The Hunt

“This is one of those times where your helpfulness is less than helpful,” I said, looking up at Fenris.

He grinned and gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze.

“You can do this. Remember what you said. If I thought you were going to actually hurt someone, I’d be waiting a long time.”

I rolled my eyes at him while testing my hunger. The chocolate I’d eaten hadn’t done a thing to calm it down, but to my surprise, it just wasn’t as intense as it’d been in the past.

“I’ll try one game. But if I ask to be the dedicated spinner so Laurel can step in, no complaining.”

The three girls gave an excited squeal and moved toward an open space on the dance floor.

Fenris held me to his side and leaned in to speak softly in my ear. The way his breath tickled my skin made it difficult to stay focused.

“Try to stay in the game at least until Adira shows up. After this morning’s interruption, you know she will.”

I nodded and let him lead me to my doom. Only, Fenris’s version of trouble wasn’t as bad as I’d thought it would be.

He kept it playfully light the entire time, teasing the girls as well as me. I understood why and felt a fair amount of pity for him. If he took a single tangled limb seriously, any one of the girls would have him pinned to the mat in a heartbeat. But since he spread his attention equally, it kept them happy and me distracted enough that I could ignore the way his arm pressed against my leg. Almost.

Jenna stretched for the closest green circle, and Fenris nudged her mid-reach to knock her off balance. She went down with a laugh then sat with Laurel to cheer Willow on.

The doors opened, letting in a refreshing gust of cool air just as Laurel spun a red for Fenris. He pressed his stationary arm more firmly against my leg and leaned closer to wind his free arm around my other leg.

“This looks interesting,” a familiar voice said. “We call dibs on playing the winners.”

I arched my neck to look up at Eras and the mermaids with him.

“Unusual company you’re keeping,” Fenris commented. “What happened to your muscle?”

“He got bigger muscle,” one of the girls said as she flashed a toothy grin.

Any fun I’d managed to have disappeared quickly. The next three spins proved too much for Willow, and she collapsed with a grunt.

“About time,” Eras said. “Janette and Miranda. You go first.”

Willow gave me an apologetic glance as she moved off the mat.

“Actually, I think I could use a break,” I said. “You’re welcome to the mat, Eras. Since you’re so enthusiastic about the game, I’m sure you and River wouldn’t mind facing off with Janette and Miranda.”

He smirked at me.

“If you want to back out, that’s fine. But, from the looks of things, your chew toy isn’t ready to stop playing.”

I glanced at Fenris then did a double-take. His easy-going smile was firmly in place, but there was something in his eyes I’d never seen before. An anger that had me backing away a step. Or at least, I tried to. His arm snaked around my waist and pulled me closer, and the glint I’d witnessed quickly disappeared.

“It’s up to Eliana,” Fenris said smoothly.

Eras’s gaze locked with mine. “Are you a runner or a fighter?”

I snorted. “A runner. I’ve been telling you that all along.”

“There you have it,” Fenris said. “Have fun playing Twister with the fish. Clean any water off the mat when you’re done.”

He turned me and walked us away. I could feel the other girls at our backs as we wandered the room and paused to watch the precarious end to the tower game. The blocks toppled to the ground with a resounding crash.

“Mind if we go next?” Willow asked.

We’d only managed a few rounds before someone walked past me, and something sharp scored the back of my arm. I hissed in pain and grabbed the spot that stung.

“What’s wrong?” Fenris sniffed then added, “Do I smell blood?”

I lifted my hand to look at my palm. Sure enough, I was bleeding.

“Something wrong, Eliana?” Eras asked from behind me.

My eyes went black, and I slowly turned toward Eras. Around us, the games continued.

“Oh, there will be. Who cut me? You or one of the fin-folk?” My gaze shifted briefly to the girls behind him.

“You’re cut? Oh no. Why would someone do something like that? Fenris, you have a good nose; why don’t you see who did it?”

I could feel his heat at my back as he set his hands on my shoulders.

“What game are you playing, Eras?” he asked.

Eras’s smile widened.

“All of them. It’s Game Night, isn’t it?”

“Why would you want Janette to cut Eliana?”

