Green shadow, p.16
Green Shadow, page 16
Shadow raised an eyebrow but made no move to attack me. Instead, he waited to see what I would do now and how I would get us out of this cluster. I needed time to think.
“Terra,” the terrified squeak of the boy had Shadow and me looking towards the kid, who flinched at becoming the center of attention.
The weight of the world passed through Shadow’s eyes. It didn’t last more than a second before his face went blank. “We don’t have a choice, Terra. I don’t have a choice.” Shadow, it seems, was just as much a prisoner as me. I needed to figure out how far he was willing to go to keep the scraps of autonomy he now enjoyed.
Life came down to choices. This situation presented me with two, do what I was ordered to do or not. I chose not. That meant I now had to weigh a new set of choices: Just leave or do something to hide this family. A heavy sigh escaped.
Leaving wasn’t an option. The Government would just send someone else to finish the job. So that meant I had to get this family into hiding. My mouth tightened into a thin line. If I didn’t break my vow and speak, I couldn’t coordinate the asinine plan beginning to form in my head.
I never wished more for my family. They were my rock. And I desperately wanted to feel safe, if only for a moment.
Then, an image of my siblings blossomed in my mind, and the decision became clear.
“We all have a choice, Shadow,” I rasped, my voice rusty from disuse. “The question is, can you live with the ones you make?”
Startled, he met my eyes.
I’d thrown him for a loop. Good. “The way I see it, we have many choices that don’t involve killing them.”
My handler gave me a skeptical look.
“No, really, think about it. We could fake their deaths. I could knock you unconscious, ride out the pain, and take all the blame for letting them go.” I hitched a thumb at the coyote behind me. A faint joy welled up inside me. This is what I loved doing, helping people out of difficult situations.
“We could let her maul us,” I continued. Warming up to the ideas coming forward. “Then say there was more than one rogue here. They can’t contradict us without revealing that they sent us after an innocent family.” I smirked. “And those are just the ones I’ve come up with in the last two minutes. Imagine what I could concoct with ten.”
A knot released in my stomach as I watched Shadow. He was listening to me. Now I only had to convince him my ideas would work—time to see if my gut was right about him. Making a judgment call, I turned my back on Shadow and knelt next to the woman.
Her lips peeled back in a silent warning, and I nodded. I wouldn’t move too suddenly, and she wouldn’t rip my face off. See, we can all play nice.
“I need you to shift.”
How a coyote had the complex facial muscles to give me a clear ‘screw you’ was a mystery, but the sentiment came through loud and clear.
“I need you to be able to speak. Then, we can find a way to get what we want, together.” She looked between Shadow and me, thinking hard. I had just offered her some trust, and now I asked for some in return.
She focused her attention over my shoulder. I got the feeling it wasn’t me she was worried about but Shadow. I searched my brain and tried to think of something I could do to ease her mind.
In a pinch, I fell back on my training.
“My name is Mackenzie Green. I was a hunter for Catch and Release, a mercenary guild in GreenRiver. Shadow and I were tricked into attacking you.” Fingering the collar around my neck, I glanced at Shadow over my shoulder. “The monsters we are beholden to, have no problem hurting children to keep us in line.” That got me a low whine.
“I promise I will do everything in my power to help you and your children escape.” I saw the boy’s sister join him out of the corner of my eye. Younger by a couple years, she desperately clutched his hand, a stuffed animal held tight in the other.
The coyote’s shoulders sagged in defeat, and she gave me a quick nod. Backing off, I gave her space.
Her shift from animal to human was quick, and a young woman in her late twenties crouched in place of the coyote in under a minute. She stood in a fluid motion, dressed in jeans and a red sweater. There was nothing to tell her apart from any other average housewife.
Grudgingly my respect for her increased. Only shifters of above-average power, and lots of practice, could bring their clothes back when they changed. It was a complex enough skill that most never even tried to learn.
