The Lightning Prophecy (The Lightning Witch Trilogy Book 1) (12 page)

“I know, Ben. But, I need your help finding someone.”

“I-I don’t know, I’m not supposta help, um…” The little boy’s voice trailed off. Looked like she was running into the same issues Mitch and I faced. These people had a tight-knit community and outsiders were not welcome.

“Oh okay, Ben, I guess I will have to find someone else to give this to.” She waved around the twenty-dollar bill.

The little boy Ben seemed to light up and all but yelled, “Wait! No, I can help!”

Delaney gave the boy a knowing smile and said, “Wow, really? Well, I need you to go get Cowboy Bill for me. Tell him I brought him dinner.”

The little boy frowned at Delaney and said, “That’s it?”

“Yup, that’s it!”

“Okay, stay here! I’ll be back!” the boy said, running off.

I looked over at Mitch and he had the same look of incredulity I was sure was on my face. Delaney had done more with twenty damned dollars and a box of food than we had in three fucking weeks
. Is this reality?

Suddenly Delaney seemed to look right at me as if she knew I was there. Mitch leaned over and whispered in my ear, “Do you think she sees us?”

I softly scoffed, “No way.”

Then she raised her right hand in our general direction and preceded to tell us we were number one. Mitch guffawed.

“Did she just flick us off?”

“Yeah, she did,” I laughed back. “I guess we should go back to the car, seems as though she’s got this taken care of.”

“Yeah, man, what I wouldn’t mind doing to her. She's feisty. I like that,” Mitch said nonchalantly.

I stopped dead in my tracks. I was actively trying not to bash his face in. Mitch seemed to notice something was wrong and turned to me.

“Look, Reid, I know there’s some tension with the two of you, but we talked about how you were not interested in claiming her. She is free for me to pursue if we both want it,” Mitch stated matter-of-factly.

And he was right. I mean, what could I say to that?  I would not claim her despite this mating call. Then why was I acting like such a tool? I did want Delaney, but enough to claim her? She was such a wild card. She was stunning and her body was ... Well, it could make a monk rethink his vow of celibacy.

It took about twenty minutes for Delaney to round the corner of the camp and walk to the Jeep. Behind her trailed who I thought was Ben, but upon closer inspection the person tailing Delaney stood no taller than four feet, had a rather round belly, and a beard ZZ Top would be envious of. The short man also wore a worn cowboy hat atop his head.

I pushed away from the car to get a better look at this guy. Before I could make my way to the small man I heard a thick Texas drawl say, “Where muh tea? Girl here said there would be sweet tea.”

I raised an eyebrow at the man. “You must be Cowboy Bill.”

The short man looked me over and had to squint to do so, as the light was fading.

“I am, and you have got to be the biggest son-a-bitch I ever did see.”

“Bill! Don’t be rude!” Delaney scolded.

“Sorry, ma’am,” Bill said, seeming to be somewhat embarrassed. And with that, my assessment of the man went up appreciably.

“Bill, my name is Reid Jamison and this is my partner, Mitch Saldana. We have been looking for you for some time and we have a few questions to ask you, if you don’t mind.”

“I know you been lookin’ for me. I been avoidin’ you,” he said as he awkwardly held on to the box of food.

“Bill, how about you hop up on this truck and while you eat we will ask you a few questions. Then we will leave you alone,” Mitch suggested.

Cowboy Bill eyed Mitch, then me. He sighed and walked over to the black Ford. The small man ambled up onto the bed of the truck with more grace than I would have given him credit for. That’s what I got for judging that book based on the cover.

“Bill, you called 911 to report someone dragging a body. Can you tell us what you saw?” Mitch asked.

“Well,” Cowboy Bill said around a mouth full of food, “it was hard to see with the brush and all. Oh and I didn't have my glasses.” He shoved another forkful of rice in his mouth and kept speaking. Clearly he was not taught not to talk with his mouth full. “So, I went to take a piss and as I was about to wrap things up I hear someone grunting. So I thought it was someone getting down, if you know what I mean. But, then I see this naked guy with blood on him dragging something. I just stood there trying to see, but I got afraid. He had dark hair kinda like yours.” He pointed to Mitch. “But, shorter. And then the weirdest thing happens. The guy puts a cell phone to his ear and in a really gruff voice says, ‘I got another one. Meet me at the street then I want to meet back in Atlanta.’ That’s when I ran off and heard him running behind me, but I got to the camp before him. I ran to Athena. She got a phone so I called the cops.”

