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  Chapter 9

  The stench of wet dog and BO radiated through the air as we walked into Mountain Man’s house. I cupped my hands over my nose and mouth, trying to stop the foul odor from invading my senses. Barely breathing, I followed Aiden and Herman single-file through the closet-like entryway and into the front room.

  Aiden reached around and pulled up the back of his shirt. I blinked and then stared at his smooth, tan skin. His fingers ran ever so slowly over the pistol tucked in his pants before he gripped the handle. Two clips sat on either side of the gun: one equipped with titanium bullets for Rygons and regular bullets for, well, anyone else. Kembers were required to carry both. I diverted my gaze; a flush spread over my cheeks. He’s reaching for his weapon not giving me a peep show!

  If this wasn’t the house of a serial killer, I didn’t know what was. Dead animal hides, antlers and what looked like ancient battle weapons covered every inch of the walls.

  “Where’s the torture chamber?” I muttered.

  Herman sat on a rocking chair with a missing arm and rested his elbow on the half-chewed one. He motioned to a dingy orange couch coated in a thin layer of black hair. “Have a sit.”

  Aiden did as he was told. I, on the other hand, wanted to run screaming out of the disgusting hellhole. I held my ground. And Ian said self-control was impossible for me. Huffing, I walked toward Aiden and sat on the armrest next to him.

  Seconds later, Herman’s furry dogs rushed into the living room, each carrying what I took to be part of the smell. I gagged and turned my attention toward Herman, but he definitely didn’t lessen my urge to puke.

  Herman leaned forward in his chair. In an almost unintelligible voice he said, “You best be steerin’ clear of them gents. They be bad news.”

  Aiden’s curiosity mirrored my own. He shifted in his seat. “What do you mean?”

  Mountain Man swallowed. “They come here from time to time, lurkin’ through them woods and such.”

  “Do you know what they’re doing?”

  “No idea. I just notice folks come up missin’ whenever they be ’round.”

  Rygons did tend to suck energy from Norms and Kembers, but it didn’t kill them or take a Kember’s abilities like it did us Dreas. It simply weakened them and made them vulnerable. Rygons usually murdered them for sport. Sucking so much negative energy twisted their minds and souls. Aside from their addiction to us, the amount of energy in one Drea equaled the same as ten Norms. Another reason they preferred us.

  “Will you tell me what you know?” Aiden asked.

  “I dunno much. The leader’s name’s…Gage—Sable Gage. ‘E gots ’bout fifty men at ’is beck’n call—the ones with them gang lookin’ tattoos on their faces. He owns some club up in Portland.”

  Aiden studied Herman and waited. “Is that it?”

  Beads of sweat formed on Herman’s forehead. “I’ve heard rumors…rumors of witchcraft. They say this Sable can—can torture som’one just by looking at ’em.” He inhaled a shaky breath. “They say ’e summons the Devil—controls ’m to do ’is biddin’.”

  Witch craft? Summons the Devil? Even I knew it wasn’t likely someone was controlling the Devil, even if he was real. I scoffed. People really knew how to blow things out of proportion. Though, I guess the good—yet slightly off-balanced—people of Oakridge wouldn’t know how else to justify what they’d seen.

  Aiden spoke, his voice completely unemotional. “I’m sure they’re rumors. We think he’s after a young woman.”

  Herman shook his head, eyes wide. “She probably owes ’im money, or has somethin’ ’e wants. There’s always the chance she caught ’im doin’ somthin’ he ain’t supposed tuh. He don’t bother ya, if ya mind yur own.”

  Finally, not able to take the lack of answers anymore, I removed my hands from my face. “The girl lives around here. You have to have seen her.” Herman and Aiden both turned toward me like they’d forgotten my existence.

  Herman’s brow furrowed. “Like I said, I ain’t seen ’er.”

  I stared off. The girl really wasn’t here…Perhaps the vision I saw was some sort of premonition. The one house was for sale. Was it possible she’d move there then everything would unravel? Or did I start us on a dead end hunt? I shook my head, willing myself to get back into the conversation.

  My body stiffened, and my lungs stopped working.