I turned to give Shadow more attention, wanting to be ready if he decided to attack. The last thing I expected to see was a shocked, stunned look on his face. His mask had fallen, and he looked at me like I was some missing link.
“What?” I asked, trying to shake him out of whatever funk he’d gotten himself into. I needed his head in the game if we were going to pull this off.
Moments passed before he spoke, and when he did, it came out low, barely above a whisper. “What did you call yourself?”
I gave him a puzzled look. “Mackenzie Green. When we escaped, we chose new names. I couldn’t remember what my parents called me, and Mackenzie stuck out in my head for some reason. It fit, and Green was a homage to my power. What’s wrong?” He shook his head, donning his mask again. But didn’t answer my question. Clearly, I wasn’t going to get an explanation.
Shrugging, I let it go. I didn’t have time for this.
The woman watched our interaction with a closed expression. She didn’t speak. I guess it’s up to me to get this thing going. If the government followed the same pattern as before, we had another thirty to forty-five minutes before they sent someone to see why we hadn’t checked in. It would take every second of that time to pull this off.
“What put you on the Government’s radar?” Without this information, I couldn’t plan our next step.
“Not the government,” her voice was sweet but held an edge of steel. “If I had to guess, the Purity Movement put a hit out on me.” Her words had my head snapping up. She gave me a sad smile. “You didn’t know? The Movement has infected several cities and villages across the continent.” She looked between Shadow and me.
“Since they sent you, whoever you’re working for and the Movement are working together.”
The Government wasn’t known for playing nice with others. They had too much of a superiority complex for that. But I could totally see the higher-ups seeing value in the Movement and using this to get in their good graces.
When I didn’t say anything, she continued. “Carissa, my Alpha,” the woman’s nose scrunched as if she’d smelt something sour, “Former Alpha, told the pack that the Triads are lobbying for a single large territory. A place we can live separately from humans.” That idea alone would have the Government willing to get in bed with the devil.
Another piece crashed into place, and I felt ten kinds of stupid. “How the hell did I not see the pattern earlier?” I blamed everything that had happened for why I hadn’t connected the dots. “A member of the Movement facilitated my capture. At the time, I figured it was an isolated incident.” Fear burned like ice down my spine. Blood leached from my face, and my whole body went weak. What if the Purity Movement targets my family. The oath I’d sworn didn’t cover the Movements interference.
Shadow laid a hand on my shoulder, concern in his eyes. Closing my eyes, I got myself under control. I would have to trust they could take care of themselves.
The woman’s scowled. “My husband is a mage.” She cringed. “Was a mage. He had an affinity with animals and acted as a doctor/vet for the tribe.” The pain of losing him hung around her like a cloak.
She wiped away a tear with her thumb. “I retired from the position of Delta last year. I have a family to look after.” For a Terran shifter, the position of Delta was akin to an Enforcer for the Mythos Tribes. There were a lot of subtle differences, but it was a close fit.
I frowned. Most Delta’s, like Enforcers, served fifteen years in their position before retiring.
She must have seen the question I didn’t ask. “My tribe changed. About three months ago, almost overnight, Carissa adopted all this purity shit and demanded the rest fall in line.” A canine growl escaped her human throat. “She ordered any pack member who’d mated a non-Fenris, to break the mate bond or be shunned.”
I reeled back. It was impossible to break the bond once it formed. Death was the only way one of the parties was free to seek a new mate. That is if they survived the severing.
Her whiskey eyes glowed green with rage and pain. “They gave me a choice. The Tribe or my mate.” She bared her teeth in a silent snarl.
I snorted, not having to guess what she chose. Instead, my actions earned me a rueful smile.
“Not that it did any good.” Her rage simmered just below the surface. “The assholes killed him anyway.” Things were getting bad if they had gone from threats to violence.
“I’m sorry for your loss. What do you say we stick it to all of them?” I gave her a wicked grin. “I’ll help you get off the grid and set you up with a new life far away.” She’d be safe if I could get her to the other side of the country. With the world’s current technology, there was no way her Alpha could afford to track her to such a distance. Her family would be safe.
