The Hunt

“My mom’s a drag queen.”

The squirrel’s random statement cut through the fog of pleasure clouding my mind, and I paused just before shoving another piece of cake into my mouth. The squirrel ran down a branch then stopped in front of me so that we stood nose to nose.

“She’s beautiful, but not as beautiful as you.” Its tiny paw reached out to touch my cheek, and as I watched, its fur flickered from tan to black and white.

I took a hasty step back and shoved the cake in my mouth, eating frantically even as I tried to wake up. While still in that fuzzy place between awake and asleep, I managed to sit up. Dream and reality blurred for a moment, and I didn’t immediately recognize my bed. The familiar taste of lemon cake lingered on my tongue as I looked around for what had ripped me from my favorite place.

On my pillow, a small female brownie gawked up at me. Our gazes met. Her eyes rounded further, and she launched into the air from her cross-legged position. Despite her speedy effort, I caught her around the waist before she could escape out the partially opened window.

“Who are you, and why are you here?” I demanded.

She let out a terrified little squeak.

“My name’s Merrifolds. Piepen said you were nice.” Her wings fluttered nervously as her eyes brimmed with tears. “Are you going to tear off my wings and eat them?”

“If I’m going to tear off anyone’s wings, it’s going to be Piepen’s. I’ve been more than patient with him. Why did he send you here?”

“He didn’t. My sister did.”

“Why?”

“Dewy wanted to know who her competition was.” Merrifolds gave me a sad look. “She knows she has no chance of keeping him if you want him, too.”

I wanted to groan. “Why me?”

“You’re beautiful.” Merrifolds’s little face turned wistful. “Even my mom isn’t as pretty as you.”

“So you mentioned while I was peacefully sleeping. How old are you?”

“Almost thirteen. I can’t wait until I’m sixteen like Dewy. All the boys want to be with her.”

This time I did groan and set the little brownie back on my pillow.

“Listen, Merri. Boys aren’t the be-all and end-all in life. There’s so much more out there.”

Her gaze filled with doubt, she looked up at me.

“Like what?”

I got out of bed carefully so I wouldn’t knock her over and went for one of my favorite books. It was an old one about travel that had amazing pictures. I paged through it and showed her how much of the world was out there, waiting for her to discover it. Wonder lit her tiny face before she grew notably sad.

“You’re big enough to do all of that. If I tried, I’d lose my wings.”

As I looked at her, I realized how much the little brownie was like me. If she stayed in the marshes, she’d lose her freedom because she’d get pregnant as soon as her hormones kicked in. If she left, she’d lose the freedom of her wings. Either way, she was going to lose something. It was up to her to decide which loss would hurt less.

“If I ever get my mark, I’ll take you with me to one of these places.”

“Really?”

I nodded and smiled when she launched herself into the air and did several excited loop the loops.

“This is the best day of my life. No one’s ever been this nice to me.”

She zoomed up close to my face.

“This isn’t just a trick to get my wings, is it?”

“No. I understand what limited options feel like. And if I’m in a position to help yours feel less limited, why wouldn’t I?”

She squealed and bounced in the air.

“Could I ask a favor, though? Several, actually.”

Merri grew serious.

“I sent Piepen to the marshes because I wanted to help him move on. I told him I’m not interested in a relationship with him, but he won’t listen. Can you let your sister know that I’m not competing for his affection?”

Merri exhaled, and her shoulders sagged in visible relief.

“I thought you were going to ask for my wings.”

Annoyed for a brief moment, I frowned at the girl.

“I know you said you don’t want them, but my mom and dad told me a lot of creatures would say that to try to trick me. Dewy warned me, too, just before she sent me off.”

“If she’s so worried about your wings, she shouldn’t have sent you at all. Which brings me to my second favor. Promise me you won’t come back. I’ll visit the marshes and call your name if I’m ever able to keep my promise.” She nodded quickly. “The final favor is to tell your people to stop visiting me. I’m dangerous at night, and I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

Her eyes grew large.

“I’ll tell them. Thank you for not hurting me.”

“You’re welcome.”

With a wave, she zipped out the open window into dawn’s early light. I frowned and hurriedly closed and locked the annoying casement. While I didn’t mind Merri’s visit, I did not want another repeat of Piepen’s.

The moment I had that thought, it dawned on me that my mouth didn’t taste like skunk anymore. I laughed and twirled around the room. All I’d needed was a good night’s sleep. My mom had been wrong, and Fenris had been right. Things did look much better this morning.

