Second Skin (Skinned) (20 page)

“He’s right, Eryn,” Sebastian said. “We have unlimited resources. We can discover exactly what occurred, why your parents were never found.” His expression darkened. “But to do that, we need you safely out of the way. Your uncle is the perfect choice. He lives in a remote area with zero paranorm activity. Until we figure things out, you’re vulnerable, you could be a target.” Harsh lines formed at the corners of his mouth. “You have to admit, your father made many enemies—both human and paranorm.”

I glared at him. “And you were one of them.”

Sebastian slowly shook his head. “That’s not true. I mentored

Liam. He was my prize hunter—”

“Until he met my mother.” I said. “Until they had me.” Didn’t this whole mess come down to my existence? The blending of wolven and human, or human with any paranorm, broke sacred laws. My life had likely caused my parents’ deaths. Small slashes of guilt and pain were cutting into the I’m-fine-leave-me-alone façade I’d worked so hard to maintain.

As if sensing my sudden weakness, Nikko placed a heavy arm around my shoulder. This time I leaned into his solid strength.

“Sadly, that’s correct,” Sebastian said. “My hands were tied after your parents married and you were born. I had to let Liam go.” He gave a tight smile. “But I helped when I could. The Council wanted you all dead. I fought for you then, as I fight for you now. I swear to you, Eryn”—his eyes bored into mine—“I will uncover the truth. If you let me.” “What do I have to do?”

“Nothing. Not a thing. Just lay low and avoid drawing attention to yourself. If you do that, I can begin my investigation.” Sebastian strode to the gaping exit. His goon followed. “Think about it, Eryn, but decide soon. We’ve booked your flight. We’ll wait in our car.” Sebastian glanced around. “Funeral homes depress me.”

Then he was gone.

I pulled away from the big Slovak. “Oh my God, Nikko.” The stinking walls, the pounding in my head had me pacing the small room like a caged beast. “What do I
do
?”

“The Council has disbanded your father’s crew,” Nikko’s jaw hardened. “I can do nothing without them. Sebastian has the power. He can help.”

“I’ve been trained to hunt. I could track down whoever did this.” I clung to the idea I could avenge my parents myself.

“No.” Nikko’s voice was firm. “You’ve trained, yes. You’ve been on hunts. But never alone, never without the expertise of the crew.” Nikko tugged at his tie impatiently, looking uncomfortable in his suit.

I stared down at the floor, whispering, “What about my drugs? There’s nothing left.”

Nikko wagged a finger. “Don’t despair. The drugs will take time to leave your system. It may be months before you notice anything…if at all.”

“I wish,” I said with a sigh. “There’ve been changes already.” I dragged my gaze up to meet his serious, sad face. Horror flooded into my system. If my father was right, quitting the drugs cold turkey could prove disastrous. They might have caused mutations and that, combined with my mother’s wolven genes, could be lethal—for anyone who stood in my way. “What if I turn and I can’t control it?”

“You will,” Nikko said. “You will have to.”

I came back to reality with a thud when Alec hit a pothole in the road, causing some airtime between our butts and the seat. Memories swirled in my head. My parents’ funeral had been the beginning of the end, the last of my pathetic attempts at a normal life. Since then I’d tried so hard to deny my true nature. Maybe that was the problem.

“We’re here.” Alec’s voice broke through my thoughts.

We’d parked outside my uncle’s house. Though now, in the dark of the night, it looked far from Mister Rogers’ welcoming.

Alec guided me from the van, my hand in his. “Want me to walk you in?”

“No, I’ll be fine,” I said. I had to be.

Out for dinner, back late
said the note scrawled in Marcus’s handwriting and propped up on the kitchen counter. Relieved there’d be no why-weren’t-you-home-earlier drama, I spun the small rectangular paper in a circle, ignoring Sammi’s precise printing at the bottom—a list of contact numbers in case of an emergency.

I picked up the cordless phone. The number I dialed was not on Sammi’s list, but etched into my mind.

A few rings, and then straight to voice mail. No personal recording or bubbly greeting, just the phone company’s generic recording prompting me to leave a message

“Nikko, it’s time. I need you,” I said and hung up. I could only hope that what I’d set into motion with that one message wasn’t playing exactly into Sebastian’s master plan.

If and when Nikko showed, he’d be hungry for battle. To exact revenge. All things I desperately wanted to accomplish. Before loading me on the plane, Nikko had vowed he’d do everything in his power to re-band my father’s old crew, that they’d help me when I came seeking justice.

Now I’d set the wheels in motion, but was I really ready for the consequences?

With a leaden stomach and heavy heart, I prepared Paige’s room, posted the sign, and molded a few pillows under the covers to look like her sleeping form. Thoughts of my parents, Sebastian, and Nikko swirled in my mind. I fell into my own bed and slept.

The nightmare began as always. Beauty first, and then the beasts.

I walked through long-stemmed wild flowers in brilliant shades—fuchsia, violet, and amber, their sweet scents blending— nature’s perfume. The drone of honeybees and other insects harmonized with the gentle swoosh of the breeze bending the tall grass.

I was safe. And then I wasn’t. Clouds, brooding and dark, gathered over the mountains. Thunder rumbled in the distance. A fat drop of rain struck my face and ran down my cheek, like a single, devastating tear. I ducked into the dense shrubs edging the clearing, scanning the grass.

