Two years later...
Chapter 1
Fay sprawled out in the middle of the cemetery grounds, staring up at the stars, wondering why for the fifth time that week, she’d woken up in a place of death. The soft, dewy grass had already soaked through her clothes but she wasn’t cold.
She sat up with a sigh and glanced about the shadowy place, painted a shimmering silver by the moon.
“He’ll be furious…” A young guy’s voice brushed softly through her ear, distant.
It wasn’t a ghost’s voice; it was something else. Something she hadn’t felt before, distant, no recognisable source to sense. Coupled with it, a strange flutter in her chest. Gone as quickly as it had come.
She scrambled to her feet, alarmed. “Whose there?”
“I don’t care. What can he do?” A woman’s voice replied defiantly, just as quietly, though edged with scorn.
The man’s voice came but it was muffled, as though spoken through dense walls. It faded with each word spoken, dissolving into silence. Fay closed her eyes, trying to sense again if anything had appeared – or even if she sensed magic, a witch that might be playing games.
Nothing.
Inside of her something shifted restlessly, a tug in her chest, like something was pulling her somewhere, then everywhere at once. It beat a drum inside of her, growing louder and louder, drowning out her own voices.
Her head started to spin, everything blurring out of focus, when a hand suddenly touched her shoulder. She jumped.
Abe, her…partner. Built a gladiator of old; dark, Egyptian skin with strong, intense features to match, and the thick muscles to complete. She’d seen those eyes as cold and ferocious as they could be…and yet, as they stared at her, there was nothing but worry and kindness. A gentleness that, more often than not, lulled her unaware. If anything was her kryptonite it was him, which was complicated, given their…history.
“Fay? What’s wrong?”
She blinked. “Nothing. Why are you here? You don’t usually come out here?”
He had, once upon a time, but those times were gone. The cemetery time was her private time, which he no longer felt privy to intrude on. Until now, anyway.
Abe peered at the cemetery cautiously, those ancient eyes betraying very little. “We have a mission.”
Just like that the real world came knocking, dispelling the strange voices and her tangled thoughts. She gestured for him to follow as she set off for the cemetery gates.
Hours ago, she’d walked the seven or eight blocks from the Institute, yet she wasn’t surprised to find Abe had ridden his motorbike as opposed to walking. For an immortal he seemed to like the modern comforts, leaping at every new invention that came out.
“So, where’s the mission?” She asked as he sat on the bike and started the bike.
He slid his helmet on with its vizor up, then held out hers. “Lake Elysium. Poltergeists.”
The blood rushed out of her as she froze like a statue, ice cold fear snaking down her spine. Old memories, long buried, exploded in her mind; her, running barefoot through the woods, still weak after her first change, hunted, fighting another change coming over her; another, as-
“Fay?”
She snapped out of it and yanked the helmet on, climbing quickly behind him. “I’m ready. Let’s get out of here.”
He held her gaze for a moment. Oh, she knew he saw through her fragile masks, probably reading her mind in the process. Still, whatever he’d done, whatever he might be, there were still some lines that he had, mercifully, not crossed – for the moment anyway.
Abe took the hint and soon, they were off. She hunkered close to his chest and rested the side of her head on his back, staring at the streets that blurred past. Her body was there, on that bike with Abe but her mind was elsewhere, in a small town where she’d lost everything, and the boy she’d loved had thrown her quite literally to the wolves.
The Institute, which resembled an old university, was sleek and modern inside. Every surface shined, every window and monitor gleamed. It was busy, which was surprising since it was after midnight. Agents of every race and creed rushed through the foyer, heading off to different levels and rooms, to areas even Fay hadn’t been before. She glanced at Abe but his attention was elsewhere. He strode ahead to the elevator, where Fay hurried after him. In the elevator they were alone and had a dozen or so floors to go down.
“Want to tell me about Elysium?”
Her jaw tightened as she felt that old rush of anger sweep through her. “No.”
“I’d like to not go into a mission blind,” he reminded her gently. “So, before we get there, I need to know.”
The elevator chimed and the doors opened. Fay stared straight ahead down the long hallway. “Is that a command from my master? Or a friendly request from an old friend?”
“The latter.”
Fay didn’t say anything; instead, she strode out of the elevator, Abe quick on her heels. She was edgy since arriving. The mention of her old haunt stirred unpleasant memories to say the least. As a human she might’ve cried over them. She wasn’t human anymore. With the memories all she wanted to do was destroy.