In a good mood, I picked out what I wanted to wear, tossed the clothes on the bed, then broke the hanger and shoved the length of plastic between the sash and the jamb of the troublesome window. When I tried to lift the sash, it didn’t budge. Hopefully, that would be the end of my night time visits.

It didn’t take me long to get ready and jog down the stairs. I passed through the blissfully empty dining room and entered the kitchen. Mrs. Quill sat at the island with a cup of coffee and a large grocery bag in front of her.

“Good morning, Eliana.”

“Morning.”

“Can I speak with you for a minute?”

I wanted to keep walking, but respect for the woman who’d given me shelter for so many years won out.

“Sure.”

“I understand why you didn’t tell me the truth yesterday, and I’m sorry for the distance I’ve caused between us. I know what’s been done can’t be undone, but I want you to know I love you. Unconditionally and completely. And I will always be here for you.”

I took pity on the hurt in her eyes and hugged her. She wrapped her arms around me and pressed her lips to my temple.

“Forgive me, my darling. I’ve made such a mess.”

“I hear that happens with some mothers and daughters.” She sniffled ominously, and I quickly changed the subject. “Have you heard from Oanen lately?”

She released me with a smile.

“I have. Megan’s curious about the gods, so they went to Cyprus to explore Aphrodite’s history.”

“Wow. That’s incredible.” I thought of my travel book with longing. Cyprus had been one of the dog-eared pages.

“It is.” Mrs. Quill studied me for a moment, and I could see she was weighing her next words. “Is there a reason you told Oanen and Megan to stay away?”

“Oanen has a big mouth.”

“He’s worried. We all are.”

“You should be. Ashlyn’s missing, and whoever caused it is going to get a one-way ticket to hell once Megan gets here. Since she holds the Council responsible, I wanted to give you all a chance to find Ashlyn. Not that anyone seems to care. Instead of focusing on Ashlyn, Adira’s hellbent on making me wish I was the one who disappeared.”

Mrs. Quill’s expression turned to pity.

“Raiden and members of his pack, who he trusts implicitly to protect Ashlyn should they find her, have been searching night and day. Lander is hunting by air as well. And, Adira’s put out the word that we want to hire a druid for a location spell. We won’t stop until we discover what happened to her. No matter how it might look, we do care.”

She stood and slid the bag toward me.

“Let me know when you need more chocolate. I’ll get it for you, no questions asked.”

She gave me a tender smile and left the kitchen. I stared after her. At least I knew they were doing something. But I could see in Mrs. Quill’s eyes that even she knew their methods were unlikely to find anything. It only affirmed my decision to meet with the druid later today.

Before leaving the kitchen, I opened the bag Mrs. Quill had given me and inhaled the scent of chocolate. It smelled heavenly but didn’t make my mouth water. Had it been filled with lemon cake, I would have dived in headfirst. As it was, I stashed the bag in one of the cupboards and headed out the door.

I sent a quick text to my mom to let her know that I was on my way then followed her directions to an older house on the northern outskirts of town. The bungalow style home had crisp, white trim that contrasted its dusky blue siding. Even with snow covering the majority of the yard, I could see signs of neat landscaping.

Dad opened the door and watched as I parked. The moment I stepped out of the car, he called to me.

“I hope you’re hungry for waffles, baby girl.”

“I am if you’re making them.”

He ushered me inside, took my jacket, and wrapped me in a strong hug. When he pulled back, I noticed the dark circles under his eyes were less pronounced.

“Did you sleep well last night?” I asked.

“Like a rock. I’m so glad your mother brought me here. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

I looked around the house. From the entry, I could see the living room, and farther back, the dining room then kitchen. The cozy decorations made it feel lived in. As did the smells of chocolate and vanilla. I inhaled appreciatively.

“It is a nice house,” I agreed.

I followed him toward the dining room, which flowed into the kitchen. My mom, dressed in a gossamer evening gown that was barely decent, rose from her spot at the table and opened her arms for me.

“I’m so glad you could make it, baby.” She hugged me, her hand stroking over my hair. “Is the taste gone?”

I pulled back and nodded with a smile.

“The taste is gone, but not the problem.”

She gave a curious frown.

“Tell me about it.” She motioned for me to take the seat beside her, and I glanced at Dad, who was already happily moving around the kitchen.

“Another brownie was in my room this morning. The little sister of Piepen’s very jealous girlfriend. I feel like I’m on some bad daytime drama show, and I just want it to stop.”

