Chapter 9

Koda wanted to curse.He'd been so caught up in his research, while also trying to spot who might be a mole, he never noticed when Marissa left Abe's office. He assumed she'd remained in the building. Wrong. The woman had taken off to go who knew where, by herself, he might add, without a word to him.

He'd only realized she had a phone when, in his search for her at the precinct, he discovered she'd been to requisition and assigned a new cell.

So he'd called and she'd answered with the gall to warn him to be careful. He wasn't the one who'd hared off on his own, ignoring their plan. The urge to yell filled him. He wanted to shake her for being so foolish. Then kiss her for scaring him.

Yes, kiss. He'd not been able to stop thinking of her. Imagining her naked body. The press of her lips against his.

She'd tried to seduce him, and he'd blown her off. Why, exactly? Fear for starters. He feared what sex between them might mean. He'd never been one to believe in the whole love at first sight, or when it came to those who shifted skin, the mating instinct, yet no denying something about her drew him like no other.

Then there was the distraction factor. If they got involved, he might pay more attention to her than the mission, which, admittedly, had already occurred. She consumed his thoughts and made him rash.

Look at him, exiting the precinct without a care, not even checking for a shadow. He found the car keys where she'd mentioned and soon hit the road, juggling his phone as he attempted to map where he had to go.

As he headed in her direction, his phone rang. Marissa called. Probably to ask him to bring food.

"What's up?"

"They found us."

No need to ask which they.

His blood turned cold as he replied, "Can you hold off long enough for me to get there?"

"I don't know. I'm not even sure what we're facing. Lenora keeps repeating evil is coming."

"Get to the second floor and barricade yourself in a room. I'll be there as fast as I can."

"I think I'm going to have to fight. I hear glass breaking in the front."

In the background, Lenora screeched, "How dare you invade my house!"

He floored the gas pedal. "I'm still at least ten minutes away."

"I don't think they're going to wait for you to arrive. I gotta go." She hung up before he could—

Could what? Yell at her to keep him on the line? She had to fight, not reassure him. Right now, the only thing he could do? Get there faster.

As if to mock his urgency, a loud pop preceded a tire blowing out. The car wobbled and swerved before he braked to a stop. He exited to glare at the offending rubber with its giant hole.

"Unfucking real," he muttered. He didn't have time to change the tire. Nor would he make it fast enough on foot. Not two feet at any rate.

Time to flip into an animal shape. Unlike werewolves, he didn't have to strip, nor did he lose the things he wore. As a skinwalker, his magic transformed him as he was, preserving his clothing and anything else he carried. In this case, a snowy white owl with mighty wings, one of his favorite shapes. He lifted into the air, flapping hard to get above the buildings, and then made a beeline for Lenora's house. He didn't need a GPS or directions. Instinct guided him, and air currents caught his extended wings. What would have been ten minutes by car took a mere fraction of the time.

And even then, he arrived seemingly too late.

Smoke billowed from the house. Purple flames jetted from blown-out windows. He coasted downward, not into the front yard but the back where he could see movement, namely a pair of big black dogs dragging a limp Marissa from the house.

With a scree of challenge, he dove, ready to claw out the eyes of the dogs, only to pull up short as an agitated Lenora slung herself in front of him.

The banshee weaved back and forth, wailing. "My home. My babies. My home. My memories. My home." The shrill tone of her lament grated but could be tolerated. The dogs standing guard on either side of Marissa, though? That he needed to handle.

It reassured to see they weren't trying to eat her; however, given they were strangers, he didn't trust. He landed and flipped to his human skin, fully dressed and very annoyed.

"Move away from the woman," he commanded.

The dog on the left cocked its head and lolled its tongue.

"Don't make me hurt you," he threatened. The owl was only one of the animals he could call.

The canine on the right yipped and, he'd have sworn, smirked.

Lenora dipped low enough to show him her crazed eyes as she clasped her hands, moaning, "I've lost everything."

He had no reply to that because she actually had. First her family and then her only link to them. With no home, where would a sad banshee live?

"What's wrong with Marissa?" He used the question to try and snap Lenora out of her shock.

"Gas. They gassed the house and knocked her out. But it didn't work on me! The coward, though, didn't come inside. Oh no. The evil one stayed out there, weaving wicked magic. Lighting a fire to flush us out."

"What's with the dogs?" Koda asked.

"I don't know. They smashed through the kitchen door and dragged Marissa outside before the flames could consume her flesh."

"Where is the attacker?" Because he'd not seen anyone else on his descent.

"Gone. The coward didn't stay to face me." Lenora grimaced. "A pity. I would have made the evil one's ears bleed with the things I had to say."

"Keep an eye out for more trouble while I check on Marissa." He approached her prone body slowly. Even so, the dogs growled at him. Not in the mood, he growled right back. "Move out of the way, furballs. I'm trying to help her."

