Rua (Rua, book 1) (17 page)

He had the flash in his eyes. He winked at her then released her hand. “So you were the last friend to speak, or I guess I should say, interact with Tink,” Sergeant Grimes said.

“Was I?” she asked.

“Yes.” He flipped open his notebook. “At 5:47 p.m., Tink texted to a number saved in his phone as Celeste Shreeve. That is you, right?”

She nodded.

“He said, ‘Good luck with rents’, love, and have fun on your date!’ You texted back a response, ‘Thanks, doll.’ ” He looked up at her over the notebook. “Is that correct?”

She nodded again. “Yes. Something like that.”

“He had dinner around 6:15 with his mom, then went up to his room around 6:45. He told her he had homework to do on his computer. He was only up there a few minutes when she heard a scream. She went up there, and he was gone.”

“Gone? From the second floor?” she said.

“Yes.” He focused his gaze on her. He seemed to be trying to convey something to her, but she wasn’t getting it. “Maybe you could take a look at his room? His mother says you two spend a lot of time up there. Perhaps you can tell us if we are missing something.”

“I’ll do anything I can to help.”

She was halfway up the wooden staircase when it hit her. Creepy darkness rolled through her body. Her hair stood on ends, her stomach revolted, and the flames ignited in her hands. She stopped the flames then leaned on the banister to support herself.

“What is it?” Rylan stopped on the step behind her. “Are you okay?”

“I feel something awful. Are you sure we should go up there? Cause I don’t think we should,” she whispered.

“Please.” Kara’s voice came floating down the steps.

Celeste glanced behind her. A few of the police officers in the living room stared at her.

Rylan put his hands around her waist and guided her the rest of the way up the stairs. Mercifully, at the top of the stairs they were out of sight of the humans in the living room below. She burst into her flames again, but decided to let it flow. It made her feel better.

Kara watched her while she approached Tink’s door. She put her hand on the door.

“Steel yourself,” Kara said. “I’m sorry.”

She pushed the door open. Technicians had walled off most of the room with yellow tape, so she couldn’t even enter. But nothing, no warning could ever have prepared her for the scene facing her.

Tink’s room was its usual disheveled mess. Unmade queen-size bed, oversized wardrobe, all exploding with clothes. But there was blood everywhere. It was splashed across his sleek laptop and cell phone on his desk, arced on the wall near his bed, and smudged across the open window. Most of the blood spots had little number cards placed next to them. She saw a number as high as 423. Had forensic agents already tagged that much blood?

“Oh, Tink,” she said. “What happened to you?”

She pressed the palms of her hands into her eyes.
Don’t cry. Crying won’t help him.

She opened them again. Her stomach was still revolting, still warning her of the evil she felt on the stairs. And it hit her, the evil sinister thing she had seen before. “Fayga.” The name rolled off her tongue like battery acid. “She was here, she did this.”

Kara nodded. “Yes, thank you. I needed you to confirm that.”

“Fayga? Oh jeez, I haven’t heard that name in a while,” said Sergeant Grimes. “She had to be crossed over for this to happen, right?”

“Hmm.” Rylan came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her quivering form, resting his chin on her shoulder. It made her feel a little better, but she still had the urge to run away from the evil permeating a once-happy space. “How did she get over? Doesn’t she need a
Tuatha
?”

“I would think so. At least, I thought she did,” Kara said. “Perhaps she had illegal help, maybe from those who do
Sidhe
magic.”

“This doesn’t make any sense. We have to find him!” Celeste said.

“Is there anything you see or sense that can help us?” asked Sergeants Grimes.

She steeled herself then examined the room as best she could from behind the yellow tape. She pointed to his blood-covered cell phone. “He never goes anywhere without that.”

“That’s what his mother said. That’s why we read his text messages.”

The red streak across the windowsill was particularly disturbing. She turned to Sergeant Grimes. “It looks like he was pulled out his window,” she said. “He’s hurt badly, isn’t he?”

“Maybe not. It looks like a lot of blood, but my forensic guys estimated it’s only half a quart. He can lose some more and still be okay,” Sergeant Grimes said. “Do you know if he has any new acquaintances?”

