Hunted (Auralight Codex: Dakota Shepherd Book 2) Read online

  “Of course it’s possible. It’s called scrying. Is that all you called me for?”

  “Kinda. I think someone is watching me, but there’s no one here according to Raelya.”

  “Who?” I heard movement on her end of the phone and imagined that she was getting out of bed.

  “My packmate. I’d trust her nose to notice if—” I cut off as the feeling suddenly subsided. “Huh.”

  “What is it?”

  “It stopped. I was feeling this sensation like I was being watched and it just suddenly vanished.”

  Nita made rustling noises like she might have been changing clothes. “Yeah, that sounds like scrying. Unfortunately, without being there, it’s almost impossible for me to trace it, and you don’t know how.”

  “So what can I do? Are we in danger?”

  “How the hell would I know that? Do you think you’re in danger? Use your common sense, Dakota. Why would someone be watching you if they were your friend?”

  “You’re right. Then the better question is what can I do about it?”

  I heard a door open on the line. “Stay where you are. It’s the Natural History museum right? I’ll be there in about twenty minutes and we’ll see if I can pick anything up.”

  I blinked. Nita lived in Nashville, two solid hours away, just like Amorie. “What? How will you get here in—”

  “I’m in Knoxville. Just stay where you are and don’t do anything stupid. If anything else happens, call me back.” And with that, Nita hung up.

  I turned to Raelya. “You heard that?”

  Raelya nodded. “It sounds like we have some trouble on our hands.”

  I frowned. “Yeah, well, at this point, I don’t think that wolf-thing was a random passerby. The real question is… why would someone be watching me and who the hell would care what I’m doing overnight at my place of work?”

  Raelya returned my frown. “Perhaps it is the vampire from before?”

  My eyes lit up. “Wait, can vampires turn into wolves like in the movies?”

  Raelya’s eyes widened in sudden realization. “That is it, Dakota! Of course!”

  I grinned, relieved to have discovered a solution that made sense. “Really?”

  “No.” Raelya smirked at me flatly. “That is a myth. But I got you.”

  I groaned. At least she had a good sense of humor, even if her timing could have used some work.

  10

  Distractions

  Raelya and I were watching the security feed when Nita pulled an old white muscle car into the parking lot twenty minutes later. Dean had opted to go back on perimeter duty since I was staying inside for now, though I figured in reality, he just wanted to get away from Raelya and me. Or at least Raelya. Her stand-off with him earlier had seemed to unnerve the guy, which I guess was only reasonable. Somewhere inside, what remained of his human instincts was still aware that she was a predator, even if being Unawakened did strangle that instinct down to a bare minimum.

  Raelya and I hurried out to meet Nita who stepped onto the curb just as we were exiting the building. She was dressed in light-weight capri jeans, and a loose black shirt with the shoulders cut out, which was kinda adorable on her. Even if it did look like she’d gotten dressed in a hurry, which she probably had since I’d called her in the middle of the night. Her long, dark brown hair was slung over her shoulder in a messy, low-side-pony and she wasn’t wearing any makeup. With her lovely Native American skin tone, Nita was the kind of woman who could definitely get by without any makeup, but she normally wore at least a little. I felt bad for having bothered her so late.

  “Hey, if it isn’t my favorite—”

  “So where were you when you felt it?” Nita cut me off with a tired, flat expression.

  “—Nita.” I grinned. “Right over here.”

  I walked her over to the front entrance and gestured broadly. “I was just stepping in and it suddenly occurred to me. But I’m not sure I noticed it right away. I came from over there.” I gestured at where Raelya had been camping out on the lawn.

  Nita glanced around the entry way then out toward the lawn. “Well, it would be easier for me to set up outside, but… You’re not on duty alone, I take it?”

  I smirked. “Figured that out by yourself, eh?”

  Nita rolled her eyes, a smile fighting for real estate with her glare. “That’s what they pay me for. Investigator and all that.”

  I crinkled my nose. “Yeah, tonight’s co-worker isn’t the easiest to talk my way around, unfortunately.”