“Did you feed off of this one?”

“Gods, no.”

“Eliana. You know better. It’s God with a capital G,” Dad said from the kitchen.

“Jason, censoring what she says doesn’t change her thoughts, only the words she’s willing to speak in front of you. Is that what you want?”

Dad gave Mom a sheepish, yet completely devoted, look.

“No. You’re right.” He returned to the food he was removing from the oven. I watched him for a moment, my heart heavy.

“I’m glad this one wasn’t as persistent,” Mom said, patting my hand. “In time, Piepen will forget about you.”

“I sincerely hope so.”

Dad carried two plates to us and set them down with a flourish.

“For my beautiful ladies.”

I glanced at the chocolate and whipped cream loaded waffle and gave Dad an appreciative smile.

“It looks amazing.”

He hurried to get his plate, and Mom picked up her fork, trailing it through the cream and chocolate.

“This is divine, Jason. Thank you for cooking for us.”

“Your pleasure is my pleasure.”

I fought not to react. It wasn’t easy when bile was riding the elevator up my throat.

“Adira told me you went to the Roost last night. Did you enjoy yourself?” Mom asked.

“Not really.”

“I don’t blame you. That place is atrocious.”

Given what I’d seen on the walls, I couldn’t disagree.

“The environment didn’t ruin it for me as much as knowing that Adira has Yem watching me now.”

“Who’s Yem?” Dad asked.

I knew that suspicious tone.

“It’s the adult who supervises the youth at the club we go to after school. Not a boy.”

“Oh. Okay. That’s good.”

Mom noted the pity on my face and reached out to give my hand a squeeze.

“Your father loves you and worries about you like we all do. His understanding is just limited by his beliefs. There’s nothing wrong with him.”

“Of course there’s not,” he agreed. “Your mother and I might believe different things, but our love for you and each other is unwavering.”

I tugged my hand from under Mom’s and took a bite of waffle.

“Because of Adira’s monitoring, I feel like a bug trapped in a jar,” I said after I swallowed, intent on returning to the original subject. “It’s suffocating me.”

Mom made a sympathetic noise.

“Maybe my news will cheer you up.” She waited until I looked at her. “I’m building a better place for us. Something far classier than Uttira deserves. Would you like to see it?”

I stared at her for a moment in complete shock.

“You’re building something in Uttira?” I set my fork aside, no longer able to pretend. “How long are you staying, Mom? How long are you going to keep doing this?” I flicked a glance at Dad. “You said if I did what you wanted, that you’d leave.”

Mom sighed.

“I did leave. But, I have no intention of raising another child outside of Uttira. Your father is willing to stay here and help me raise this one. Together.”

I was so angry I had to look down at the table to keep my father from seeing how my eyes flickered to black.

“I expected lies from everyone else, but not from you, Mom.”

I stood to leave and jumped when a set of strong arms wrapped around me. My dad cradled my head to his chest as he shook.

“I did this to you,” he said softly. “I lost myself after your mother went away and left you to care for yourself. You’re not alone now. We’re both here for you.” He leaned close so his mouth was next to my ear. “Please don’t send me away.”

Hearing those words, I silently raged at the world. At my place in it and at my inability to untangle this web around me. In my heart, I wanted to save my father, but in my head, I knew he was already far past saving. If I insisted Mom send him back to the human world, even with a mind wipe, he would waste away. Yet, if he stayed here, he would never be more than my mom’s slave, no matter how much she tried to tell me otherwise.

In reality, my father had lost himself a long time ago.

Circling my arms around his waist, I hugged him in return.

“I love you, Dad. Mom won’t send you away again. She’ll keep you like you want.”

A shudder ran through him, and I silently cried for the man he’d once been.

“Jason, darling, will you clean up for me while Eliana and I go to the worksite. When I come home, we can watch one of those movies you like.”

He released me immediately and went to Mom, offering his hand to help her stand.

“I would like to go with you.” There was no mistaking the desperate plea in his tone.

She smiled lovingly at him and kissed him gently on the mouth.

I turned away from the pair, wiped my tears, and went to collect my jacket. Behind me, I was surprised to hear Mom agree to wait for him. While he hurried to clean up our mostly uneaten breakfasts, she joined me by the door.

Some of my doubt must have shown on my face.

“I know it’s hard for you to believe, but I do want him to be happy.”

“Why? He tastes better that way?” The bitterness in my tone surprised me and hurt her.

