Cut to the Crone Read online

  “That’s why I’m here. Now that I’ve found you again, I’m not leaving until I know what happened to your family. Questions have haunted me forever. I will have my answers before I die. Mark my words.”

  It was a bold prediction, one I refused to make my concern. “Just tell me about this family. I want to know everything you know.”

  “Absolutely.”

  Three

  Gunner watched me as if I were a bomb ready to go off when we returned to my cabin. It was essentially his cabin now too. Although he had his own place, he spent every night with me and the kitten I’d adopted. I’d never considered myself likely to be domesticated, but upon landing in Hawthorne Hollow, it happened pretty quickly.

  “Do you want something to eat?” he asked.

  I leaned over to scoop up Merlin. The kitten was on me the second I walked through door, as if to say “I can’t believe you left me alone for so long.” I stroked his soft fur rather than answer.

  “Scout.” Gunner’s voice was soft, which is what drew my eyes to him.

  “I’m okay,” I said. “I’m not sure I even believe him. Even if I did, there’s nothing actionable there.”

  “We could go to Bay City.”

  “And do what?”

  “I don’t know. We could look for the farm. Ezekiel can probably give us an address. There’s a chance that visiting might trigger your memory.”

  It was a thought, although one I wasn’t ready to entertain. “I think I just want to sit on it a bit. Is that okay with you?”

  “Of course it’s okay. Whatever you need, I’m here. It’s just...” He hesitated, causing me to arch an eyebrow. “I think it would be better for you if we talked about this. You have a tendency to close off sometimes, and I don’t think that’s healthy.”

  That made me smile. “Since when did you get your degree in mental health?”

  “I’m just worried about you, Scout.”

  He was so sincere I couldn’t lash out at him and demand silence. “Fine.” I set the kitten on the floor and moved to the counter where I kept the cans of cat food. “What do you want to discuss?”

  “Don’t do that.” He wagged a finger. “I hate it when you use that tone.”

  “I hate it when you use that tone,” I shot back. “I’m not a child who needs scolding.”

  Gunner folded his arms over his chest, his expression stony. “That’s not going to work either. I refuse to let you draw me into a fight. I’m not storming out and leaving you to sulk. It’s just not going to happen.”

  My scowl deepened. “That’s not what I was going for.”

  He arched an eyebrow and waited.

  “Fine.” I threw up my hands. “I’m not sure I can talk about it.” The admission made me feel vulnerable. “It’s all so ... weird. How can he possibly remember me if he can’t remember my supposed grandfather’s last name?”

  “That’s a concern,” he acknowledged, using his most pragmatic voice. “I’m not sure how I feel about that either. The thing is, given his age, it’s likely that certain details stuck with him. He’s a shaman, so he can register magic, and you’re the most magical being I know.”

  I smirked. “Ooh, so romantic.”

  “It is romantic,” he agreed. “That’s not what I was talking about, though. I’m talking about your actual powers.”

  “It’s still hard for me to wrap my head around.”

  “Baby, when you first showed up on the scene, I was convinced you were going to be trouble.” His smile slid into a dare when I shot him a dirty look. “For the record, I was right about that. You’re all kinds of trouble.”

  “I’m an angel in black leather.”

  “A fallen angel.” His grin turned wolfish and then he sobered. “Despite all that, I sensed your power. Even before that first display with the Spriggans, I knew you were something special. At the time, I was trying to convince myself that you weren’t going to be my something special since I didn’t think I was ready for a relationship. Still, I knew you were the most powerful being I’d ever come into contact with. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that Ezekiel remembers you because of that.”

  “So you believe him.”

  He held out his hands. “I don’t know. I think it’s dangerous to believe him at this point, because you’re right, he gave us very little actionable information. We can track down the farm. Bay City is only a few hours from here.”

  I placed Merlin’s food bowl on the floor, rolling the offer through my head. “I need to think on it. I’m not sure I’m ready.”

