Ghost Stalker (20 page)

Nick turned to go. He had no more time to waste with this man.

Her father followed. “My wife is a Dream Walker, as well. She’s been in contact.” Nick paused.

“Jessie is still unconscious. How did you know about the attack?”

“She called me in my sleep.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Dream Walkers don’t enter the dreams of a…”

“Beast?”

The man glared. “This is your fault.”

He didn’t deny it as he met the accusation in her father’s eyes. “Where is she?”

“We can’t get her location until she awakens.”

“I can.”

Nick turned back toward the scent band that was her essence coursing in a river in her wake. He faced the strong, wide track, invisible to all but Skinwalkers of the wolf clan. “I can find her without you, but it would be helpful to contact her.”

Jessie’s father looked uncertain. “That would require my wife’s consent.”

“They’re going to kill her.”

The older man pressed his lips together and for a moment Nick thought he would do nothing to save her.

“Wait here.”

A moment later the door swung open and Nick faced a smaller, darker and only slightly older version of Jessie. The woman’s looking figure was trim, and she would have been attractive if not for the descending eyebrows and mouth drawn in a thin bitter line.

“Go away,” she ordered.

He turned to go.

“Wait,” said Jessie’s father.

“George, don’t speak to him.”

“He’s trying to find her, Marta.”

Nick paused in the drive. “I can find her without your help.”

“Good, because you aren’t getting it,” snapped Marta.

“Marta, please,” said her husband.

Her bottom lip quivered as she glared daggers at Nick. “If they do anything to my girl, I’ll hunt you down like the animal you are.”

Nick accepted her threat without comment.

“He can track her, Marta,” said George.

His wife stared at Nick. “If you can help, you are welcome.”

The three regarded each other warily as the uneasy truce formed between them.

Nick returned to his convertible. He waited as George ushered Marta down the drive.

“We haven’t met officially.” Nick extended his hand, expecting to be shunned. But he wasn’t. The hesitation was obvious but the man did shake his hand.

“George Healy.”

“Nick Chien.” They broke contact.

“This is my wife, Marta.”

She glared at him.

Nick opened the door to his Mustang. “Are you coming?”

“I won’t sit in a car with him,” said Marta to her husband. “He might kill us both.”

George’s expression looked pained. “We’ll follow you.”

Nick waited no longer but slipped behind the wheel and followed the familiar scent that would bring him back to Jessie.

Nagi followed his ghost over the meadow, their passing so silent they did not even disturb the mist that hovered over the wet grass.

His ghosts had taken the little Niyanoka far enough that she would not be recognized, but not far enough to make it difficult for the wolf to find her. This time he had more than a dozen ghosts guarding his prize. More than enough for one wolf.

Nagi was anxious to deliver an injury so grave that neither a human nor a Spirit Child could heal it. A wound that would force the Healer’s gift.

His soldiers shimmered in salute as he passed with his guide. He reached the cabin on the ranch where she was held and drifted through the wall of the room in which the Spirit Child was bound. On seeing him, his three sentries vibrated to attention.

“Are you certain she is his soul mate?” asked Nagi.

The ghost closest to the woman contracted, glowing a faint greenish brown. “Yes, lord. I heard the wolf say so.”

Nagi looked at the still form upon the bed. “What have you done to her?”

The same ghost was quick to reply. “Peko slapped her across the face. She has been still ever since.”

Nagi flapped with rage.

He glanced at the woman and then stared hard. Her life force was split.

Nagi spun in a cyclone of fury, pinning the remaining ghost to the wall. “How long has she been like this?”

“A few hours only, lord,” gasped his guide.

“She’s a Dream Walker, you idiot. And she’s left her body. She’s trying to get help.”

Had she already contacted the wolf? Nagi faced the woman and concentrated, calling her back to this time and place. He needed both halves of her here when he administered the spirit wound. For this one, he would create a grand illusion. She would not know the wolf was safe. From the prison of her mind she would know only what he wanted her to know. And she would believe it was true.

If the wolf wanted her to live, he would have to bring her to the Healer.

