Chapter 11

We walkedfor the rest of the night.

My wolf eventually returned to her normal size, though she kept a wary eye on our surroundings. Few vehicles passed us. We hid in the trees or wherever else we could find cover to stay unseen. Daylight would make hiding far more difficult. There would be more traffic, and the closer we got to the city, the less cover we'd have. At that point, I'd have to have a serious talk with her and try to get her to return to my body—or force her to return, if that was even possible.

Not long after sunrise, my energy flagged after walking ten or twelve miles. My wolf trotted along at the same brisk pace. Malcolm strolled beside me with annoying ease. I trudged up a steep hill, breathing hard and cursing under my breath at the pain in my wounded shoulder and leg and sore knee. I'd already taken off my leather jacket and stuffed it in my backpack, but I was sweating.

Malcolm frowned. "Doesn't it seem like there's way less traffic than you'd expect?"

"I was thinking the same thing." I grimaced and adjusted my heavy pack. "All we've seen is a couple of big trucks and jeeps and that one military vehicle. Not that I remember this road ever being super busy, since there's not much out here but Northbourne and other big estates, but it's past dawn on a weekday morning and it's eerily quiet."

"I'm going to start calling this place the Eerie World. Seems less broken than just freaky. It's almost…" He paused, searching for the right word.

"Post-apocalyptic?" I suggested. "Since the boundaries between realms fractured, it kinda is post-apocalyptic, minus the marauders in metal spike-covered trucks and dune buggies fighting over water and gasoline."

"I don't like the quiet. Quiet makes me nervous."

"Well, what would you like? Because I definitely don't want—"

A huge winged creature the color of coal blasted into view from the other side of the hill. Stupefied, I stopped in my tracks and stared as it swooped over us. The downdraft of air from its wings nearly knocked me over.

"Holy shit, it's a dragon!" Malcolm yelled. "Alice, it's a—"

"I see it!" I ran for the trees, where my wolf had already disappeared.

A large military jeep with its windows down flew over the hill in pursuit of the dragon, moving so fast all four wheels left the ground. The dark-haired woman in the driver's seat whooped as the vehicle's tires hit the asphalt.

Just short of the tree line, I tripped and went sprawling, hitting my chin on a rock. Ow. I scrambled the last ten feet into the trees, dragging my pack behind me.

Meanwhile, the jeep screeched to a halt in the middle of the road. The dragon wheeled around and spewed a stream of fire directly at the vehicle. I ducked for cover behind the large trunk of a fallen tree.

As the fire swept over her vehicle, the soldier activated some kind of sonic weapon. The shockwave made my ears and jaw ache.

Stunned, the dragon hovered in mid-air, seemingly too disoriented to either attack or flee.

BOOM!The small cannon mounted on top of the jeep fired at the dragon and hit it dead-on. Dark blood and liquid fire poured from a large wound in its throat.

The dragon's high-pitched screech was so piercing I thought my eardrums might burst. I clapped my hands over my ears but that did little to muffle the cry. Desperate to escape the painful sound, I crammed myself as far under the tree trunk as I could and wrapped my arms around my head.

Finally, the dragon's scream faded as it flew away, its enormous wings flapping like boat sails.

Malcolm shook my shoulder. "You all right?"

I raised my head. "Is it gone?"

"Yeah, it's gone."

I sat up and leaned against the tree, wiping my face with my dirty sleeve. Now, on top of all my other aches and pains, my ears hurt too.

Malcolm flitted. "Holy crap, Alice—a real live dragon! Liam is never going to believe it."

Tires crunched in the gravel of the shoulder as the jeep pulled into the grass near the tree line. A heavy door slammed and footsteps approached.

"Hey, you okay in there?" a woman called. "It's safe to come out. Dragon's gone."

She'd obviously seen me, so there was no point trying to hide. That would just make her more curious.

"Damn it," I muttered and got to my feet. "Stay here," I told Malcolm in an undertone. "I'll show her I'm fine and hopefully she'll just leave."

"If she gives you trouble, I'll hit her with a sleep spell and we can skedaddle," Malcolm said.

"No you won't," the woman said, her voice amused. She put her hands on her hips. "Come out, both of you, and let's talk."

Malcolm's mouth fell open.

"We're coming out," I called. Backpack in hand, I made my way out of the trees. Malcolm followed. I didn't look around for my wolf, but she was probably nearby, hiding and watching.