  A huge dog—no, more like a rabid Sasquatch on four legs—sat at my feet, its face inches from my knee. Even though its matted black hair covered its eyes, something told me they were set on me. Two long strings of saliva hung from its mouth, as if it had swallowed a shoe and saved the laces for later. The mop’s spotted tongue pulsed from its mouth, causing its breath to hit me like a tidal wave.

  Slowly, and oh so carefully, I slid down the armrest. If that dog drooled on me, which was no doubt his plan, this mountain man would have one more skin on his wall.

  Aiden coughed when my butt hit his leg and quickly scooted over. His quizzical gaze shifted to me then the dog. Apparently realizing the reason for my closeness, he continued talking.

  Herman interrupted Aiden and motioned to the creature. “’E ain’t gonna hurt ya. ’E wants ya to scratch ’is head.”

  A shudder shook my body. No way.

  Herman stood and booted the dog with his foot. “Come on. Git outside.”

  The dog jumped up and followed him back toward the doorway.

  “Portland,” Aiden mused under his breath. He leaned back on the couch and pulled out his phone.

  I scooted back to the other end of the sofa. “Are we going?”

  “No.”

  “What? Why not?”

  “I won’t put you in danger for something as measly as curiosity. Plus it’s a club. You’re not twenty-one.”

  “So, get me a fake ID.” I jumped to my feet. “That Sable Gage guy could be the one who killed—” A sharp pain shot through my heart. “We’ve gotta do something,” I choked out.

  “No.” His voice stayed level. “I’ll pass the information on to Ian. He’ll make sure it’s checked out.”

  “We don’t even know all the details. Can’t we go up there—like undercover—figure out what’s going on, then tell Ian?”

  Aiden shifted forward on the couch, staring at me intently. “You know how dangerous that’d be? If all this is correct, there’d be dozens of Rygons waiting for his command. They could easily find you.”

  “Is that supposed to scare me? Don’t you think there are more important things going on right now than my life? There’s a girl out there—somewhere—that we need to find. Don’t you think, because we have a lead on the other end, we should go and try to prevent this?”

  His eyes widened. For a minute, I actually thought he’d consider. “No. I’ll make sure the Authority sends someone.”

  “Yeah, and while you’re at it, why don’t you broadcast it on the news? What you’re planning is painfully obvious. Rygons’ll keep hidden if they know Kembers are around, especially a lot.”

  “Ian knows that.”

  “No—!”

  Herman returned, cutting off further argument. “You kids want somethin’ to eat?”

  I shook my head vigorously, all the while glaring at Aiden. Who knew what kind of “something to eat” Herman had in mind: Mice, squirrels, road kill…the dog he took out back?

  Aiden stood. “No, thank you. We should be going.” His eyes met mine and, with a jerk of his head, motioned for me to follow Herman toward the exit. Too angry to be relieved we were finally leaving, I spun on my heel and followed.

  Right before Herman pulled open the door, Aiden said, “Do you go to Portland often?”

  Herman shrugged. “I’m wanderin’ up that way next week tuh do some huntin’.”

  Aiden measured the man for a few moments. “While you’re up there, would you mind talking to some of the locals? Maybe figure out which club Sable Gage owns and have a drink.” Aiden pulled a wad of cash from his wallet. />
  In an attempt to fight my anger, I bit the inside of my cheek. Did he really think sending Herman would shut me up?

  Herman’s breath caught. “Y-yeah, I could do that fur ya. I’ll be down thur anyway.”

  Aiden nodded and handed him the money. “Be discreet. Leave us out of it. If everything goes smoothly and you manage to scrape up some good information, I’ll give you the other half when you get back.” He pulled some random business card from his wallet and scribbled down his phone number .

  Herman took a step back and wiped the sweat off his forehead, looking like he might pass out. “Got it. Notta word ’bout either of ya. It’ll take me a few weeks—if that’s all right.”

  Aiden reached toward the door and pulled it open. “That’s fine. We’re not in too big of a hurry.”

  I scowled and pushed by them to get some fresh air. “Nope, not at all.”

  As soon as my butt hit the passenger seat, I slammed the truck door closed, fury building with every breath. “Are you freakin’ kidding me?”

  Aiden winced, but not at my anger. “Don’t slam the door.”

  “How old are you—ninety?”

  “Don’t slam it.”

  “Yes, Grandpa.”

  Aiden stared at me without blinking. “Are we going to have a conversation or play your game?”