Jessie’s scent came to Nick, strong and clear as a blood trail. Her fear increased the strength of the signal she left behind. Her trail led him to I-90 going toward Billings.

Nick nodded and pressed his foot farther down on the gas pedal, checking to see if the Healys could keep up.

It was several moments before he realized that a raven was flying high up above them, but mirroring their direction.

Bess?

He hoped so. He’d been sending distress signals to any Inanoka in the area. There could be more than one raven hereabouts but he hoped it was Bess. Could she have been to the Spirit World and back so quickly?

She had told him the journey was unpredictable, sometimes taking moments in earth time and sometimes weeks.

He sped on but traveled so fast that when Jessie’s trail veered sharply to the left, he almost missed the turnoff to the J Bar M.

Nick pulled over to the shoulder and waited for Jessie’s parents to do the same. “We’re close.”

The two looked expectantly at him.

“If you have some method of contacting Jessie, you best do it,” said Nick.

Her mother glared at him.

The fire in her eyes reminded him of Jessie, and his heart gave a pang of regret. He softened his voice.

“Tell her we’re coming. Find out how many guards she has seen.”

“I don’t take orders from you.”

Nick turned to George. “Can you contact her?”

He shook his head in regret. “My gift is evocation. I’m a Peacemaker.”

Nick was unfamiliar with the term.

Mr. Healy turned to his wife and laid a hand on her shoulder. “Mother, please.” Mr. Healy closed his eyes. A moment later they snapped open and Nick leaned closer.

“She’s in some kind of sleep, but not sleep. I can see from her eyes, but she can’t.” She turned to her husband, clinging to him. “I don’t understand. What have they done to her?”

“Where is she, mother?” asked George.

“In some kind of ranch house. The shades are drawn. She’s alone, I think.”

George glanced at Nick.

“Could be ghosts there. I can’t see them,” said Nick. “Can you?”

George shook his head. Both of Jessie’s parents peered down the long road, but could see nothing of the ranch that might be at the other end.

George glanced up at the sign. “I know this place. It’s a dude ranch. Really swank. Thousand bucks a night for some of the cabins.”

“I’m going through the woods. It’s faster,” said Nick.

George nodded. “We’ll try the road. If I run into trouble, I’ll make some suggestions. Don’t know if they work on ghosts, though.” He turned to Mrs. Healy. “Back in the car, Mother.”

She glared at Nick. “I want my daughter back.”

“Yes, ma’am. I want that, too.”

Mrs. Healy stayed where she was, arms crossed tightly before her. “This is all your fault.”

George wrapped an arm about her shoulders. “Later, Mother. Let him go now.”

Nick studied the two Niyanoka. How old were they? Two hundred years—three? He gauged his strength and thought George no match for what lay ahead. Perhaps it was a mistake letting them come, for they distracted him from his goal. He did not want Jessie’s parents killed in this battle.

“Maybe you best wait here,” said Nick.

Jessie’s father stopped short.

Nick returned his steady stare. It was unfortunate, because his talents could be useful in a fight. Yes, perhaps he might let him come along, but to do so was to leave her mother unprotected. Best bring her, as well.

Nick recalled her father’s mentioning the gift of evocation and shook his head to rid himself of the thoughts that were not his own. Nick’s thoughts, no longer blocked, came rushing in like a wave, filling the void.

“All right, you’ve made your point. Will that work on possessed men?”

“I sure the hell hope so.”

Not the hearty affirmative Nick was looking for.

The raven landed on the roof of the Mustang.

Mrs. Healy waved her hands at it. “Shoo, shoo.”

Nick opened his mouth, but before he could get a word in, the raven faced the woman and spoke in a high, gravelly voice.

“Why don’t you shoo. At least I came prepared to fight.”

Mrs. Healy staggered back and only her husband’s quick reflexes kept her from falling into the gully beside the road.

Bess faced Nick. “I saw Michaela’s father. He tells me she has delivered her twins, both healthy. There are two more Seers in the world.”

Nick grinned. “Sebastian is a papa!”

“Indeed,” said the raven. “He also tells me Michaela’s strength and skills are growing. He says she is more powerful than he ever was.”