  “Okay.” He slid his arm around my waist and tugged me to him. “I know this goes against everything you believe, but it’s okay to be afraid.”

  “I’m not afraid.” The response was automatic, and not entirely true.

  “Of course not. You’re the queen of the world. The queen can’t show fear.”

  I bit back a sigh, although it was difficult.

  “It’s okay to be afraid,” he whispered, pressing me even closer. “You don’t always have to be the strongest person in the world.”

  Didn’t I? I’d spent the bulk of my life alone, only worrying about myself and survival. I was unsure how things had changed so quickly.

  “I’m here to help you.” Gunner stroked my hair. “Whatever happens, whatever you find, we’re going to do this together. So if you need more time, that’s what you’ll get. If you’re letting fear hold you back, though, keep in mind that I will be with you. There’s no need for you to face this alone.”

  Briefly, I closed my eyes and let myself lean on him. Six months ago, I wouldn’t have even considered it. Gunner had managed to break through my defenses and give me something I didn’t even know I needed before landing in this tiny town. That something was hope.

  “I want to wait,” I said, heaving out a sigh. “I’m sorry if that disappoints you.”

  “You could never disappoint me,” he promised, his lips brushing against my cheek. “If you want to wait, then we’ll wait. Out of curiosity, though, why? We could be down there and back in the course of a day. I know Rooster would give us the time off.”

  “I want to see if Ezekiel’s story stays the same.”

  He pulled back to stare into my eyes. “You think he’s lying.”

  “No.” I shook my head, adamant. “I think he might be holding something back.”

  “For what purpose?”

  “Maybe to test me.”

  “Test you?” Gunner’s forehead wrinkled. “To what end?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe he’s trying to ascertain if I’m evil or something. Maybe he knows more than he’s ready to admit but doesn’t want to put this grandfather, who is likely dead at this point, at risk. Perhaps it’s about the rest of the family.”

  He opened his mouth and shut it, trouble brewing behind his eyes.

  “Go ahead and tell me what you’re thinking,” I prodded. “We’ve both agreed that being truthful is the only way this relationship is going to work. If you think I’m a nut, then you need to tell me.”

  “You’re a nut.” He grinned and swooped in to kiss me. “You’re my nut, though, and I’m getting used to it. Still, I am bothered by something you said.”

  “Lay it on me.”

  Gunner looked resigned more than anything else. “It’s a question, not a statement.”

  I nodded and waited.

  “Do you think you’re evil?”

  The question caught me off guard. “I ... no. Why would you ask that?”

  “I’m simply curious. You’ve said a few things that have given me pause.”

  “Well, I’m not evil. I took out an entire nest of Spriggans today. They’re evil. Although, to be fair, I did ruin two shirts and one set of eyebrows in about ten minutes, so I guess that could be considered evil.” I paused and searched his face. “Do you think I’m evil?”

  “Absolutely not. I think you’re the best person I know. That’s never going to change. It’s not about what I think,
though. I want to know what you think.”

  “I ... think I’m cool.”

  His lips curved. “You’re definitely cool.”

  The next part poured out without me realizing I was going to say it. “I also think you’re right. I’m powerful. What if ... what if the magic has somehow warped me and I don’t even realize it? That’s possible.”

  “No, it’s not.” His grip on me tightened, his expression serious. “It’s not possible in the least.”

  “How can you be sure?”

  “Because it’s what’s inside that makes a person. You can’t be evil because you’re inherently good. In fact, you’re so good that you’re constantly fretting about being evil. Do you think an evil person does that?”

  He had a point. “I ... don’t know.”

  “Well, I do. You’re not evil. If you’re worried that you were abandoned because your family thought you were evil, I don’t believe that.”

  “You believe they let me go to keep me safe.” He’d told me before. Occasionally I wanted to hear it again because it grounded me, made me feel less disposable and more important.