The young female soldier wore a black T-shirt and BDU pants with boots, her long black hair in a ponytail. Her only visible weapon was a handgun in a thigh holster. I saw no insignias that might explain which branch of the military she represented or what her name was.

Her sharp green-eyed gaze raked me from head to foot as I emerged from the trees. "You look like hell." She unzipped one of the pockets in her pants and took out a little first-aid packet. She tossed it to me. "You busted your chin when you fell."

"Thanks." I set my pack on the ground and tore open the packet. As I wiped my bloody chin with an antiseptic wipe, I glanced up. Sure enough, no sign of the dragon.

She followed my gaze. "Yep, she's going to be out of commission for a while. Should be a lot safer around here for at least a month or two. I got her good." She grinned. "I'm two for two this year, both of them on my own. Personal record."

"That's impressive." I stuffed the soiled wipe in my pocket and pressed a folded-up piece of gauze to my chin. "That dragon was huge."

"Pretty average for the ones they get around here." She glanced behind me. "Hi, I'm Lucy, by the way."

"Um, I'm Malcolm," he said, floating back and forth in consternation. "You can hear me?"

"And see you," Lucy confirmed. "I like the glasses. Not really necessary for a ghost, but they suit you."

"Are you a medium?" he asked.

She shook her head. "My mother's side of the family has…gifts, you could say."

"You feel different." Malcolm floated closer. "Sorry to be nosy, but why do you feel a little like a ghost yourself?"

Her mouth twisted in a wry smile. "I'm a little bit dead, Malcolm—everyone in my mom's family is. And the ones who are dead are still a little bit alive. Our family has always been weird that way." She turned to me. "And you are?"

"Alice."

She waited, but I didn't supply a last name. "How's your chin, Alice?" she asked finally.

I checked the gauze, folded it a different way so I found a clean side, and put it back to my chin. "I'll live. So, is this something you do often? Go after dragons by yourself?"

Lucy smiled. "It's against regulations, technically, but doing things that are against regulations is pretty much my greatest pleasure in life." She paused. "Well, my second greatest pleasure, anyway. The League goes where we're needed, you know."

"Of course," I said, as if I knew who or what she was referring to.

"Those wounds on your shoulder and leg look serious. How'd you get them?"

"I fell down some stairs."

The corners of her mouth turned up. She didn't believe me, but she didn't call me on it. "Do you need a doctor or a healer?"

"No, I'll be fine. We need to get going. Thanks again for the first-aid kit." I stuck the gauze in my pocket.

"Where are you headed?"

I nodded at the hill in front of us. "To the city."

"I'm not really supposed to give rides to civilians, but like I said, I live for breaking the rules, and this is a dangerous stretch of road. I'm headed south myself on another job. Want a lift as far as a roadhouse? You can probably find another ride there to wherever you're headed."

I wondered if the term "roadhouse" had a different meaning here, or if roadside dives were like Broken World truck stops or transportation hubs.

"All right," I said, though part of me worried it would be a mistake to get in a vehicle with someone from the military, regardless of how pleasant she seemed.

Malcolm shot me a startled look. I was a little surprised myself, but she seemed nonthreatening and truly concerned for our safety.

I had to get my wolf to return to my body, however, since I doubted Lucy would let her anywhere near us. "Um, I need to take care of something before we leave." I gave her a sheepish look and nodded at the woods. "Sorry. Can I just take a minute to pee?"

She glanced over my shoulder. "Do you need to pee, or do you need to talk to your friend?"

I turned. My wolf stood just inside the tree line, her golden eyes fixed on Lucy. Double shit.

"She's not a wolf," Malcolm said quickly. "She's, uh, only part wolf. She's Alice's pet dog. Her name is…Daisy."

"Daisy" showed Malcolm her teeth.

"Mm-hmm," Lucy said. Oddly, her right hand was behind her head, as if she was reaching for something on her back, but there was nothing there. Maybe it was an old habit. She moved her hand to her sidearm. "Is Daisy going to stay in wolf form, or does she want to obey the law and shift to her human form and talk to me?"

Triple shit.

"Daisy doesn't shift," I said. "She isn't a shifter at all—just a wolf with a little bit of magic. I don't know how we can prove that to you, but please don't shoot my wolf." I wasn't sure if Lucy could shoot my wolf, but I didn't know what kind of bullets she had in that gun. I couldn't be sure my wolf wouldn't try to kill her if she fired the weapon.