My gaze shifted to the mermaid. She hissed at me while Miranda and River grinned.

“Tell Megan we say, ‘Hi.’ She knows where to find us,” Miranda said.

“You won’t stand a chance against her.”

“Funny thing about mindwiping,” Eras said. “It doesn’t always clean the slate. People talk. Pieces are put together. Some of us are even smart enough to keep diaries now with all the people forgetting things.” He stepped closer. “The druids won’t save you. Megan’s coming back, and when she does, I don’t think it’ll be the mermaids she goes for first. Do you?”

Fear and anger made a dangerous mix in a succubus.

“And do you really think that I’m going to go whining to Megan after you monologued your whole pathetic plan for revenge?”

“She’ll come back on her own when you stop answering her.”

“Have fun with that cut,” Janette said. “They’re always prettiest when they turn green.”

The group left as a wave of dizziness washed over me. The back of my arm throbbed like I’d been hit with an ax.

“How bad did she cut me?”

“It’s not deep,” Jenna said, “and it’s barely bleeding. A scratch, maybe three inches long. Sorry she wrecked your shirt.”

Mermaid scratches, no matter what the size, weren’t anything to mess around with. I reached into my pocket and sent a quick text to Mom.

Me: What will a mermaid scratch do to me?

Mom: Well-fed, nothing. Are you hurt?

Me: Yes. And annoyed.

Mom: The annoyance will get worse…I’m sending Adira to you.

I groaned and showed the message to the girls since Fenris had been reading over my shoulder.

“There goes Game Night,” Jenna said with a sigh.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” Willow said. “There are always people out there who will wreck a good time for everyone else just because they need company in their misery.”

“We should play,” Fenris said, giving me a light squeeze. “At least until Adira gets here.”

I nodded, knowing he was right but feeling sicker by the second. He seemed to know it, though. He looped his arm around my waist and pulled me to his side as the girls set up the tower. Laughter rang out around us. I tried to focus, but I could feel my insides going hot.

A sudden chill in the air had me looking over my shoulder at the door. Adira walked through, her gaze sweeping the room before catching my eye.

“This is not what the Roost is intended for,” Adira said once she reached our little group.

“Fun?” I asked. “You’re absolutely right. It’s never been fun.”

She gave me a steely look.

“You know why you’re here.”

“Right. And I agreed it’s not to have a good time, which I’m not having, by the way.”

“So your mother informed me. What happened?”

“We flooded the hunting grounds with too many predators in our attempt to attract more prey,” Fenris said, smoothly. “Some fighting occurred. Just part of the hunting process, right?”

Adira’s gaze flicked to him before returning to me.

“Show me.”

I turned slightly and twisted my arm to show her the back of it.

“It’s a small scratch that you would easily heal with an immediate feeding.”

I looked up at Fenris.

“Tell my mom I love her. Take care of the brownie, and whatever you do, don’t send anyone to feed the goblin. He’ll just throw his shoes at everyone.”

Fenris’s lips infinitesimally twitched.

“Does this mean I can have the hoard of chocolate bars you’ve hidden around the Academy?”

“No, I’m bequeathing those to Jenna. She deserves them for all the time she spent trying to deal with Elbner.”

Adira sighed.

“Your dramatics aren’t entertaining. Handing you a cure will only delay the inevitable, which is your need for a proper—”

Adira’s lecture was cut short by an unholy scream. The sound filled the room and echoed off the walls, growing in volume and making my ears ache worse than my arm. A second voice joined the first. Then a third.

I clapped my hands over my ears. My watering gaze bounced around the room, looking for the source and finding the table we’d surrendered to the waif-like trio. Heads tipped back, they sat straight and stiff with their mouths open and their eyes completely white.

Banshees.

Chaos exploded around us. People started running in fear. Some stumbled, blood running from their ears. It felt like my eardrums were two seconds from doing the same.

Fenris picked me up and ran for the exit. The rest of the girls were right beside us. He cleared the door and kept going down the sidewalk to my car where he finally stopped.

People milled all around us. Their mouths moved but, with my hands over my ears, I heard nothing. Hesitantly, I removed them. I couldn’t hear the screaming anymore or anything else for that matter. All I heard was a persistent high-pitched ringing, and my ears ached fiercely—almost as much as my arm.