  I felt a foot shorter, looking into those overwhelmingly stern eyes. It was too much to even sit under. “I—I…um…” I stammered like a damn fool, all the while wanting to crawl in a hole. Taking a silent, deep breath, my adrenaline and anger diminished. “Why’d you ask the deranged mountain man to go? We won’t know anything for weeks.”

  He started the truck and backed down the driveway. “No one would see him as a threat. I’m sure most places he goes he’s completely unnoticed. Plus, he’s afraid. He’ll be cautious and not barrel in irrationally.” His gaze flitted toward me.

  “You couldn’t have asked anyone else?”

  “Like you said, we need someone to go in undercover. Who better than Herman? He doesn’t even have to pretend.”

  “Weeks, though. The chick could be dead by then.”

  “Haven’t we established there is no girl?”

  I crossed my arms, pressing my fists against my ribcage. “Maybe she was traveling or hadn’t moved here yet.”

  He didn’t respond.

  An earlier thought surfaced again. “What if she moves into that yellow house or something?”

  He shrugged, not looking convinced. “It’s possible.”

  “So, could we, you know, keep an eye on it?”

  Aiden raked his hand through his dark hair, letting out a slow breath. “I suppose.” He hesitated. “I don’t think this Sable Gage guy is the one you’re keen on finding. The man in those “visions” and the man who killed Del—” he stopped, hearing my nearly-silent jagged breath, “…had the gift of fire. He was a Kember.” His eyes met mine. “From what it sounds like, Sable Gage has the ability to torture with this mind, like some Dreas.”

  “That’s why you don’t wanna jump on this? You think he’s harmless.”

  “Not harmless. Just not the threat we’re seeking.”

  “What about the Rygon army? Doesn’t that fit?”

  “Possibly, but you have to observe this from all angles. This Sable Gage could very well be a Rygon himself. He could even be a normal person who knows witchcraft. You never know.”

  “Witchcraft? Funny how people always jump to that.”

  Aiden shot me a side-long glance. “How do you know it’s not true?”

  “Oh, please.” I almost laughed. “All that voodoo BS? There’s no way. I believe in what I can see and feel.”

  “So do I, but I’ve also learned not to rule anything out.”

  “You can’t tell me you believe that.”

  He shook his head. “I think people have misinterpreted what they’ve seen. I’ve been wrong before, so I’m not ruling it out…completely.”

  Funny, that’s what I’d thought earlier. People and their wild imaginations. “If Herman does find out some good stuff, then what?”

  “I’ll send the information to Ian.”

  “And then?”

  “He’ll send the Guard in.”

  The Guard was made up with ten to fifteen Kembers. Not just any Kembers. Wicked awesome ones who could kill you with a flick of their fingers. I’d had the privilege of meeting a few a couple years ago at a Kember graduation. They worked just under the Authority. If a problem required brute strength and mad skills, the Authority sent the Guard to intervene.

  “Right now, they’re searching for the Kember responsible for Delmari’s death. I’m sure it wouldn’t be a problem to stop by Portland.”

  I flinched, a surge of anger breaking through. “Well, if you ask me, they’re doing a piss poor job. It’s been weeks! They’re just a bunch of idiots who don’t know what the hell they’re doing.”

  His jaw dropped a fraction. “You shouldn’t talk like that.”

  I scoffed, knowing he was right, but too angry to admit it. “I can say whatever I want.”

  His fists tightened on the steering wheel. “I was a part of the Guard for six years. It’s a lot of hard work and finding people—especially a rogue Kember—takes time and a lot of patience.”

  I froze, now feeling like a jackass. “Oh, uh…” I searched quickly for a subject change. He’d told me he was twenty-four. If he was in the guard for six years…“Does that mean I’m your first Drea?”

  “Yes.” He didn’t say “yes” in a good way, either.

  “Look.” I couldn’t believe I actually felt bad about my comment. “I didn’t mean…I get angry and…” I risked a glance at his stiffened posture and dropped the subject.

  Putting all differences aside, I had to admit he was kind of helpful and pretty smart. Obviously. He’d been part of the Guard. Enough said. That explained his respected badass reputation. I was a little impressed. Unfriendly or not, you had to respect a badass.

  “So…” I cleared my throat. “About Portland?”