Lucy studied my wolf. "I've never met a magic wolf that wasn't a shifter." She tilted her head. "I have a League collar in the jeep. If your wolf will wear it, it will make me feel better. If we run into any other Guardians or local LEOs, it will keep them from asking too many questions."

"What does the collar do?"

"Its main purpose is to keep her from shifting. It also identifies her as a League asset, which is why no one will hassle us about her. Once you're on your own, you'll have to figure something else out."

"Sounds reasonable." I hoped my wolf would allow us to put the collar on. "Daisy," I called.

She trotted to me immediately, showing no fear of Lucy. And what did she have to fear? I reflected grimly. She could grow to twenty feet tall and damn near tear the head off a demon lord. A lone Guardian—whatever the hell that meant—probably wasn't anything she needed to worry about.

We went to the jeep. Lucy rummaged around in the back seat and came up with a leather collar emblazoned with the same seal that was on the sides of the vehicle, along with the words LEAGUE ASSET and a serial number. A small amulet hung from the collar.

"What does the amulet do?" I asked.

"That's what keeps her from shifting."

Lucy clearly didn't believe my wolf wasn't a shifter. I couldn't say I blamed her for her skepticism.

She handed me the collar. "I'll let you put it on her. If she won't wear it, you'll have to keep walking."

I held the collar out so my wolf could sniff it. "Can I put this on you?"

She investigated the collar and the amulet thoroughly with her nose, flashed a few teeth at us, and then stood still for me to fasten it around her neck. When I clicked the buckle, the amulet flared. Without hesitation, the wolf jumped into the back seat of the jeep and settled in.

"Huh," Lucy said, pausing with her hand on the back passenger door. "Wounded a dragon and met a magical wolf named Daisy who seems to be more intelligent than the average wolf. Hell of a day, and it's not even nine o'clock." She shut the door. "Want some coffee?"

I almost sagged against the vehicle. "I would kill for some. Not literally." I paused. "Maybe literally."

"Same. Get in." Lucy held open the passenger door while I climbed in and put my backpack on the floor at my feet. The interior of the jeep was very utilitarian, as I'd expected from a military vehicle—except for the cartoonish vampire bobble-head stuck to the dashboard.

Lucy shut my door and went around to the driver's side. Malcolm floated into the back seat with Lucy's gear and my wolf.

When Lucy climbed into the driver's seat, I gestured at the bobble-head. "That's cute."

"Thanks." She hit the gas, sending gravel spraying out behind us. She made a fast U-turn on two wheels and headed south toward the city. "It was a gift from my sister Callie. She thinks she's funny." She sighed. "You got any brothers or sisters?"

I didn't turn around to look at Malcolm. "Just a brother."

"Well, if he ever wants to become a vampire, try to talk him out of it."

I coughed. "I don't think he'll ever want to be a vampire, or could even become one."

"That's good. One less thing for you to have to worry about." She was flying down the road now, the speedometer well over eighty and creeping toward ninety. "Vampires are weird—even the unbound. Not as weird as the Euro-vamps or Court vamps, of course, but still. Callie joined some commune in Denver, says she's happy and she'll meet up with me next time I'm in the area. My mom's going to hit the roof when she finds out. The Colorado communes are notorious." She sighed again. "Still, as long as she's happy, I guess it's okay. Sisters…what are you gonna do?" She flicked the bobblehead and watched it jiggle merrily.

Malcolm touched my shoulder. Vampires living in communes? His voice in my head sounded incredulous. And what the hell does she mean by unbound vamps?

And what the hell is the League? I added. And Guardians? And why are there friggin' dragons?

This place is weird, he complained.

At least they have coffee.

He snorted and floated back.

Lucy glanced in the rearview mirror. "You okay, Malcolm?"

"Doing fine." His voice was dry. "It's just been a long day."

"I bet. Sounds like you guys have traveled a long way." She stuck her arm out the window and smiled at the sensation of the wind. "We'll grab some coffee in town and then head for the roadhouse that's west of the city. I have an informant meeting me there. You can see about finding a ride to wherever you're headed."

I turned to look at the wolf to see if the delay upset her. To my surprise, she was lying with her head on her paws, eyes half-closed. Apparently we were still on Mariela's trail heading in this direction. When I turned back, my shoulder twinged. I flinched.

"You want another first-aid kit to take care of your shoulder and leg?" Lucy asked. "I've got more in the box under your seat."