Fenris opened his mouth and shouted something.

Transfixed, I stared at the vein pulsing in his temple and the hard muscles twitching in his jaw. Angry Fenris was something extraordinary to behold. My gaze dropped to his lips as he opened his mouth again.

“Heal her now!”

I blinked at the faint echo of his voice as he shouted. Turning my head, I saw Adira standing a few feet away, her gaze flicking from him to me then back.

“It’s not her, Fenris.” Her words sounded like she was underwater.

Still, Adira quickly applied her hand to my arm. A stinging cold pierced my skin and made me hiss. The sound was less muffled, and other noises, like the rumble of engines, began to register before the pain went numb.

“Peel away the green,” Adira said, her words clearer. “She should be fine. She needs to feed, Fenris. If you have any influence with her at all, get her to feed. I need to get back inside. Go home.”

He looked down at me then. Something shifted in his expression when he caught me looking at him.

“Fenris, it’s not just them,” Willow said. “Listen.”

He lifted his gaze from mine. Each of the werewolves cocked their heads, their gazes becoming unfocused.

“She’s right,” Jenna said.

“What’s happening?” I asked.

Fenris’s grim gaze locked with mine.

“It sounds like every banshee in Uttira is singing death’s song.”

Turning my head, I searched for Adira, but she was already gone. A sick feeling settled into my stomach that had nothing to do with the mermaid’s scratch.

“What does it mean when they all sing at the same time?”

“It means it’s time to take you home.”

The phones around us started going off. I felt mine buzz in my pocket and asked Fenris to put me down. He shook his head and looked at Jenna and the other girls.

“Head straight home. No stops. I’ll drive Eliana to the Quills’ and catch a ride home with my dad. I have a feeling he’ll be there.”

Jenna nodded, looking a little pale, and hurried away with the other girls. Fenris turned toward my car. As soon as he had me in the seat, he surprised the heck out of me by grabbing the top of my sleeve and ripping it away with one quick tug.

“What are you doing?” I said with a scowl.

“Sorry. I want to peel this away before it thaws.”

I felt a tug at the back of my arm, and a moment later, he held up what looked like a green worm.

My eyes went wide, and I open-palm hit him in the face as I squealed and tried to get away.

Chuckling, he shuffled back a few steps. The space between us did nothing to quell my racing heart.

“It’s frozen mermaid slime,” he said, tossing it over his shoulder. “What did you think it was?”

“A worm. I think I’m shaking harder from that than when I’d wanted to kill Piepen.”

“Which time?”

“Haha.”

Fenris’s smile changed slightly, looking almost tender a second before he closed the door and moved around the hood to get into the driver’s seat. Setting a trembling hand over my stomach, I tried to take a few calming breaths before speaking again.

“I don’t know a lot of banshees. I thought they only sang death’s song when someone in their house was going to die.”

“House is a loose term for anyone in their immediate vicinity.”

“Is that why you thought it was me who was going to die?”

He glanced at me as he drove and gave a brief nod. I thought about the banshee facts I’d learned.

“What would cause all of them in Uttira to sing at the same time?”

“A lot of death,” Fenris said grimly.

My phone buzzed again, and I took it out of my pocket to read the texts.

Council: All residents should return to their homes and stay there. An update will be provided within the hour.

Mom: Where are you?

Instead of texting, I called her.

“Hey, Mom. I’m on my way home.”

“Good. Do you know what’s going on?”

“Not really. I was in the Roost with some friends, and three banshees started singing. We ran outside and heard more. Adira disappeared before we could find out why they were all singing at once.”

Mom was quiet for a minute.

“A banshee sings when there will be a death in their house,” she said softly.

“Yeah, I know. But that doesn’t explain—”

“Uttira is their house, baby. Get to the Quills’. That’s the safest place for you. Drive safe, okay?”

“I will.”

“Text me when you get there.”

I hung up and looked at Fenris.

“Did you hear all of that?”

“Yeah. Sounds like something big is going to happen.”

“You say that, yet you’re super calm?”