The woman’s sadness didn’t dim, but looking at her children, I knew she’d take whatever new start I could wrangle for her.
She nodded, and I took a step back with a smile. Working one of my bracers off, I used my knife to slash at my wrist. When the blood hit the blade, I concentrated on the information I needed to pass on. If my plea to the universe worked, Curtis, or better yet, Connor, could use the dagger to see my plan and finish what I started here today.
I made the cut deeper, hitting the artery, and with the adrenalin pumping, it was enough to give me steady spurts. The occupants of the room froze.
I had to act fast. I wasn’t in top form, and my stamina was low from the fight. I needed to set the stage before I passed out. I wasn’t worried about the blood being found. Dr. Smith already had me, and whoever contracted my services for hunts always sent a team to sterilize the sites.
Aiming my arm at several walls, I let the excess drip into pools on the floor. I couldn’t help the gleeful chuckle that escaped. Now for the fun part. “Alright, folks, time to make a gruesome crime scene.”
Chapter 18
Lucan
“Those assholes!” Connor growled, tears of anger gathering in his eyes. My beast urged me to reach out and comfort him. But now wasn’t the right time. He needed to vent some of his frustration first.
Pacing back and forth, Connor clutched the dagger. “I’m going to rip any metal they have off and slowly skin them alive with it.” The easy-going metal mage grumbled. Then, lashing out, he punched a hole in the wall. When he retracted his fist, there was no sign of blood. I watched, unable to help as his still glowing eyes glared at the dagger, reviewing the memories Mackenzie had stored for him.
“Damn right you did.” He muttered as his eyes dimmed to their standard tri-metallic coloring, and he turned to face me. Anger wove its way into every line of his face.
My dragon wanted to know what he saw, to have that connection with her. He was vehemently opposed to letting Mackenzie’s kin carry such a heavy burden alone. I agreed with the second part. I could not let Connor keep this to himself to spare others. As for the first part, I needed information to make my final choice, and this would help narrow down that decision.
“What did you see?” I asked gently.
Turning away, Connor closed his eyes and pinched his nose. “I’m not sure I want to tell you.”
That solidified my decision. Connor needed another person who carried this knowledge if only so he didn’t bear the weight alone.
Inhaling a steadying breath, I put a touch of firmness in my tone. “Don’t let this fester, kid. If I know anything about being a Green, it means you never have to carry anything alone.” Calling myself that was easier now. It rang with a rightness I couldn’t explain.
Connor gave a sad approximation of a smile, sighed, and straightened his shoulders. Then, taking a moment to steady himself, he said, “I got more than she intended to share. I think my ability has grown, or at least become more refined.” Shadows passed over his eyes- a darkness that sprang from his soul. “It’s better and worse than we thought.” He paused, putting his thoughts in order.
My dragon hissed. Connor’s posture screamed deflection. He was sharing, but not everything. Even though a stab of pain lanced my heart, I wouldn’t pressure him to offer more.
“The blood is hers.”
My breath hitched, my heart skipping a beat. My knees went weak, and my brain showed me an image of Mackenzie lying on a table, her face pale. Unknown hands drew a sheet over her face. The thought haunted me.
“She did it to herself. It’s when she imbedded the memories on the blade.”
What the hell? My dragon was just as confused.
“The government sent Kenzie and her partner here to kill this family. She thought they were hunting a rogue.” Connor’s brows furrowed. “The partner didn’t handle the dagger, but Kenzie’s impressions of him are clear. He’s just as trapped as she is and has caved. Accepted his fate.”
“I’m guessing this,” I gestured to the blood, “is for whoever sent them. But what happened to the family? Where are the bodies?” I looked around the space again.
“They are here,” Connor said, a slight twinkle in his eyes indicating he was teasing me.