To his surprise, they shifted away from her and kept a wary watch. He'd already figured out they acted as friend, not foe. Still, Koda remained cautious as he knelt by Marissa's unconscious body, concerned by her slow-rising chest and shallow breaths. Alive, but the gas Lenora mentioned had knocked her out. For how long? No idea. She appeared unharmed, at least. Still, he couldn't have her asleep, not when danger might still lurk.

Despite how it looked, he knew of only one way to wake her. He dipped his head and pressed his mouth to hers, murmuring a chant he'd learned at a shaman's knee, one to share vitality.

As his strength siphoned into her, her breathing deepened, her lips softened and parted against his. A tiny moan escaped as she turned his embrace to revive into one to excite. He leaned away, the shock of it enough that she gasped and sat bolt upright, eyes wide and yet unseeing.

"Marissa." He crooned her named softly.

Her head pivoted. "Koda?" Her brow creased. "What happened? Why do I smell smoke?" As she asked, her head tilted and she gaped at the raging inferno.

"Lenora's fine," he stated before being asked.

"No, I'm not," wailed the banshee. "It's all gone. I have nothing. NOTH-INGGGG!"

The treble in those last syllables caused him to grunt and clasp his hands over his ears. Marissa also winced.

"Help me up." She held out her hand to him, and he hauled her to her feet. Only when she wobbled upright did she notice the dogs. "Where did they come from?"

"No idea, but they saved your life," his begrudging reply, barely heard over the banshee's caterwauling.

"We have to do something about Lenora," Marissa grimly stated.

"Like what? Because usually there's only one real option for a banshee who's lost control."

"I'm aware," she grumbled.

"What usually calms her?"

"The last time she got agitated I managed to play some rewind memories of her children chasing each other in the house and baking cookies with her. They left an imprint in the rooms that I could tap."

Given the billowing black smoke spewing from the house, that didn't seem like an option.

A glance at the yard gave Koda an idea. "What about reviving those past moments out here?"

Her lips pursed. "I told you before, it works best within walls."

"It's worth a shot."

"I don't even know if they were out here much."

"They were kids. Kids play outside." Especially forty years ago.

"I guess it doesn't hurt to try."

She wavered on her feet, and he steadied her. "Maybe we should wait. You're still shaking off the effects of the gas."

"I have to do something. Lenora's about to snap."

Indeed, her chanting had changed to, "Took my babies. Kill them. Burned my babies. Kill them."

"How can I help?"

"How about another kiss?" Her lips quirked.

"Um."

She chuckled. "How about later, then. First, let's see if we can't calm Lenora down." Marissa held out her hands and closed her eyes. She murmured, "There is something here. But it's faint." Her expression creased as she strained, and he moved behind her to offer support.

To his surprise, the big dogs tucked in other either side, and she dug her fingers into their fur, exhaling as she did. "They're feeding me magic," she exclaimed, sounding stronger.

Before he could ask her to explain what she meant, the yard shifted. The tree that loomed had a much shorter ghostly version. The bushes flowered. A pair of children, a girl and a boy, ran with a net, chasing a butterfly.

"My babies." The whisper brought Lenora to drift close to the reenactment. A single tear tracked down her cheek.

"Mama, Mama, come and play with us," chirped the little girl with bobbing pigtails.

"I want to, baby girl." Lenora reached out, the longing in her clear.

Marissa stiffened before muttering, "Something's happening."

"What do you mean?" he replied.

"My magic…" She grunted.

"Shut it off."

"I can't," she gasped.

The boy's ghostly figure stared straight at Lenora. "We miss you, Mama."

"I miss you too," Lenora cried as big fat tears rolled down her cheeks.

"It's time," the girl stated.

"I want to go," Lenora wailed. "But I'm afraid. What if I can't find you?"

"We'll guide you, Mama." The little girl and boy walked to Lenora and reached out their hands. Lenora gripped them both tight. It should have been impossible.

For one, it was supposed to be a memory, which shouldn't have been interactive. Two, ghosts had no substance. Given that, plus Marissa's trembling and the cold oozing from her frame, he had a feeling strong magic worked through her.

"Come, Mama." The children urged Lenora to walk with them.

"Where are we going?" she asked, following without hesitation.

"To be a family. Papa is waiting." As the boy spoke, a bright fissure appeared, a doorway made of light and in it, the silhouette of a man.

"Bernard." Lenora exhaled a name, and the children giggled.

The girl lisped, "Mama's gonna kiss him again."

"Ew!" exclaimed the boy.

Indeed, once Lenora reached the door, the man took her into his arms and held her tight as he gave her a long lingering embrace.

"Quick, Mama. We have to get inside before the door closes." The girl and boy tugged at her, but Lenora needed no urging. With her ghost husband's arm around her waist, she walked into the light.

Once it blinked out, Marissa collapsed into Koda's arms.