“No, because he gave me you,” she said quietly.

I swallowed hard and watched Dad.

“If you ever leave him again, he’ll forget how to live and will die within days.”

“I promise to take care of him, Eliana.”

“Take care of him? He didn’t even finish his breakfast.”

“Neither did I, so he’ll insist on making us something when we return. I won’t allow him to starve.”

I shook my head, knowing that I was fighting a losing battle. Mom would try to take care of him for me, but I knew it would only last until her hunger distracted her.

Dad finished wiping down the table and hurried toward us. As he took Mom’s long coat from the closet, doubt crept into his gaze.

“Would you like to change first?” he asked her.

Mom smiled at him and ran a finger along his jaw. He shivered and briefly closed his eyes.

“You have exquisite taste, Jason. I’m going to proudly wear this dress all day and tell everyone my husband picked it out for me.”

His gaze was hungry when he opened his eyes again to help Mom into her jacket. He was positively ecstatic to be going along with us. He drove the very nice car that I knew wasn’t his, while Mom explained a little about her new business venture.

“Uttira doesn’t have any lucrative middle ground for its residents to interact with non-residents. So I proposed a solution. The night club is on the very edge of Uttira’s boundary. With my influence and connections, patrons from outside the boundary will seek admittance to the club. They’ll crowd the parking lot and wait all night just for a chance to enter. It will be adult-only, of course, with a few exceptions. I’m excited for you to see it.”

My stomach churned with what this would mean for all those unsuspecting humans. And me. Because I held no illusions regarding who the underage exception would be.

The large building came into view a moment before I spotted the telltale shimmer in the road ahead. My skin prickled as we neared the old wood mill and Uttira’s boundary. Hopefully, I wouldn’t get close enough to trigger the ward. After finally getting rid of Piepen’s taste, I did not want to smell burnt hair for a day.

A flash of movement caught my eye through the thin trees beside the road. The fast-flowing water licked at the steep, icy banks and rushed toward the building to wash over the decrepit waterwheel that no longer turned. That one of Lake Uttira’s deeper tributaries hugged the south side of the old building meant convenient access for any water-dwelling creatures who wanted to check out Mom’s club. Not that it was much of a club yet.

Other than the new windows and the refreshed gravel parking lot that wrapped around three sides of the weathered building, the place looked rundown.

Dad pulled up to a door marked “Uttira resident entrance” on the west side of the building, and Mom looked back at me with a smile.

“Are you ready?”

Dad hurried around the car to open the door for her before I could answer. She accepted his hand and rose to kiss him lightly on the lips.

“We’ll be out in a few minutes, my darling.”

“I’ll keep the car warm for you.”

I let myself out and moved away from them, unable to see his devotion as anything more than the subservience it was. Bitterness curdled my insides until I felt sick with it. Adira and my mom were insane if they thought I would ever willingly do that to another person.

“It’s not impressive now, but it will be,” Mom said from beside me.

“This is the main entrance for our kind,” she continued. “Humans will not be able to enter or leave this building by any means other than the east door. Likewise, those without a mark can only enter through the west door. What do you think?”

I studied the weathered exterior with a doubtful eye.

“I don’t see any reason a human would willingly walk into this place.”

“Not yet, but they will soon. Because of the restrictions, I have the humans working on the inside and hired a few goblins to work on the outside at night. This place is going to be transformed into what I envision in just a short time. People will come in droves, baby, and not just humans. You will finally have worthy feeding grounds.”

“And so will every other creature. Do you really think separate entrances will keep the humans safe? What’s to stop one of our kind from leaving through this door and just walking around the building to hunt at the human entrance?”

Mom smiled. “Adira thought the same. With the help of a few mystic druids, there are now layers of warding. The humans are protected inside, can only leave by their entrance, and there’s a dead zone on the other side of the barrier where none of our kind can enter. It was a bit cost-prohibitive, but I know how important safety is to you.”

I swallowed my anger and said nothing about how the Council was willing to hire a stronger druid for this but not for one lost human girl.

“Let’s go inside,” Mom said.

Stepping through the door was like stepping into another world. My ears popped slightly, and I was immediately assailed by the chaotic sounds of saws and nail guns as well as music.

“A spell also mutes the sound, which will help keep what we do here private.” She shed her jacket and tossed it onto a chair beside the door. “That’s where our security will sit to ensure only approved patrons enter. I’m interviewing candidates later this week.”