  “That’s exactly what I believe. I can’t pretend to know what happened, but somebody went through a great deal of trouble to make sure you were safe ... but still separate. I think your family was being hunted, and it sounds like this council was supposed to help them but fell down on the job. Regardless, they knew they needed to protect you. For whatever reason, the only way they could think to protect you was to isolate you.” He sighed. “Now, I’m not going to pretend this hasn’t been traumatic for you. I can’t imagine not knowing where I came from. My father drives me crazy, but he’s the pain in the butt I know. You don’t know anything, and I happen to believe that’s traumatized you in ways you can’t even give voice to.”

  “I’m still not ready.” I knew it wasn’t what he wanted to hear but I needed time. “I just want to talk to Ezekiel again, in a few days. If his story stays the same, we’ll talk.”

  He brushed his fingers across my cheek and nodded. “Then that’s what we’ll do.”

  “Great.” I rested my head against his chest and took a deep breath. “I just need a little time.”

  “It’s okay.” He rubbed his hands up and down my back. “Take as long as you need. We’ll focus on our immediate needs for right now.”

  “Which are?”

  “Food and sex.”

  “Ah.” I laughed at his bluntness. I couldn’t help myself. “Which one do you want to tackle first?”

  “Food. You need to power up. I have plans for you tonight.”

  “I can live with that.”

  WE WERE IN BED LONG BEFORE MIDNIGHT, the dregs of the day dragging us under. I was convinced I would sleep until dawn I was so exhausted, but ferocious noises behind the cabin woke me when the moon was still high in the sky.

  “What is it?” I asked, instantly alert. Gunner was already up and standing at the window.

  “I’m not sure.” It was hard to make out his expression in the limited light but, even shirtless, he looked coiled and ready for action. “Stay here. I’ll check it out.”

  I snorted. “You can’t be serious.” I tossed off the covers and started rooting around for clothes on the floor. “There’s no way you’re going out there without me.”

  Gunner made a growling sound deep in his throat but didn’t argue, as if he knew better than taking me on, even if my mind was dulled from heavy sleep. “Just wait for me.”

  We left through the back door after dressing. I’d tucked my blonde hair up in a knit cap so it wouldn’t betray our location and we were both in black as we crept into the wilderness. As a shifter, Gunner had a tremendous sense of smell. I watched him now for direction.

  He pointed toward the east and I immediately ducked my head to scan the area. It was dark, ridiculously so, and given the way the trees crowded one another on that side, it was impossible to figure out what was happening.

  “Let’s go,” I whispered, taking the lead.

  Gunner reached out to snag the back of my shirt, his intention to shove me behind him so he would be the first to race into the thick of the battle written all over his face, but I easily sidestepped him. I had no intention of letting him cut me out of the action.

  The moment we stepped into the woods we were transported to an ugly scene. A young girl, a teenager, stood in the center of what looked to be a vampire melee. She was young, fifteen at the most, and she looked absolutely terrified. Her long black hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail and there was some sort of boyband on her T-shirt, one I didn’t recognize. Despite the fear that was practically radiating off her, she also looked determined.

  Gunner took a purposeful step in her direction and then pulled up short, tilting his head. “Shifter,” he muttered under his breath.

  I widened my eyes. “The girl is a shifter?”

  He nodded, lifting his nose. “Yes, but ... she’s not a pure blood.”

  I honestly didn’t care about that. I was more worried about the vampires surrounding her. Five of them looked to be on the attack, snapping teeth and feral growls filling the air, and a sixth seemed to be positioning himself between the girl and the other five. His back was to the teenager and she didn’t appear particularly fearful of him.

  “What’s going on?” I called out, ignoring the incredulous look on Gunner’s face and stepping into the small clearing.

  Surprised by the sound of my voice, the encroaching vampires jerked their heads in my direction. They obviously weren’t expecting intruders.

  “Stay out of this,” one of the vampires rasped, warning lighting his dark eyes. “This doesn’t concern you.”