  Nita crossed her arms. “Well, if you’re going to work with SII, talking Unawakened people into letting you snoop around Supernatural crime scenes kinda comes with the territory. So let’s just call it a training exercise.”

  I groaned. “Seriously?” Nita eyed me darkly. “Okay, fine. I’ll figure something out. How long do you need?”

  Nita seemed to consider for a moment then shrugged. “Once I’m set up, maybe an hour? I’ll try to do it in half that, but no promises.”

  I grimaced. “Okay, I’ll do my best. Do you need help setting up?”

  Raelya cut in. “I will help her. You go and figure out some way to get your belligerent co-worker back inside for an hour.”

  I pouted exaggeratedly, poking my lips out. “I have no idea what I’m going to say to him.” An idea hit me and I glanced up at Nita, hope sparkling in my eyes. “Wait, can’t you just like—” I wiggled my fingers mystically. “You know… make him go to sleep in a chair or something?”

  Nita shook her head. “Well, I can’t, unfortunately. Spirits, I wish. It’d make my job a lot easier. But Mentalism isn’t really my forte.”

  I sighed. “Right. I’ll figure something out.”

  I slipped off and started around the building, opposite of the direction I’d last seen Dean orbiting in. I ran into him about halfway to the back and was greeted with a flashlight to the eyes. “Ow.”

  Dean sighed. “Shepherd, why are you out here, again?”

  “Hey, Dean. Look. We need to talk.” I had no idea what I was going to say.

  Dean eyed me uncertainly. “What?”

  I sighed. “I know you and I have never really gotten along that well. You don’t like me, and I’ve never really understood you and all that, but… I’m leaving soon. And I don’t really want to leave any bad blood behind. I thought maybe—”

  Dean scoffed mildly. “Seriously?”

  I blinked. “Huh? Why wouldn’t I be—”

  Dean rolled his eyes. “You want to know what I think? What I really think?”

  I doubted I did, but for the sake of distraction, I nodded.

  Dean stepped in just half an inch closer than I’d have liked, about four inches closer than my wolf liked and I had to suppress a rumble in my chest.

  “I don’t like you. I don’t like anything about you. How you’re always joking and smiling and acting like nothing’s serious. You don’t belong in a job like this. I can’t stand people like you who seem to make it and move on when real people, better people get passed over and ignored.” Dean made a disgusted noise. “How’d you land that fancy government gig anyway? I’d think you banged somebody if you wasn’t a dyke.” An ugly smirk rode across his face. “Or was the boss lady a dyke too?”

  Well. This wasn’t how I’d expected things to go. My teeth were clenched so hard I was vaguely concerned about the integrity of their enamel. My hands were balled into fists and I was shaking slightly with the effort of restraining my rage. I took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “I see.” I wanted to say something cutting, find a way to get him back.

  But the rational part of me knew it didn’t matter; he was just a bigot. He wasn’t going to like me, and I didn’t really need him to. All I needed was to keep him busy for an hour. “I can see there’s no point in trying to reconcile any past grievances between us. But you know, at least in a few more days, we won’t have to worry about seeing each other again. So why don’t we just put our personal feelings as
ide until then?”

  Dean rolled his eyes and started to push past me. “I don’t have time for this.”

  “Wait!” I shouted a little too loudly. I’d bought Nita all of three minutes so far. This was going swimmingly.

  Dean wheeled around to face me, agitation all over his features. “What, Shepherd?”

  “Why don’t you go back inside and I’ll—”

  Dean groaned annoyedly. “Whatever. All right? If it’ll shut you up, then fine. Stay out here with your girlfriend and I’ll go inside. But I’m reporting you for bringing her here and I hope you get canned for it.”

  He started to walk on and I scurried over in front of him. “Come on, Dean, don’t be like that.” Dean tried to walk around me and I stepped in front of him. “There’s no need to report me. She’s not even my girlfriend anyway. Just my roommate.” He tried to step past me again and I stepped in his way again.

  Dean threw up his hands and turned, heading for the back door instead. “Just do your fuckin’ job, Shepherd. Go patrol the front for a few so I can hit the head.”

