Death Wish (44 page)

Kylarai gazed out on the field behind the property line. “Well, it’s no dream house, but it really is ideal for a wolf. You can do so much with this yard. It would give you something to focus on this summer, too. Something positive and relaxing.”

Birds fluttered about in the trees above us. I watched them fly from branch to branch, singing merrily amongst themselves. Traffic could be heard on the road out front, but it was sparse and muffled. The seclusion here appealed to me.

“Is that an offer of help I hear?” I wandered over to the patio to peek into the empty flowerpots that lined the edge. “You know I’m no good at the whole home decor and plant life kind of thing.”

“Of course. I’d love to help. We can take a trip to the greenhouse on the highway and pick out flowers.” Kylarai chattered on about plants, spitting out names I didn’t know.

I knelt to plunge my hands into the vibrant green grass. The earth reached out to me, humming with an immense power that spoke of life and harmony. Concentrating, I could feel the energy of the nearby graveyard. It caused the fine hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end but held little true power or elements of danger.

 Saying goodbye to Raoul’s house hadn’t been easy simply because it hadn’t been by choice. That chapter of my life was now closed, as it should be. Still, so much lay ahead.

I had just begun to discover the source of my power and what it might mean to those that opposed me. Lilah hadn’t been seen since that night at Shya’s. Jez said there had been no sign of her around the office. She had gone off somewhere to lick her wounds and regroup. Powerless or not, a demon of her caliber wouldn’t be gone for long. At least, not long enough.

Kale was still missing. Try as I might, my search was beginning to seem futile. Brogan’s second locator spell had failed as well. I didn’t even know if he was alive, though I couldn’t shake the deep-rooted sense that he was. Somewhere.

I had meant what I said to Shya. I wouldn’t be doing his dirty work anymore. Somehow, I would find a way to not only avoid delivering him the dreamwalker he sought but also keep him from getting his hands on one.

I thought often of the dreamwalker that the demon had killed in front of me. He was just a kid, a nameless one at that. Nobody deserved that kind of fate. I wanted to help people, those with power who so easily fell prey to monsters like Shya or the FPA. It wouldn’t be easy, particularly with the demon’s sigil on my arm.

I rose and wiped the grass and dirt from my hands. I was feeling good about my decision. We returned to the front yard where the agent stood chatting on her cell phone. She quickly ended the call at my arrival and smiled expectantly.

 Clinging to the past was easy; letting go was hard. I had to move forward. This house was the right place to start.

I held out a hand and sucked in a deep breath.
Here goes nothing.
“I’ll take it.”

Check out www.TrinaMLee.com for news and information on the upcoming sixth book in the Alexa O’Brien Huntress Series.

About the Author

Trina M. Lee has walked in the darkness alongside vampires and werewolves since adolescence. Trina lives in Alberta, Canada with her fiancé and daughter, along with their 3 cats. She loves to hear from readers via email or twitter.

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