  “Probably not,” I agreed, my eyes darting to the girl. She looked to be at the end of her rope. “I’m making it my business, so now it does concern me.”

  “Stay out of this!” the vampire hissed, extending a finger in my direction. “The girl is mine.”

  “You’re not taking her.” The other vampire sounded tired, as if he’d been fighting for longer than we realized, and he was favoring his right side. His hair was long and black and, surprisingly, he appeared to boast a ridiculous tan. How did a vampire get a tan? I couldn’t even fathom how that worked. “I won’t let you touch her.”

  “We should go,” the girl insisted, tugging on the tanned vampire’s arm. “We can’t stay here. It’s not safe.”

  “You should go,” the tanned vampire insisted. “Run back the way we came. Hide. I will find you.”

  I was dumbfounded by the interaction. Apparently, so was Gunner.

  “Little girl, I don’t know what’s going on here, but you don’t have to go with any of them,” he insisted, flashing a smile for the teenager’s benefit. “Come with us. We’ll protect you, help figure out where you’re supposed to be.”

  Instead of melting under Gunner’s friendly smile, the girl shot him a dirty look. “I’m not going with you.”

  “We’ll protect you,” Gunner said.

  “Right.” She rolled her eyes. “You’re probably a gross pervert. My dad has warned me about guys like you. By the way, he’s going to rip your throat out if you touch me.”

  Her response made me grin. It was a fluid state of affairs and yet she couldn’t stop herself from making threats. She reminded me of myself at her age. Still, her circumstances were precarious.

  “I’m not a gross pervert,” I promised. “We’ll take care of you, find where you’re supposed to be.”

  “I don’t know you. You might be very nice. And you could be evil. I don’t like evil people.”

  The tanned vampire slid his gaze to us. “They look evil,” he said. “Don’t trust them, Sami. Go to the woods, back the way we came. You know what to do when you get there.”

  “I’m not leaving you,” Sami said, unconvinced. “We have to go together.”

  The vampire looked pained. “I can’t. You have to make this trip alone. You know what to do. You promised your parents. Yo
u must do as they say.”

  Tears sprang to Sami’s eyes. “But—”

  “No.” The tan vampire’s gaze tracked back to the other vampires, who were trying to flank them. “Run now, Sami!”

  With few options in front of her, the girl turned on her heel and raced toward the woods. “Little girl!” Gunner called out to stop her.

  “I’m not a little girl!” she screeched back at him before disappearing into the trees.

  I was determined to find her, but before that, there were vampires to deal with.

  The tanned vampire raced headlong into the melee, snapping teeth and growling assailing my ears. I jerked my eyes back in that direction and made up my mind on the spot. I was leery of the vampire, but the girl clearly trusted him above the others. On top of that, he appeared to be ready to sacrifice himself to protect her. That was enough for me.

  I unloaded three bursts of magic, catching two of the vampires, the ones flanking the others, by surprise. They caught fire immediately, their anguished screams filling the air. The third burst missed another vampire but Gunner, who had shifted without me noticing, was already engaging in battle with him. That left the two vampires pummeling the tanned one for me to deal with.

  I threw myself into the mix, using my hands to grab a blond vampire by the hair and pour a burst of magic into his mind. His eyes went wide — he probably had no idea what was happening — and then he burst into flames from the inside. I was already turning to face the final vampire when Gunner snapped the neck of the one he was fighting and raced to take on the fifth. Before I could snap out a curse, Gunner was on the vampire from behind, dragging him down.

  “That’s not fair,” I complained, making a face. “I had a new curse I wanted to try on him.”

  Rather that respond, Gunner ripped out the vampire’s throat with his powerful jaws, the undead creature immediately going still.

  Gunner shifted instantly, his familiar human form focusing on me. “You got to kill three to my two. I think you’ll survive.” He had a scratch down the side of his face but looked exhilarated. “How is he?”