She thought about it, fingering the charms on her necklace. She indicated the charm Tink had given her. “Yes. He did some research when I found out I was a
Tuatha
with people who do
Sidhe
and Fae magic. He got me this pendant about a month ago.”

Sergeant Grimes stepped into the room with her. “May I?”

“Sure.”

He lifted the chain so it wasn’t touching her skin. “A very powerful protection talisman.
Tuatha
or
Sidhe
-made, I’m sure.” He dropped the pendant and turned to Kara. “I wonder what he got tangled up in, poor kid.”

“Oh, God.”
It’s my fault. Something bad has happened because of me.
The hole in her heart ripped open. It hurt so bad she put her hand on her chest to make sure it was still intact.
God, no. Please. Not Tink. Loyal, kind, selfless, Tink.

“It’s not your fault. Fayga did this to him, not you,” Kara said.

“You get the hell out of my head!” she snapped. “How dare you? This is my best friend we’re talking about here. We’re all just standing here while he is out there somewhere bleeding!” She advanced to Kara, aggressively enough that Kara took a few steps back and Sergeant Grimes put a restraining hand on Celeste’s shoulder. “You’d better find him, or tell me how to find him.”

“I’ll do everything I can, Celeste. You need to go home and get some rest. I’ll keep you updated. If you feel anything weird, call me,” Kara said.

“Um, no. Try again. I’m helping you.”

“Absolutely not. Tracking and killing
Sidhe
is advanced stuff. You’re not ready yet. The best thing you can do is stay out of the way and keep yourself safe. There are others who can handle this,” Kara said.

Rylan chimed in. “I agree. I’m taking you home.” He snaked his arm through hers.

She pulled it away. “No. I’m not going home. I need to do something, and I need to learn, and you know it.”

“Fine. I’ll be waiting at Rylan’s for you two,” Kara said. She puffed out some air, making a sound somewhere between a chuckle and cough. “Good luck with your parents, and you’d better not even think about skipping school tomorrow.” She looked at Sergeant Grimes. “You’d better tap into your network.” And with that, she was gone, hard footsteps echoing on the wood stairs.

Sergeant Grimes turned to Celeste. “You really need to be careful. This is some dark stuff for an untrained super…”

It was only then she realized she was nearly exploding in purple light. Flames and lights snaked up and down her arms, and light shot out of her palms like a flashlight. She calmed herself then pushed the light back until she only had the tiny flames dancing around her palms. She kept those. They made her feel prepared.

“What is that?” Sergeant Grimes asked.

“I control
Sidhe
with it.”

“Interesting. I wonder if you could control others as well.”

“Others? What are you?” she asked.

He held out his hand. She looked at Rylan. He shrugged, so she put her hand on top of his. She let her purple light flow over him, ordered her fire to consume him. It did, engulfing him in purple flames. As it did, his skin became almost transparent, allowing her to see what was underneath. Fur, pointy teeth, small ears.

“Holy crap!” She pulled her hand away. As she did, his furry features quickly shifted back to human.

“Whoa,” he said. “You almost made me change.

“What are you?”

“Have they taught you nothing? I’m a skinwalker,” he said.

“What’s that? Like a shapeshifter?”

“Yes, kind of. It usually takes a lot of work on my part to change, but you just flipped the switch for me.” His smile faded. “Tell no one about this. I don’t think anyone needs to know how powerful you are.”

Rylan nodded his agreement, then ushered Celeste out of the room.

“What’s the rush? We need to help him find Tink,” she whispered in his ear.

“Shapeshifters use dark forces to shift, so sometimes they’re not safe to be around, particularly when they’re not in their human form,” he said. “I hope he keeps what you did to himself.”

They paused at the bottom of the stairs.

“Why?”

“Because of what you can do. You’re going to be viewed as a potential threat to the supernatural community. Not all of them are good, Celeste. Fayga is a bad
Sidhe
, but there are many different kinds, and some are bad like her.”

“And when were you planning on telling me all this?” she asked.

“I don’t even know what all is out there. I only learn about things as I run across them. There’s a lot to share, and you already have a lot of on your plate.”

She walked away from him without another word. She didn’t care anymore. All she needed to do was find Tink. She hugged his mom goodbye.