I looked at Mitch and his eyes went incandescent with rage.

“Mitch? Could this be one of yours?” I questioned.

It took him a few seconds to answer as he was clearly fighting his wolf for control.

“I don’t know. I didn’t think it was. But, if it is I will fucking kill them. Are you sure that’s what you heard?” Mitch clearly pronounced each syllable of each word.  

Cowboy Bill stopped mid-shovel and glared at Mitch. “Son, I couldn’t make out the features on his face, but I know what I heard for sure. His voice sounded like he gargled with a box of rocks and he said just what I told you.”

Mitch’s hands were clenched into tight fists. He seemed distressed to the max at this news. The thought of having someone in your pack doing this is like a brother or sister doing it. It was incomprehensible. And him being the Alpha of Atlanta made it all the worse. That was part of the reason I was a lone wolf. But, I also didn’t have the protection of a pack.

Mitch was seething by the time he reached into his pocket and got his cell phone out. He pounded the numbers in so hard I thought I saw the screen crack.

“Mark, get the pack together for a meeting in seven hours. I have a few things to do here then it will take me about four hours to get there. And, Mark, when I say get the pack, I mean get the whole fucking pack. No fucking excuses. All of them.”

There was a pause and Mitch all but growled into the phone, “I don’t care how late it is! You get every last goddamned member there or you better pray for mercy to whatever god you worship.” And with that his phone shattered. “Shit.”

“Bill, that’s all we need. Delaney, please give him his tea so he can go. Also, Bill, thank you for your help,” I said, never taking my eyes off Mitch. I didn’t think I had ever seen my old friend this angry before.

The short man got off the truck and walked over to Delaney and took the tea from her, saying, “You gunna be alright, honey?”

“Oh yeah, their bark is way worse than their bite,” she said, eyeing me and Mitch.

Bill tipped his hat to us and left.

“If it was one of mine, Reid, I’ll find them. There will be a travel ban put on my pack,” Mitch said, not meeting my eyes. Never had this alpha not met my eyes.

Delaney walked over to Mitch and put her hand on his shoulder. In a low, controlled tone said, “Are you okay?”

Mitch looked into her eyes then looked at me, and in that moment I knew his wolf was too close to the surface.

Calmly I walked over to Delaney and snaked an arm around her waist and whispered in her ear, “Go back to the car and get in. No sudden movements.” For once Delaney did not question. She seemed to understand the situation. She stood there frozen, then shuddered and stepped aside.

“You need to let me go, if you want me to walk to the car,” she whispered back to me.

Reluctantly, I let her go. Before I did, I felt her body shudder against mine. But her words, you need to let me go, hung in the air between us. And at that moment I realized that no, no I would not let her go.

Ten minutes later, Mitch walked to the truck and he said, “I have to go to Atlanta. And if I find him I swear, Reid.”

There was no need to finish the statement. He would kill him in a way to cause considerable pain. I smiled at the thought and walked to the car.

TRAITOROUS BODY! SERIOUSLY!
My body reacted to Reid in a way that was so not normal! I touched Mitch and I had a reaction of ice compared to the pure unadulterated heat my body experienced with Reid. Thank God the ride to my apartment had not taken that long. Cooped up in a small space with Reid Jamison, well, I could not be held liable if I jumped on him kissed him and raked my fingers ... ugh now I couldn’t get my mind off him. First, my body now my mind, what’s next? I didn’t want to even think about that. Thank God for Troy being at my apartment when I got there.

“Delaney!” Reid called just after I got out of the car. I flinched at the sound of his voice. I couldn’t help it. The man had a direct path to my nerves.

I turned around and put my best
“What the hell do you want”
face on.

“Yes?” I said, only managing to keep a little bit of the annoyance out of my voice.

“Listen, you can hate me all you want, but I know you feel what I do.” Right as I was going to give my wittiest comeback - I have no idea what it would have been, but assume funny and illuminating - he raised his hand to silence me. Yeah, like that would work. But he kept on talking as though he had control of every facet of the conversation.

“Listen, right now I want you to be careful. There is only a week before the next full moon and I have a feeling this guy isn’t done with this yet, and I don’t feel as though he has moved yet either.”