  Mission accomplished: I’d successfully annoyed him into changing course. My cheeks were a bit warm from embarrassment at the level of childishness I’d had to play up to achieve that. But it was worth it. He was going inside. And to the bathroom.

  And that’s when it hit me: an idea. A wicked, delicious idea that would get Dean out of my way for the hour I needed, keeping him inside, and even away from the security feeds that might otherwise give Nita away.

  I turned and sprinted to the front, dashed inside and wove my way back to the breakroom and hurried into the employee bathroom where I knew Dean was headed. I was grateful for my natural quickness, werewolf-enhanced balance and low-light vision as those things allowed me to beat Dean to the bathroom with time to accomplish my task and dart back out to the main lobby before my human co-worker had made it to the break room. I heard him step into the bathroom and lock the door, and my plan was set.

  I sauntered back out to the front approach, tossing the roll of ill-gotten toilet paper in my hand.

  11

  Ancient Ways

  Raelya and Nita had carted some supplies over to the lawn from Nita’s car. I spotted a leather hip-pouch that looked more handmade than store-bought and a bundle of three-foot staves wrapped in something that looked-and smelled-like deerskin to my untrained senses. I stepped over next to Raelya who was hovering nearby, ready to help if Nita needed her. “So where are we?”

  Nita seemed to be considering the supplies. “Determining the correct Way for the ritual.” She picked up the leather hip-pouch and tied it around herself.

  “Okay. Anything I can do to help?” I eyed the presumably magic-related items curiously.

  “You can be quiet. And make sure no one disturbs me while I work.” Nita untied a small leather cord and rolled the deerskin out, revealing the staves which were varied and beautiful to the soul, even as they were strange to the eye. One was intricately carved, embedded with turquoise, onyx, and lapis lazuli. Another was adorned with eagle feathers, topped with a skull. I thought maybe it was a rabbit’s skull, but I wasn’t sure. The third was wrapped in cord and strung with animal claws dangling loosely from the crooked top, with more claws and teeth bound tight to its side sporadically down the length like thorns. I ogled the gorgeous native craftsmanship while nodding to Nita’s request.

  I watched as Nita took the three staves, paced over to the broadest part of the path leading to the front of the museum and started walking a circle. She walked it once, twice, then once again, then planted one of the staves into the ground with a swift, hard strike, plunging the narrow tip into the concrete as if it were no more than soft dirt. As she did, her aura flared, pulsing brightly around her, a collection of deep, rich purples, blues, and greens, burning at the core with a white-blue fire. I winced at the crack the staff started in the pavement, as well as the sharp crack of sound that accompanied the plunge. “Woah. That’s not going to be easy to explain—”

  Raelya laid a hand over my mouth, hugging me to her side. “Shh.” She leaned her forehead against my temple, the touch calming my wolf which had startled at the sudden movement. “I do not know very much about magic, but even I know that you should not disturb her; it could ruin her magic, or possibly even harm her.”

  I nodded to let Raelya know I understood. She lowered her hand from my mouth, and leaned against my side.

  Nita continued around the circle, paused partway around, and planted the second staff, sinking it into the concrete as fluidly and easily as the first. It punched into the pavement like a stick sliding into mud, the air around it wavering as if I were seeing it through water. I blinked at the oddity of the concrete pooling around it like a less-than-solid substance, but said nothing.

  Nita moved to a third point on the circle, equidistant from the other two, and slammed the final staff to the ground. To my surprise, this one did not break the surface of the concrete. It tapped the concrete lightly, then danced back into the air and hung in place, standing on end without support as Nita released it.

  Nita turned in place as, beginning a low chant of beautiful, ancient words I knew only in spirit. The light of the moon seemed to gather in the shimmery stone that crested the first staff as she chanted. Then as she raised her arms, spinning in place, her voice growing bolder and louder, the captured starlight bounded outward, dancing from staff to staff, forming a triangle around her as her voice grew impassioned, evocative. The light split as it reached the bejeweled staff again, dancing around the other two and drawing the outer circle in borrowed starlight.