As she spoke, I slowly took in the space. The building was huge, but mostly open, on the lower level. The spaces near the entrance where we stood were being walled off, creating a hallway. Above, thick wooden logs supported the exposed beams of the second floor. Dust fell from between the boards as the workers moved around up there. Stairs to the left ran along a stretch of windowless wall.

“The second floor will be restricted, VIP access only.”

“What will be up there?” I asked, already seeing the bar being built by several men on the other side of the building.

“Rooms, baby. Rooms that will fit every requirement. Including a special room that will be warded against intrusion of the frost giant variety. And my office, of course.”

I turned away from the stairs and noted the four workers setting aside their tools and removing their shirts. They watched Mom with hungry eyes even though she hadn’t yet glanced their way. This scene wasn’t new to me. I’d witnessed it many times during my stay with her in New York.

“Do you replace the workers daily?” I asked, averting my gaze from the approaching men.

“Only the ones I feed from.” She smiled at me. “I coordinate with the project manager regarding when I plan to stop by. He ensures the majority of the workers are upstairs during those times. These men will be reassigned to another job tomorrow.”

Mom made a throaty noise as the first man reached her. She ran her hand over his bare chest, and I was eternally grateful that he’d kept the rest of his clothes in place.

“Are you hungry, baby?”

“Not really.”

“Not even a taste?”

“No, thank you.”

There was a moment of silence, and one of the men groaned. From the corner of my eye, I saw Mom kissing him. Just kissing. Yet, I could feel his sexual energy and knew she was feeding well.

I wandered away from them, knowing I couldn’t be too obvious with how much the display upset me. Instead, I focused on the way my breath fogged with each exhale and tried not to shiver. When I neared the east wall, the tingle of current running over my skin intensified.

“Is this wall outside of the boundary?” I asked.

“It’s exactly on the boundary,” Mom said after a moment. “If you touch it, you’ll feel the energy, but nothing will happen. I wouldn’t recommend trying to step out the door, though.” A husky chuckle echoed in the space, and the men by Mom groaned collectively.

“I’m a little chilly in here,” I said, unable to take anymore. “I think I’ll go wait outside with Dad.”

With flushed cheeks, I hurried past the man-wall surrounding Mom and let myself out.

Dad smiled at me from the car. Beside it, Adira waited. Seeing her almost made me want to go back inside. Almost.

“What do you think of the Man-beef Buffet?” Adira asked when I drew close.

“The what?”

“Your new feeding grounds. Nicolette’s putting a lot of effort into it to make it the perfect place for you.”

“She needs to put more effort into the name, or the only humans she’s going to get are the female variety.” I delivered the words with tone and an eye-roll, hoping it would be enough to mask my panic. I didn’t care about the name or Mom’s intent; I cared that Adira was speaking openly in front of my dad. Based on his worried expression, he was hearing every word.

Adira’s gaze shifted from my still flushed face to the building.

“Why aren’t you with your mother?”

“It’s cold in there, and I’d rather wait with my dad in the warm car. Why are you here? Did I set off the warding by getting too close to the wall?”

“Not at all.”

Her gaze swept over me again, taking in every detail.

“You’re cold, yet you’re flushed. Are you embarrassed, Eliana?”

The door opened behind me, saving me from having to answer.

“Adira,” Mom said. “To what do we owe this pleasure?”

“I wanted to check on the progress. Are the workers sufficient?”

“They are. You could have called to ask that. Unless there’s a reason you wanted to be physically present for this inspection.”

I didn’t miss the sultry tones in Mom’s words or Adira’s cold smile as she replied.

“I’d hoped to catch Eliana’s reaction to it.”

“Eliana,” Mom said softly. “Go sit with your father, please. He looks anxious.”

I hurried to the front passenger door and got in.

“Your mother sure doesn’t like that woman,” Dad said softly, watching the pair.

I looked at Mom, noted her black irises, and wondered what Dad was telling himself about that.

“You would think the head of the Department of Health would have better things to do with her time,” he muttered.

Mom didn’t lie to Dad. She might avoid talking about things in front of him because she didn’t want to deal with his reactions, but she didn’t lie. Not to him. She didn’t need to when he was so good at lying to himself.

“You know that’s not what she is, Dad. She’s the woman who brought you here. With magic.”

Dad paled and tore his gaze from the quietly speaking pair. A flicker of clarity showed in his eyes as he looked at me.

“They’re tracking you, Eliana, just like they’re tracking your mother. Trust no one.”