirsty brute. Desperation kicked in and with it, an instinct to survive. I kicked at the thing’s chest with my free foot. He staggered backwards, letting go of my leg.

  Torin appeared in a streak of light, eyes blazing under the glowing runes. He went for the guy with a snarl, but the thing sank into the ground and disappeared, leaving Torin holding a tuft of hair. He cursed and threw it away.

  “You okay?” Torin asked, helping me to my feet.

  I nodded. I didn’t think I could speak.

  “Good. See if you can connect to the earth and stop the souls from robbing more graves.” He turned, walked to the middle of the basketball court and yelled, “Listen up, scum of the earth! You want revenge? Fine. Here I am. Come and get me.” He spread his arms.

  Was he nuts? These creatures didn’t seem like the kind you reasoned with. I glanced around and realized I was wrong. The weird creatures appeared to be listening to him. Even the ones crawling from the ground turned to look at him. I noticed something else. They all had long hair and tribal markings on their faces like Native Americans.