He didn’t push but she kept just ahead of him, as if that might somehow stop him from uttering those special words. She hadn’t heard them in some time and knew how much he hated to use them, how it tore him up inside. What made it worse was the resentment that eroded their bond. It wasn’t an easy thing to get over, to forgive. Still, the line had been crossed and she didn’t quite trust him the same anymore.
They arrived at the conference room where a meeting was underway. There, they waited several minutes as the meeting finished up. Neither of them spoke a word but Abe kept glancing at her, those dangerously deceptive eyes trying unlock her secrets, the many that he was realising she had kept from him. A whole messy part locked neatly away.
It must’ve stung, she realised, that revelation of his but she was being swept up in a rush of old feelings – and those consumed all other rational thoughts.
Eventually, the conference doors opened and a dozen people filtered out. Mostly vampires, pale, tall and lean, whom paid Abe no attention but all shot a glance at Fay. Surprise and curiosity lit their predatory eyes. They’d heard of her, the infamous hellhound, but few got such a close look. She levelled back her own hellish gaze, eyes chilling to a chilling ice blue. They hurried on. Very little scared vampires but she took delight that she could be the source of their fear.
“Come in you two,” commanded a resonating female voice, accented softly.
Abe headed in, Fay behind him, and he took a seat on one side of the conference table. Fay remained standing in the corner, arms folded across her chest, her gaze on the woman who now stood before them. A familiar face but Fay was bad with names at the best of times. She was tall and slender, with dark skin and black hair cropped around a finely featured face. There was a gracefulness to the way she moved, every slide of hand or lift of her face seemed purposeful. She was beautiful without even trying. For that, Fay was envious about her.
What was perhaps worse was how Abe looked at her. Like he knew her. Jealousy, Fay dug her claws into her skin.
“What’s happened Dr Marlo?”
“The bureau has received reports of poltergeists in Lake Elysium, the local town and a nearby cemetery. A lot of activity seems to be centred around the local high school. We sent in an exorcist last month – Amber Wyn – but when she failed to report in last week we grew concerned. Yesterday, her body was found.”
“Amber’s dead,” murmured Fay, bewildered. Barely a month ago they’d been running amok in the city, drinking, stirring trouble. Much to Abe’s anguish. She’d been a friend, someone to talk to when she and Abe were at odds. “Wait, you said poltergeists, as in plural. That’s strange. I mean, sometimes humans summon one or they get through a breach but multiple?”
Dr Marlo nodded gravely. “That’s what concerned us. It tells us that to get the numbers we have that there have been sacrifices involved – and likely not by humans, given the power required. Our first guesses were witches until Amber reported back, asking if we knew anything about the disappearance of a werewolf girl in the local pack. It hadn’t been reported, which raised concerns with us. For her safety we told her we’d look into it, that she could look elsewhere. We don’t know how or why but a week later she turned up dead, thrown from the window of her third-floor apartment.”
Fay nodded. It wasn’t unusual for werewolves to not report paranormal crimes, especially ones within their own ranks and with crimes that result in death. They were a closed off species, highly protective – and vicious if you weren’t apart of them. Still, to think one of them, someone she might’ve known – maybe even called friend before everything fell apart – had dabbled in series dark magic and used sacrifices.
“Is it a possibility the girl may be the sacrifice?” Abe asked, ever the voice of reason.
“Certainly, but had that been the case it was assumed the report would’ve been made. The fact they’ve kept it quiet, went to a degree of effort to keep us out of this-“
“It’s incriminating,” Fay finished with a scornful laugh, savagely happy that her once perfect pack had unravelled. “So, who is it?”
“Amanda Tanning, the Alpha’s current heir. The new Alpha is young, by our reports, and has no wife or children. We are aware, however, that this silence may simply be because they wish to hide it for scandal sake. It wouldn’t reflect well if she was caught.” Dr Marlo glanced at Fay and Abe. “Your task is to find the source of the poltergeists, remove them. If you have evidence to suggest strongly that the girl was the cause or may be involved, then look more into her disappearance. Otherwise, until the pack makes a formal report or request for aid, stay clear.”
Abe nodded obediently. “Understood. I assume going with protocol we’ll report to the pack to log our arrival. Beyond that we’re okay to limit contact?”
Dr Marlo shot a brief look to Fay before looking back at Abe. “Of course. As for your identities you will be provided with one; Abe, you will be a free-lance writer and act as Fay’s older brother. As for you, Fay, you will be enrolled in the local school as your final year. There is a lot of poltergeist activity there so you’ll be tasked with learning what you can there, dealing with it as it comes.”