I rested my forearms on the open window ledge of the Jeep so I could be even with Reid. That was a bad idea. Hot caramel eyes seemed to trap me every time.

“Reid,” the name came out a bit more breathless than I had intended. I swallowed. “Listen, I’ll be fine. Troy and I are going for a run then I am staying with him tonight. Plus, you have no proof this ass is still here and you would have no idea that he would come after me.” I thought about telling him what Mil had told me a few weeks ago, but it sounded crazy to my ears, and besides, I wasn’t too sure I could trust Reid.

“I know, Delaney. Please just stay with Troy. And be careful.”

“You betcha.” I stood up and turned to walk away, but Reid’s lightning-fast hand secured around my wrist. I peered down at the shackle circling my wrist then at the man it was attached to. His eyes were now flecked with green.

My heart began to pick up the pace. Reid lifted my hand to his soft warm lips and brushed two feather-light kisses against my knuckles. And just like that warmth seemed to spread throughout my body and settle between my thighs. His lips curved up into a slight smile. Damn him, because he knew what he did to me and he knew I was trying to be mad at him. I narrowed my eyes at him and snatched my hand from his. He shot me a wicked smile and pulled out of the lot.

“What the hell was that about?” Troy’s voice rang through the nighttime parking lot.

“You know what, Troy? I think he’s hunting me. And I don’t mean physically,” I said absently.

“Oh, honey, he’s most definitely hunting you, and absolutely doing it physically.”

AS A RULE
I am not the biggest fan of cars. Troy behind the wheel tended to make me slightly nervous. Thank God the drive from my house to his was only fifteen minutes or so. Troy liked to think the speed limits were just a suggested speed. Sometimes driving with him was like playing an intense game of Frogger. I spent most of the time praying and holding onto the “oh shit” handle as if that would really save me. It sure didn’t seem to help my parents when I caused their deaths.

I closed my eyes to get my mind off of Reid and Troy. I thought of my parents and one of the few full-color memories I had of them. The day of the crash.

22 January 1993

I remember wearing a shirt that was bright green with little white flowers on it. My mom wanted me to wear a sweater, but I didn’t want to. I didn’t like sitting with my back against the car seat and feeling all of the pesky wrinkles. I looked up into my mom’s face and remembered how beautiful she was. I hoped so much that when I grew up I would look just like her. She had a full face and a small upturned nose. She had stormy gray eyes, just like mine. But, she was blonde where my hair was mainly brown with glints of red.

“Come on, Delaney, it’s time to go see Mil!” my mom’s cheery voice chimed though the house.

I loved going to see Mil! I got to use my power with Mil. Mom and Dad did not like for me to use my power in the house. But, sometimes I couldn’t help it. It was hard for me to control; this was all so new. It mainly happened when I got upset, excited, or scared.

“Are you calm? You cannot get into the car unless you’re calm,” my dad’s smooth voice sang. He reached up to his brownish-red mop of hair and brushed it out of his eyes.

I smiled and bounced from one foot to the next. “Yes, I’m calm. See!” I said, standing very still.

Dad had a wide, full smile and I loved when he smiled; it made everything light up.

“Okay, pumpkin, let’s go.”

Mil lived far away from us. It took at least two hours to get there. When my parents would take me to see Mil they did it during naptime so I would sleep in the car, and this was no exception. I remember telling my dad he needed to get his haircut and if he didn’t I was not going to share my scrunchies with him. His laughter filled the car and it washed over me like a warm blanket. His laugh always made me feel tingly and warm. I faded off to sleep.

It was always the same dream. It was me standing in a field, alone. I would be standing in a circle surrounded by large stones. I would call for my mommy and daddy, but hear nothing but my own voice echoed back at me. Sometimes I would sit down and wait for whatever it was to happen. Every time I would try to leave the stone circle I would just walk right back into the circle from another direction.

Then I heard it. The snarling and growling. My heart would race and at the time I thought it might beat out of my tiny chest. Only when the monster set foot into the circle would I be allowed to run. I had this dream so many times I knew when I would be allowed to flee. This time the monster was a man with long black hair tied back in a ponytail at the base of his neck. This was the first time the monster was a man. I thought maybe he was here to save me. I took a small step toward him to see if he would make the dreams stop. His smile was all teeth and it made me pause.

He licked his lips and in a strange accent said, “Run, little one.”

That’s just what I did. I ran. My little legs were no match for the monster. I tried everything until I could no longer control my power and let go of the last thread of control.