  Nita moved smoothly, fluidly to the ground, kneeling on the concrete as she pulled a small pouch and a short stick with a bulbous end slowly from her bag; I figured it was some kind of bone-rattle from the sound it made as she moved it. She upended the small bag onto the concrete, spilling white sand which rolled out from where it landed, but stopped abruptly at the bounds of the circle.

  “Shepherd.” My radio croaked suddenly. I startled slightly, having been rather transfixed by the blatant display of magic-real magic-right in front of my eyes. I fumbled for my radio, taking a couple of quick steps back, hoping that the sound wouldn’t disturb Nita’s magic. “Shepherd. Hey. You there?” I turned the volume on my radio down low enough that I could just barely hear my co-worker’s voice coming through.

  Nita slid into a cross-legged position and went on chanting, rolling the rattle between her hands as she turned her face to the sky. Her eyes rolled back until I could see only white and her aura flared stronger, glowing brilliantly around her, seeming to light her from within with that icy-firelight dancing at the center. It was beautiful, like seeing her spirit laid bare, dancing with the ancient magic of a world that still lived despite all humanity had put it through.

  Raelya stepped quietly away from the circle to stand near me again. Leaning close, she whispered, “Your friend is quite powerful. I do not know much about magic, but I have seen powerful magicians before, and I know enough about auras to know that she is fairly strong as magicians go.”

  I grinned at that. I had no idea how powerful Nita was on a scale from one to ten, but I was impressed with the light show nonetheless. I wondered idly if there was a ranking system for magicians like how martial artists had belts to signify certain masteries, and Star Trek officers had pips and red shirts to decide who was important and who was going to die in the next episode. I made a mental note to ask Nita later.

  “Shepherd. Pick up. Shepherd? Damn it.” I ignored the furtive pleas from my trapped co-worker, savoring the increasing sense of panic in his voice. Then he hit the alert button which sent a squealing tone through the radio. I acted quickly and shut the device off entirely. As amusing as his begging was, I couldn’t let my entertainment derail Nita’s concentration.

  Nita’s voice seemed to reach me clearly despite the distance I’d put between us, and I realized it was strangely echo-y, almost ethereal at this point, accented
by the rattle which lent a sacred quality. The wind picked up suddenly, playing its cool fingers over my face and sweat-drenched brow, a welcome addition to the Tennessee summer night. The air around me felt suddenly present and attentive, as if the night itself had awoken and decided to start listening.

  Nita transferred the rattle to one hand, keeping its steady rhythm going as she let her other hand drop to the sand before her, sweeping her fingers through it, back and forth as if painting. I watched, entranced, as Nita’s fingers formed the sand into an arcane symbol with twists and turns. As the “painting” took shape, it began to remind me of the Nazca lines in Peru, or the geoglyphs in Arizona.

  Nita’s voice began to raise in pitch, her chanting growing fervent and urgent in tone and tempo. Then it started to fade, echoing on the wind, curling through the trees, dancing around the building like the wind had stolen her song and spirited it away.

  Nita blinked her eyes a few times as they returned to normal, her focus rolling forward and fixing on me— No, just past me. I jerked my head to the side, hesitated, then peeked behind me, but there was nothing there. Nita seemed to whisper to something just beyond my shoulder, still speaking in that language I did not know. Finally, she made a respectful-looking gesture, bowing deeply at the waist.

  I padded closer, eager to hear what Nita might have to say after all of that, and it was only then that I was able to see that the lines in the sand made the shape of an eagle, and they were lit from beneath with a series of bright lines of energy. It looked like what I imagined leylines should be, or like stars connected into a constellation.

  Nita slowly raised from her bow, eyes focusing on the sand before her. She reached steadily down to the glowing eagle and wiped it away, erasing the icon like waving away a dream. The sand scattered beneath her fingers, seeming to disintegrate into the wind as the starlight of her circle faded. Nita rose as the energy of the spell receded, and with her shoulders drawn back and her face to the sky, she stepped out of the circle, and with that, the ritual was over.