Fay opened her mouth to protest. School, her? No way! Not that school, especially. Any other school but that one. There would be people she’d grown up with there, old friends, him. People she’d watch turn their backs on her the second she shifted, who hunted her and toyed with her, and tried to kill her. As if she’d suddenly become worthless in their eyes. Surely, they had no actual expectation she wouldn’t try to tear them apart with her bare hands? Abe shot her a warning look and that old trickle of mistrust made her mouth shut. She pointedly ignored him and focused solely on Dr Marlo, earning a flash of hurt in his eyes.
“Any victims?” Fay asked. “Beside Amber?”
“One so far, a school janitor who went down into the basement for some supplies. A staff member found him a week later when a couple of students reported a bad smell from the stairwell. His neck had been snapped. This was about a week before Amber died.”
“The man’s spirit?”
“Amber reported he’d passed on cleanly.”
“Good.”
Abe sat forward in his chair. “Any idea how much support we’ll get from the pack? Not that I’m keen for it but I’d like to get a reading for any resistance or too-friendly help.”
“So long as you make a point to focus only on the removal of the poltergeists then you may see some assistance. I am afraid if they suspect you have any interest in the girl and there may be problems.” Dr Marlo drew a deep breath. “You know our relationship with the wolf community is tenuous at best, so try not to antagonise them. However, if you find conclusive proof the girl was responsible and you find her, you have the full backing of this group and the council. If you can bring her here for trial, good, but if not-“
“We break her pretty little neck?” Fay offered with a cold smile.
Alarm flashed across Dr Marlo’s face. Abe stood up. “I think we’re done here.” He turned to her and held out his hand, smiling warmly. “I’ll report in with whatever we find.”
“Thank you, Agent Preston,” she said and glanced to Fay. “And you, too, Agent Childers. Good luck.”
Fay snorted. “Luck? We’re the A-team.”
The drive back to the apartment was quiet – too quiet. Abe was giving Fay the silent treatment for her behaviour at the meeting, though she wasn’t sure why he was surprised. It wasn’t out of character, it was all her. Maybe a little edgier than usual but with how little sleep she’d managed to get in the past few weeks it didn’t shock her.
When she stepped inside first and heard the click of the door behind her as Abe shut the door she couldn’t take the silence. She turned.
“So, on a scale of one to ten how mad are you?”
Abe walked calmly over and slumped into his chair. “I’m not mad. Just tired.”
Fay snapped.
“Then walk away! No one said you had to be my partner. There’s a ton of people they could bind me to,” Fay hissed, anger bubbling to the surface.
Abe launched to his feet. “No!”
“No? Why not?”
“Because you’re my partner!”
She felt her own monstrous nature snarl and pace inside of her, claws raking over her mind. Every inch of her just wanted to unleash, to tear him limb from limb. Well, not him but something. She staggered back, uneasy. Abe went to reach for her, to touch her, but she pushed his hand away.
“Don’t.”
“Fay, I’m tired. We used to be partners that could trust each other. Then I made the worst mistake of my life and you can’t even look at me anymore without wondering if I’m going to abuse our bond and make you come to heel like a dog,” he said wearily.
Fay saw how the shame of what he’d done was tearing him up inside. She just wanted to be able to stand with him, like they had before, and everything to be back the way it was. Only, things were complicated.
“Look, I’ll tell you on the drive what…what I can. Okay? I just can’t…Not tonight, not at this moment.”
The answer sent the tension from his stiff form. He nodded once and crossed the space, looking more tired than she’d ever seen him, and before she could react, he kissed her forehead. Fay stilled beneath his touch, not exactly horrified or disgusted, just startled. If he showed any notice of it he didn’t show it. Instead, he said goodnight and went into his room. Closing the door softly behind him.
The silence of their small apartment seemed to swallow her whole.
She couldn’t stand it, so she went to the window and climbed out the fire escape. She sat down and brought her knees to her chest, resting her chin on them. Even though she was surrounded by a vibrant, wildly chaotic city she felt like she was bake in Lake Elysium. Fifteen years old on a date with her first boyfriend, Benjamin Clive, at the town’s big fair. She’d been so happy then, on top of the world, so stupidly in love. There had been friends there, too, cheering them on as Ben tried to win as many games as he could, impress her. It was hard to think barely twelve hours after that they’d all be trying to kill her.
Fay slammed her eyes shut, trying to bury those memories but they kept coming back, screaming in her mind. A thousand voices. Ben’s voice.
Monster…
Monster…
Monster…
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