I woke up to screaming. Tears were streaming down my face. I couldn’t remember where I was. I was in the car. Going to see Mil. I looked for my parents, but my vision took time to clear.

“Mom? Dad?” I rasped. There was no reply as the state of the car came into focus.

There was glass in my lap and blood in my hands. That’s when I smelled the gas and smoke. I started screaming. I could make out my mom’s slumped form in the front passenger’s seat and my dad’s form in the driver’s seat, but neither of them were moving. Someone wrenched open the door.

“Shit, are you okay, honey?” a rough, low male voice said.

I looked at him, but couldn’t make out the features on his face. His large hands tugged on my child safety restraints and after a few seconds of tugging and swearing he pulled me out of the car.

“Mommy, Daddy!” I screamed the whole time.

The man ran away from the car with me in his arms. He set me down on the ground, where I was able to see what happened. The front of the car was a crumpled mess. It seemed to be completely wrapped around a tree. There was smoke coming from the engine and underside of the car. All of the damage seemed to be focused on the front, yet the whole back window was blown out and the top of the trunk was black and the paint had bubbled up from extreme heat. It fanned out from a central point. The point was where I was strapped in.

“Stay here, honey. I’ll go get your parents,” the large man said. He wore a white T-shirt and blue jean overalls. In my child’s mind, this man was a farmer. I had a brief thought of,
But you’re a farmer, not a fireman
. He took one step toward the car and that’s when it erupted in flames.

I remember the heat. It was so intense. The heat seemed to pull out every bit of moisture from my little body. My mouth was too dry and my eyelids felt as if they grated down like sandpaper every time I blinked. The man picked me up and started to walk toward the street. I was screaming for him to take me back to wait for my mommy and daddy. He didn't understand; they would be upset if I weren't there when the fire stopped. I kicked and screamed, but the man’s hold on me was like iron. I screamed until I had no more voice and when I had no voice I cried, even though the fire took my tears from me. I passed out. And for the first time in what seemed like my whole life, all five years of it, I didn’t dream. How could I? My nightmares were real and I was the monster.

Later, I would find out that there was a catastrophic failure of everything with an electrical charge. While that was not enough to cause the car to crash, it was enough to distract my father and cause him to go off the road and hit the tree. But, how the fire started was a mystery.

“Earth to Delaney!” Troy’s voice was a bucket of cold water on my thoughts. His voice acted like a lifesaver pulling me to the rescue boat.

“Yeah, sorry. Just thinking,” I tried to cover. The thought of my parents came from nowhere.

“Well, don’t go hurtin’ yourself!” Troy joked. I gave him a weak smile. “Hey, is this about tall, dark, and big?”

“What? Oh, no, I don’t think so. I was just off in wonderland.” I gave him another smile, one I hoped would be more convincing. Hey, fake it til you make it, right?

“Well, it’s gettin' late and we have four miles to run, so let’s get in and change. I hope Screamin’ Mimi’s will still be open after, because girl’s got to eat,” Troy said, getting out of the car.

“What’s the point of running if you're going to eat pizza?” I asked as I walked to his front door.

“Because, duh, when you run before you eat it doesn't count as eating.”

I raised my eyebrow at him and said, “Boy, I want to live in your reality.”

I put my neon-pink running shorts on and paired them with a white racer-backed running shirt. We mainly ran at night because running during the day in Savannah was listed just under water-board torture in the book of cruel and unusual punishment. Well, maybe not. But it should be. It didn’t really cool off, but at least there wasn't the sun to contend with.

I walked out to find Troy lacing up his sneakers. Troy wore the exact same thing as me, but in neon green. Short shorts and all. I shook my head at him. “I swear, Troy, I am never taking you shopping with me again.”

He looked at me with an innocent, I-have-no-idea-what-you're-talking-about look on his face. “Okay, I’ll admit your ass looks way better in them than mine, but my legs look better. Oh my God, we could so be twins!”

I just stood there gaping at him. Then we both burst out laughing. Between gulps of air and hysterics I said, “Come on, fatty, let’s go delete the pizza.”

The path we ran along was about four miles total. We mainly stuck to a wooded area and looped back through town, passing right by the hotel Reid and Mitch were staying at. That had absolutely nothing to do with why we were doing this path versus another path. Well, that’s what I told myself anyway. After a few quick stretches, we were off.