"Thanks. Might as well." I felt around under the seat until I found the plastic box.

As I sorted through its contents, the radio in the jeep beeped. "Station Ten to Guardian Four-Oh-One," a brisk male voice said. "Come in, Four-oh-one."

Lucy sighed and picked up the radio. "This is Four-oh-one."

"What the hell, Stone?" the man demanded. "I told you to wait for the backup team and you went in alone, against orders. Again."

"There was no time to wait for the other team," she countered. "Civilians were in immediate danger." She winked at me.

"Any injuries to civilians?" he barked.

"None to me or them, and thanks for asking about me. The only injury was to the fire-breather. She won't be back for a while. I scored a throat wound. She'll have to return to her nest to recover."

A long pause.

"Damn it, Stone," the man said, sounding suddenly weary. "One of these days, your luck is going to run out."

Lucy didn't reply. Something dark flashed in her eyes—pain and grief. His comment about luck had hit close to home.

When she didn't say anything, the man said, "Fine, file your report by tonight. You still tracking those attacks?"

"Yes, Captain. I'm meeting with some sources here locally, and then I'll let you know where I'm going from there once I get some leads." Her tone had changed: less flippant and more military. "Any word on how my partner's doing?"

"He reported in ten minutes ago. Unlike some people, he reports in regularly without having to be hounded."

Lucy snorted.

"They're going to be on that basilisk nest for at least a couple more days," the captain continued. "You want me to send someone out to ride shotgun with you?"

"Not right now, sir. I'll let you know if I need backup. You'll have my report on the dragon incident and the civilian involvement by midnight."

"Copy that. Stay safe, Lieutenant."

"You too, Captain. Four-oh-one out." She returned the radio to its hook on the dash and put both hands on the wheel, staring straight ahead.

I glanced up from taping some gauze to the wound on my shoulder. "So, other than chasing the dragon—so to speak—what brings you to town?"

"I was actually in the area chasing something else when I got the dispatch about the dragon."

"The attacks the captain referred to? What attacks?"

She glanced at me. "So, you're not from around here?"

I shook my head. "What should we be watching out for?"

"Not sure, exactly," she said, and she didn't sound very happy about it. "We've gotten some strange reports for the last month or so, all centered around an area south of the city. There have been some casualties and property destruction. No one's gotten a good look at who or what's responsible—no one who's survived, anyway. All I'm hearing is rumors, and the rumors don't make any sense."

"What are the rumors?"

She tapped her fingers on the wheel. "It's no secret, I suppose. You'll hear about it at the roadhouse if you ask. People claim to have spotted creatures no one has seen topside for a very long time. I'd think folks had just gotten some bad weed, but the descriptions are fairly consistent and coming in from all over. If they're right, we could be dealing with a very, very serious situation."

"What do you mean, ‘topside'?"

Another long pause. "As opposed to the Underworld," she said. "Nothing's come up out of there anywhere near here in a very long time—that's usually a European or far East problem, as you know. If there are Underworld critters running around up here, and shades loose topside, either we've got a new fractured boundary somewhere or someone's left a door open."

My stomach sank. Mariela had come here intending to travel to the Underworld. I didn't believe in coincidences. What if she'd succeeded in opening a doorway, and then accidentally left it open?

"Jeez, that sounds terrible and really scary," Malcolm said from the back seat. "Fractured boundaries and open doors to the Underworld. Hopefully it's not that."

"Yeah, hopefully." She turned back to me. "Let's grab some coffee and a snack and head for the roadhouse. We have to take the long way around because one of the local covens has apparently closed their territory again. By the time we get there, it will be about lunchtime and we'll be starving if we don't grab something. My source won't be arriving until around sunset, so we'll have some time to rest if you want. The roadhouse has rooms where we can catch a few Z's. I don't know about you, but I didn't sleep last night and I can't afford not to be sharp."

On the one hand, I itched to go after Mariela, but it sounded like Lucy might have some useful information—like where these creatures were coming from and what they were. Even if my wolf could track the scroll, I didn't like going in blind, especially since my magic didn't work right here, and the spells and amulets I'd brought might not work at all. We needed to know what we were up against.

"Sure," I said. "Coffee, lunch, and a siesta it is."

"That's the spirit." She winked at Malcolm in the rearview mirror. "So to speak."

"Great, someone else who makes ghost jokes," Malcolm muttered. "Just what I needed."