He flashed a small smile at me.

“A banshee’s song can be sung seconds or weeks before a death. There’s no telling when this big thing will happen or how many will be affected. Likely, the Council is trying to figure that out right now. Worrying about it won’t change the outcome.”

“Then, why send us all scurrying home?”

“Home is where most people feel safest. Plus, it keeps any additional outbreaks of trouble down while the Council tries to sort things out.”

A few minutes later, we pulled into the Quills’ long drive. Every window of the house was lit, and cars clogged the turnaround before the main entrance. Fenris navigated past the mess and pulled into my space in the garage.

As soon as I opened the kitchen door, I heard voices coming from the office above. Fenris followed me through the dining room and up the stairs. We lingered in the hallway, blatantly listening to the Council’s discussion in progress.

“We need to know where the other two are,” Mr. Quill said. “Is Grace in contact with Paxton?”

“Not yet. Irene is, but she’s as unlikely to speak with us as Megan,” Adira said.

I frowned, trying to understand why they were talking about the furies.

“It’s unlikely any of them are going to come here,” Mrs. Quill said. “Megan is staying away because Eliana asked her to, fearing her mother’s hunger.”

“But for how long? You know as well as I do that those songs could still be a herald for Megan’s return. We’re missing Ashlyn. We haven’t started on the silly library she insisted on. And we’re still requiring the humans to assist in training our young while we come up with an alternative way for them to learn how to hunt. When Megan returns, she will not be happy.”

Megan would be interested to know that while Adira had heard Megan’s demands, she wasn’t yet serious enough about them to take action.

“It might not be triggered by Megan at all. Or any fury,” Raiden said, speaking for the first time. “There are other creatures out there capable of causing widespread death. The druid, Zayn, was killing some of the most powerful creatures known to us. For what purpose? What if these songs are related to that?”

“The songs and those previous deaths could be any number of unrelated things,” Mr. Quill agreed. “We could try to evacuate to another Mantirum location, but that could be what ultimately causes the deaths the banshees have foretold.”

The room fell silent for a long moment.

“The only way to know for certain is to visit the Oracle,” Mrs. Quill said softly.

“You know how dangerous that is. She twists her answers. And even if she spoke plainly, her price will be high. Higher than we might be willing to pay to spare a few lives.”

I glanced at Fenris in shock.

“A few?” Raiden sounded angry. “It was every banshee here, Adira. It won’t be a few lives, and you know it.”

“I believe we should check with the other Councils before we make a rash decision to speak with the Oracle. She should be our last resort.”

I shivered lightly, thinking of how Megan had faced a creature that not even Adira wanted to face.

Fenris wrapped an arm around me and guided me away from the door.

“Whatever’s going on, they’re not going to figure it out tonight from the sound of things,” he said when we reached my room. “Get some rest.”

Sleep was the last thing I thought I’d find once I closed myself in my room. Yet, after a warm shower, my bed called to me. Shuffling forward, I checked my windows to make sure they were locked then crawled under my covers.

Tired of the hectic, long days I’d been having, I closed my eyes and thought of my peaceful forest. My stomach rumbled ravenously, hungry for cake. I drifted off with a smile.

I opened my eyes and languidly stretched, well-rested from the uninterrupted night filled with cake dream after cake dream. The dreams had been so vivid I could still taste the sweetened lemons and spices that lingered in my mouth.

Smiling, I sat up and almost screamed.

Piepen hovered in the air, inches from my face. His tiny, bloodshot eyes peered at me.

“Morning, princess.” His slurred words made him sound like a squeaky cowboy.

My first thought, to tell him to go away, flew from my mind when he hiccupped and lifted a light-green cup to his lips. I took in his fully-clothed state and sniffed the air, not detecting even a hint of skunk scent.

“Are you drunk?”

“Yep. That’s what expectant fathers do.”

I frowned at him, plucked him from the air, and sat him on my raised knees.

“I already told you. I’m not pregnant.”

He groaned. “Dewy’s going to kill me. I never mentioned the baby I made with you. How am I ever going to support two? She’s right. I’m going to need to sell my wings.”

“Whoa. Hold on just a minute. You are not selling your wings. There are no babies, Piepen.”