When she and Rylan walked through the front door of her house, her mother’s eyes were rimmed in red. “Oh, baby! I’m so glad you’re home.” She ran to Celeste and threw her arms around her.

“Mom.” She pressed her cheek against her mother’s, catching the scent of the face cream she’d used since Celeste was a child. In her mother’s arms, something inside her broke. She sobbed.

Her father wrapped his arms around both of them. “There, there now. Let’s think positive thoughts for him, eh?”

Rylan leaned against the doorway to the living room. His eyes were wet, which he hastily wiped with the back of his hand.

Celeste finally got a hold of herself, her ragged, crying breaths giving way to deep, calm ones. “I think I want to go to bed,” she said. She gave Rylan a hug, and said, “I’ll see you tomorrow,” loud enough so her parents heard.

He said a polite goodnight to her parents then left through the door. As the door closed behind him, she was sure he was already waiting in her room.

Her parents gave her one last hug, a big glass of water, then she was off to bed. She left her light off when she came in. “Rylan?”

“I’m here.” He held her close to him, their bodies gently swaying together. “Are you sure you’re up for this?”

“Yes,” she said. “Just let me drink that water and change.” She pulled a pair of jeans and a sweater out of her bureau.

He turned away while she changed.

“Okay.” She followed him out the window.

He pulled her down so they were both seated under the window, wrapping his arms and legs around her. “Close your eyes.”

She did. Even though she was more prepared for it, her insides still flipped when he did whatever it was he did. But sure enough, when she opened her eyes, they sat on his front porch. She retched violently. Whether it was from worry over Tink or the “ride” or a combination of both, she didn’t know.

Kara’s car was in the driveway. She came out the driver’s side, motioning for them to be quiet since she was on her cell phone. After a few minutes, she hung up. Her face was a funny shade of gray.

“What is it? Is there news on him?” Celeste said.

“No, it’s…” She cupped her hand over her eyes and took a deep breath. That must have done something for her because after she removed her hand her voice was steady. “Another student has gone missing. Just like him, blood all over the place, taken through a window.”

“Who?” Rylan said.

“Jennifer Macci.”

“What?” Celeste asked. “Why would she be involved in anything?”

Kara bit her upper lip. “I don’t know. You tell me. Never met the kid. Was she ever involved with either one of you?”

Celeste thought of Rylan leaning up against the locker close to Jennifer, sitting with her at lunch and in class. Her surge of jealousy as she watched the two of them. Jennifer taunting her at school. She glanced at Rylan.

Kara nodded. “I see.”

“I didn’t really like her, I just thought it would make—”

“Doesn’t matter. What matters is she is gone, and Fayga took her,” Kara said.

“This is all my fault,” Celeste said. “How do we find them?”

“We can’t, but
Sidhe
can,” Kara said. “They will be able to trace her path on the other side, but it will be dangerous for them.”

“We need a
Sidhe
then. Surely you know someone reliable?” Celeste stopped talking, because then she understood. They had a
Sidhe
, or half of one at least. “No. We’ve got plenty right here.” Celeste pointed to the black shadows around her.

“No, it will be faster if I just do it. It’ll be fine,” Rylan said. He sat down on the porch. “I haven’t crossed over in so long. Years.”

Celeste sat next to him. “Can’t I just do it?”

“No!” Rylan and Kara said in perfect unison.

Kara leaned against her car. “It’s not safe for
Tuatha
to go. We are the door, we can’t go through it. It’s not safe for us there.”

“But if I’m with Rylan, then I’ll be fine.”

“No! Never,” Kara said.

“Fine.”

“Let’s see if we can get you some help,” Kara said. She turned to the throng of ever-present
Sidhe
around them and closed her eyes. Twenty seconds passed, then Celeste felt the pressure abating. They swirled through Kara’s portal. Kara opened her eyes. “Ethan,” she whispered. “Please, we need help.”

“What?” he barked. “He” being the tall, shadowy man with dark skin and long brown hair that had just appeared in front of them. He was dressed in some sort of heavily buckled leggings and a tunic. He looked almost human, but not quite. His chiseled face was a little too breathtaking to fall on the human scale.

His sudden, very physical appearance had made all of them jump.