Mrs. Healy recovered her tongue. “She didn’t marry a—a Skinwalker.”

Bess rotated her head 180 degrees to face the woman. “Yes.”

“But that’s impossible. They can’t have bore children.”

Nick leaned on the hood. “Is that what your book of law tells you?”

“Don’t you mock our laws, wolf,” said Mrs. Healy.

“Seems like you need a codicil or amendment to me,” replied Nick.

Bess flapped. “Who are they and why are they here?”

“These,” said Nick, motioning to the couple, “are Jessie’s parents.”

“Oh.” Bess’s voice, strange as it was, still radiated disappointment.

“Bess, can you fly over that ranch and give me a report? I’ll be right behind you.”

“We’re coming, too.” Jessie’s father turned to his wife. “Marta, we need help. They’re offering.”

Her lips pressed tight but she nodded.

He turned to Nick. “We’ll be right behind you.”

“How close do you have to be to use your gift?” Nick asked George.

“Just within sight. But I’m not allowed to have them hurt themselves. It’s against our way.”

“Fine.” Now Nick turned to Bess. “Go. I’ll follow.”

Bess lifted off, rising into the air. In a moment, she circled.

“She’s over the ranch. You two stay together. I can’t speak to you as a wolf, but I understand you.”

That said, he drew upon his energy to shift, stretching out into the sleek form of his wolf self. Behind him, Mrs. Healy cried out in terror, but he had no time to waste. He set off for the line of pine at a run.

Nagi hovered before the Dream Walker, waiting for the moment that her body and soul aligned. In that instant he touched her forehead, administering the blow that would split her soul from this husk of a body forever.

Nagi floated back from his victim, undulating with satisfaction. The wolf might find her body, but even a tracker could not follow this trail.

Her astral body hovered above her physical one, gleaming brilliant silver. Here was a soul destined never to drop into his circle.

Still, he could speak to her now.

“Do you love him?” he asked.

The Dream Walker, trapped in his illusion, said yes.

“Then follow him. Hurry, or he will leave you behind.”

J
essie had managed to contact her mother with a distress call but could not tell her where she was. Nick had told her he could track anyone anywhere in the world. If he remembered her visit to his dream he could find her.

The contact had been so brief, only a moment, really, when she had found him dreaming and called for help. He was startled awake so quickly that she did not know if he understood. She had not found him asleep since then.

Dreams were fragile things and a jarring from slumber could shatter them as surely as fine china thrown to a concrete floor.

Please, Nick, come for me.

He could not see her astral body, but she could see him. A visit now might tell her if he understood. She found him running across a parking lot in the near
darkness. Pools of blue fluorescent light illuminated the rows of cars. She glanced down and saw the numbers carefully painted at each spot.

Nick dashed past her, toward a black SUV, drawing up short to check the key he held in his hand.

The streetlight beyond where he now stood buzzed and then winked out. The next light followed and then the third. All now glowed a weak orange, casting no light.

Nick turned toward the streetlights, looking about with quick darting glances. Seeing nothing, he continued toward the passenger side. A wind blew past him and he halted again, turning toward the disturbance. And then she saw it.

A gray mass of swirling debris rushed toward him. A Thunderbird? It rose twelve feet in height and changed shape as it approached. Now it more resembled some great smoky ape. Putrid yellow eyes blinked open and she knew with chilling certainty who this was.

Nagi, Guardian of the Circle of Ghosts, had found Nick.

She tried to warn him, but he could not hear her. The thing extended undulating arms, reaching with talons sharp and glossy black.

Nick braced to face this Spirit, but how did a shifter fight a shadow?

Nagi pointed a menacing talon and Nick’s body convulsed. Jessie watched in horror as Nick fell to his knees, his chest and stomach split by some unseen force. He pitched forward, falling to the ground behind the car, the circle of blood flowing out before him.

She must find him, reach him before he bled to death. She was about to withdraw when she felt her body, safe but still bound. She could do nothing to save him.

Nagi slid forward, bringing his vaporous arm down. Nick choked, grasping his throat as his feet kicked madly against the rear bumper.