He snorted, wiped at his eyes, and took another drink.

“Shows what you know. Dewy took a test. The gnat died the minute she peed on it.”

I wrinkled my nose.

“What does peeing on a gnat have to do with anything?”

“It’s how a brownie knows she’s pregnant. Madeline is the one who told me about it after I told her and Marshal I was moving in with Dewy permanently.” He wiped at his eyes again and sniffled. “I’m going to have to marry her. She’s insisting on it with the baby on the way. I just came to look at you one more time.” He started sniffling in earnest. “Goodbye, my sweet love.”

He zipped toward the window, hit the pane above the opening with an audible smack, and fell to the sill.

“Gods, Piepen. Are you okay?”

He sat up and shook his head, then cupped himself between the legs.

“Yep. No damage.”

I rolled my eyes and got out of bed.

“What are you drinking?”

“Fermented poppy milk. The strongest I could find.” He sniffled and tipped his cup back. Only this time, there was no long gulp. He peered sadly at the empty container before throwing it out the window and sobbing uncontrollably.

“Don’t you want to marry Dewy?” I asked.

“After witnessing the nectar of your love petals, I thought having a woman would be more physical and less ‘stop-touching-me.’ I don’t want to spend the rest of my life being the only one to enjoy the pleasures of my flesh.”

I stared at him, trying not to make the grossed-out face I wanted to make and feeling a surge of pity for his Dewy. I could only imagine how much touching Piepen wanted to do after my short time with him.

“Brownies are very amorous creatures. Maybe Dewy isn’t the right one for you.”

“It’s too late for that now, Eliana. She’s pregnant. I’m not going to turn my back on her, no matter how much you beg me to stay.” He looked at me hopefully.

“I’m not suggesting you stay with me. I’m suggesting you find another girl. If Dewy is as uninterested in touching you as you say, she probably doesn’t want to marry you either.”

He perked up a little.

“Talk to her about it. Maybe I’m right. But no matter what you decide to do with your relationship, don’t sell your wings, Piepen. You’ll regret it every day of your life.”

He nodded and flitted into the air.

“You’re right. Without them, I’d never see you again.”

I opened my mouth to tell him he didn’t need to see me at all, even with his wings, but he flew out before I could make a sound.

Shaking my head, I went to check my phone. My steps slowed on my way to the closet as I scrolled through my texts.

Council: The Council expresses its gratitude to the banshees for warning the residents of Uttira of a potentially disastrous situation. The Council is vigilantly working with other Mantirum towns to prepare for whatever may lie ahead and asks all residents to resume their activities with caution and awareness of the banshee warning. Should any resident learn of any additional information they feel pertains to the warning, please notify the Council immediately. Thank you.

Eugene: Adira told us not to come in today. Is it because of the screaming last night? What’s going on?

Megan: Oanen’s mom is freaking out about some banshees singing. Call me when you get this.

Mom: The Council is clueless about what the banshees were warning us about. Don’t believe anything they send out. And use your ears. I don’t trust them.

Fenris: I’ll be there early for a full report on last night’s cake flavors.

My gaze lingered on that last message and the subtle reminder of the upcoming spell removal. Everyone was worried about the banshees and the Council’s reactions, and Fenris was focused on what I dreamt about? That wolf had a weird obsession with my cake dreams.

There was a knock on my door before I could respond to any of the messages. Adira let herself in without any response from me.

“Good. You’re awake. How is your arm?”

I reached back to gingerly feel the cut. The care wasn’t necessary though. Not a trace of the cut remained. Turning, I showed her the back of my arm.

“You fed?” she asked, surprise lacing her expression and tone.

“Given what’s going on, does it really matter? Eugene texted me that you’re not allowing the humans to go to school.”

“They’re safer in their homes, which are heavily warded. And of course, it matters if you’ve fed. I’d like you to join us for dinner tonight. There are people I would like you to meet.”

I stared at her for a moment.

“That didn’t work well last time.”

“Your mother said it didn’t work well because you weren’t warned. Now you are. Dinner is at seven. Don’t be late.”

Adira swept out of the room as abruptly as she’d entered.