I huffed and gave the boy a stern look. Connor chuckled. His mood was lighter for a moment. “My sister is a genius.” Then, moving confidently towards the door, Connor left the room. Curious, I followed.
We descended down a set of stairs. A cement basement greeted us, the walls a dull gray and the floor bare except for dirt and dust.
Connor didn’t hesitate as he went over to a set of shelves tucked along one wall and pushed it aside with a decent shove.
Behind the shelving lay a door, hidden from view. Raising a hand, Connor knocked using a weird but straightforward sequence. Then he paused, his eyes intent on the barrier before him. A hesitant knock answered. Connor rapped an answering rhythm without hesitation.
The clanking of locks turning echoed off the low ceiling as the door swung outward, and a woman peered through. Her warm whiskey-colored eyes had a hard edge. A green sheen rolled over them—Fenris shifter.
“What’s your name?” Her voice was tight, her gaze suspicious.
“I’m Connor. This is Lucan.” He introduced.
“Oh, thank the Old God.” A weight lifted off her shoulder, and her breath released in a whooshing exhale. “We heard footsteps upstairs earlier. Mackenzie warned that the people who sent her would come to assess the scene before alerting the authorities.” The woman tucked her hair behind her ears. “She told us to wait, and I should take the kids and run if no one knocked in four days.” The woman turned back and whispered into the darkness. Then she stepped forward and made room for her children to follow.
I squashed the growl building in my chest. When the kids were out from behind their mother, I squatted down. Reaching out with my power, the fear around the children coated my tongue and caused bile to rise in my throat. I looked at the woman. “May I help them?”
She cocked her head to the side. “How?” Smart question.
“I am an empath with the ability to siphon emotions. I promise not to take it all, but I want to take the edge off their fear.” I explained, looking back at the children and smiling.
A confused look crossed her features. “If you have the power, why ask?” I turned my smile to her.
“Because a person very close to me once said that just because we could, didn’t mean we should deprive others of choice. I’ve taken the lesson to heart and will seek consent when using my magic.” Pride bloomed within me. I wasn’t only toeing the line Mackenzie had drawn; I was taking a good look at myself and working to become a better man.
The woman smiled at me. “Mackenzie had the same morals. She was not what I expected of Terra, the supernatural scourge.”
Warmth blossomed in my chest, where the bond anchored. Another chunk of prejudice I held against Mackenzie for her past fell away. My mate was more than her past, and slowly I was having an easier time accepting that.
The woman nodded at me. “Go ahead. Any help you can give to my babies will be a blessing.” She rested a hand on each of the children’s heads and soothingly stroked their hair.
I didn’t reach out and touch the kids. I wouldn’t encroach on their space that way. All I needed to do was focus on the feelings emanating from them in waves and bring them into me. The fear, anger, and sadness mingled and sunk into my core, becoming part of my magic.
When I’d siphoned off a good portion of their negative emotions, I sent soothing waves of calm and safety out. Their small shoulders relaxed, and tiny hesitant smiles graced their lips.
“Thank you for that,” the woman said. “It’s been a rough twenty-four hours, and I don’t think we’ve relaxed one bit.”
“I can’t imagine what you’ve gone through,” I said, feeling sympathy for what she’d experienced.
She nodded once sharply. “We’re alive. That’s what matters.”
Now that her children were calmer, she became all business. I’d bet my tail this woman had been part of a command structure at some point.
“Before we get any further, what are your names?” I asked. “Or, if you don’t want us to know your real name, what may we call you?” No sense in backing her into a corner over something so trivial.
Her lips curved up. “I’m Dylan. My son is Timothy, and my little girl is Sara. It’s nice to meet you, Lucan, Connor.”
“Likewise,” I replied, feeling guilty I hadn’t rushed here. This family had to spend even more time in fear because I reached a tipping point and needed time to screw my horns on straight.
Dylan turned to Connor. “I have a message for you from her.” She didn’t specify the ‘who,’ but she didn’t have to.