They were here.

Charging from the shrubs across the field, a large gray wolf bolted through the grass. He howled to his mate. A jet-black wolf, her coat in stark relief against the fading sun, stepped gracefully into the clearing, howled in answer, and rushed to him. When she was midway through the clearing, the first shot rang out.

I cupped my mouth, screaming into my shaking hands, terrified to leave the safety of the shrubs. I should help them. Why did I never try to help them? Why was I frozen here, unable to move?

This isn’t real. This is a dream.

The world paused. Wind ceased. The wolves stood stiff like stuffed animals in a museum display. I lifted my hand, pulling it through air thick as mud. I labored to my feet, grass blades solid as steel, cutting into my flesh.

You can control the dream. Look around. See what’s hidden.

A presence beside me made me turn. Two men, camouflaged, and armed with tranquilizer guns crouched in the grass, behind them…Sebastian, a fierce grin of triumph frozen on his face.

Shock had the world tumbling forward once more.

The female wolf advanced, her wound forcing her into an awkward lope. She fell. Heedless of the danger, the male wolf raced to her side. He stood above her, keening low in his throat. The second round took him down. He staggered and fell to the earth. Nose to nose with his lifeless mate.

A gentle mist descended from the heavens.

I stood there, stunned, as Sebastian gave me an approving nod.

“Thank you, Eryn,” he said. “We never could have bagged

them without you.” He reached out and touched my shoulder.

I flinched. Awoke.

And finally, I cried.

A Round of Homework for the Lot of Us

Morning arrived like a smack upside the head, sudden, yet oddly enlightening. I was clearheaded and seeing a pattern in the seemingly random sequence of events that had led me to Redgrave. I’d been a pawn for the Hunter Council. Now I needed to figure out their end game. I was emboldened, eager to face the upcoming challenges, in part by the fact that Paige was AWOL and I didn’t have to wait for her to vacate our shared bathroom.

Ah, the power of little things.

For the first time since I came to live with the McCains, I lingered in the shower, eyes closed, letting the steaming hot water beat against my back, washing away the deception. I couldn’t lie to myself any longer. Someone had tampered with my memories. After witnessing Paige’s rapid decline and struggling with the dreams that had haunted me since my parents disappeared, I could only assume I’d been a victim of a similar spell. Sebastian had used me to betray my parents, to reveal their location and trap them in an ambush, and then he’d wiped my mind clean. If Kate had the power to repress memories, other witches did as well. No doubt Sebastian had one on his payroll.

He’d used me and then dumped me in Redgrave with my only surviving relative, who happened to live in a town the Hunter Council had created. Combine that with the knowledge that my father had somehow been around at the exact moment Wade had been turned, and I had myself one hell of a conspiracy theory. My father must have been onside with Sebastian and Logan and then what? Had he taken a stand against them? Had I become the unwitting instrument of his downfall?

My father had always told me that hunters lied—a necessary evil when it came to keeping humans safe from rogue paranorms. We hunted, killed, and covered our tracks.

But I didn’t think that meant we lied to each other.

Hadn’t expected to learn I’d never really known my parents at all.

I’d been taught to fight at my father’s side, learned about loyalty and honor from his devotion to my mother and his motley crew of paranorm and human hunters. Had seen the lengths my mother had been willing to go to protect wolf, and therefore wolven, territories with her animal-rights activities. She’d said she wanted a normal life for me, a human life.

Had that been a lie as well? Had my parents been working with Sebastian all along? If so, how did I recover from that?

In the only way I knew how.

I’d keep my head in the game. Remain true to my new pack. Keep them safe. Fight for their lives. And as soon as Nikko arrived, I’d push hard for answers, even if they sent my world spiraling down a sinkhole straight to the depths of hell.

Somewhere in the house a toilet flushed. Was that mental karma, or what? At the familiar churning sound, I lifted my head and braced for impact. I let out a squeal as ice-cold water blasted from the showerhead. I shoved the shower curtain aside and bolted from the tub. My teeth chattered as I toweled off.

The howl of a wolf rang out. I stared at the remains of my cell phone which I’d propped on the bathroom sink.

A few texts from Brit.

Picking you up in 10. I have WHEELS!

I snorted. Brit driving a vehicle? I didn’t even know she had a license.

Matt said Paige is still sleeping it off. Plan is a go!

I buried my face in the fluffy towel. Morning had arrived all right. With attitude.

“Did Paige abandon you again?” Marcus’s voice cut through my hunger. He took his place at the breakfast table, unfolding the morning newspaper. Sammi organized her craft materials required for the week ahead while working on her second cup of coffee and bowl of yogurt. The McCains were creatures of habit.

Thankfully, they weren’t habitually possessed.

“Yeah, she’s got some major game plan with Janie for the Harvest Moon Dance tonight,” I said around a mouthful of fried eggs and sausage, runny and rare.

Marcus frowned at me like I was speaking teen and didn’t quite know how to translate.

“The big do?” I prompted. “Costumes, Halloween. Ring a bell?” I slurped back a pint of milk, wiping my lips on my sleeve.

“We used to love that dance, Marcus,” Sammi said.

“Of course, I remember now,” he said, with the believability of a voice-over for a weight loss commercial. “Do you need a ride into school, Eryn? I can drop you off on my way to the office.”