The Spirit Seducer (The Echo Series Book 1) (8 page)

“With something sharp. Like my spear.” He adjusted his grip. He palmed a knife in his other hand.

I’d seen the weapons before but never studied them. The blades were a rich black and seemed to pull in light. But they also gleamed with some deep internal light—a kind of elemental luminescence I’d never seen before.

Magic. That’s what shimmered off those blades, much like Layla’s aura—I’d been drawn to the magic long before I knew what I was looking at.

The tips were wicked sharp, formed using the ancient chipping method I’d seen in many of my texts and even some museum collections. I wondered if they were old—they looked it.

“Any other options?” I asked.

“Fire.”

Something told me that wasn’t going to be my forte.

The eyes to the left leaped up at least fifteen feet. Within a heartbeat, a shaggy form filled the space. Its deep, throaty growl turned to a guttural sigh as Zeke leapt upward, his spear slamming into the beast’s eye socket. I gagged. He pulled out his weapon and spun in a smooth movement.

“Run,” he commanded, his voice harsh.

I did. Straight toward him. He flipped his blade over and, in the same graceful motion, threw it. I heard the
whish
as the knife sailed past my ear, followed by a high-pitched yelp. Then the meaty thump of a body collapsing behind me. Dogs, they sounded like dogs.

That place in my head—the one I’d thought of as the center of my headaches, lit up brighter than a floating
farolito
and just as hot. Another one of the dogs was inches from Zeke’s back. He couldn’t turn in time. Before I realized what was happening, the heat from my mind unfurled in a thick wall of water. My necklace flashed and the spirits there shot outward, spinning around the water, holding the dog within the whirlpool. The dog thrashed, its yelps slowing as it swallowed more water. Its eyes met mine through the liquid barrier, hate-filled. It bared its teeth as it stilled. I turned away, shuddering.

The last dog scrambled back over the fence with Zeke in pursuit. He vaulted the five-foot fence as if it was nothing. I followed.

I hit the wall at the four-foot mark and scrambled over the top, landing hard on my ankles. Zeke ran at a diagonal toward the dog, looking to cut him off in about fifty yards. I focused on the dog, trying to lash out with the water I’d used moments before.

Nothing happened. I had no idea how I’d done that.

Zeke yanked back his spear and tumbled into the creature. The two of them rolled, the dog’s grunts and yelps interspersed with Zeke’s curses.

I stopped running, my hands hitting my knees as I struggled for breath. The dog fell still.

Zeke stood, yanking his spear from the beast’s chest. He wiped the tip along its fur. I walked closer as Zeke stepped back.

“You killed them?” I panted.

Zeke shoved his spear tip into the ground, yanking it up and sliding it back down. Ah, a ritual cleaning. I’d read warriors took their weapons—and their kills—very seriously.

“Not all of them. You got one. Good job, by the way.”

“With the water? I thought you said only blades and fire killed them.”

“You told those spirits in your necklace to drown it, didn’t you?” Zeke asked, a frown forming between his thick, dark brows.

I swallowed hard. Of course not. But now didn’t seem like the time to mention that I didn’t know how to ask the ghosts in the necklace to do my bidding.

Zeke moved forward enough for me to make out the array of scratches on the back of his hand, deep nicks that dribbled blood onto the grass.

“You’re hurt,” I gestured toward his hands.

“Nothing new. The cuts will heal. Quicker, once I put some salve on it.”

“Why did you kill them?”

He was near enough now that I could see his eyes—deep brown irises that were just a shade from black. Like the expensive chocolate Mom would give me after a particularly bad headache spell—it always helped. His lashes were so long, the golden tips touched his brow above.

“So they couldn’t report back to Coyote.”

He pulled his weapon from the ground, checked for any gore, and said a few lines of thanks in old Hisatsinom.

“Which would be bad because then Coyote would know I was here.”

He nodded once, looking at me like he wondered if I was one of those people. The slow ones who needed everything spelled out in the simplest of terms.

Maybe I did. Because this was a world I could barely comprehend.

“Well, some chick already does. She said she knew where my mom is.”

“What? Who?”

I spread out my hands. “I don’t know. Her voice changed, sultry when she spoke of you, and all snowy and cold when she was insulting me.”

Zeke paused mid-stride. He turned toward me slowly.

“She had big white eyes,” I squeaked.

He hefted his spear, his mouth a flat, angry line.

“But I remembered what you said. Not to leave the yard. So I didn’t go with her.”

“You shouldn’t have been outside,” Zeke growled.

Oh, that’s how it was going to be?

“Look, your girlfriend came to me.” I thumped him in the chest with my finger. Damn, that was hard. I shook my hand. “I was minding my own business.”

“You have to listen to my directions, Echo.”

I cleared my throat and met his gaze. “Did you find my mom? If so, then the mean, glowy-eyed woman isn’t important.”

He closed his eyes, those dark lashes fanning across his cheeks. A pained expression crossed his face as he shook his head. “No, I came back when you called.”

“Oh.” I was quiet, absorbing the pain his words brought.

He turned, heading back toward his house. I fell in step next to him, wincing at the pebbles digging into my feet. He snagged my fingers in a fleeting grip.

“I’m sorry, Echo.”

I sucked in my lips, pressed them hard between my teeth. I jerked my head in a sharp nod.

“Where’s Layla?” Zeke asked. “She was supposed to stay with you.”

“She left. Someone waved at her from the fence line.”

“You didn’t see who it was?”

“No. She didn’t tell me either.” Yeah, I felt stupid and useless.

Zeke’s eyes narrowed as he stared out into the night. Our steps reverberated through the overwhelming silence.

“I used up all your water,” I blurted.

“That’s fine. It’ll refill,” he said, his gaze still out on the terrain beyond his fence.

“Why don’t you have plumbing?”

“I do. Of a sort. But my place is miles from the nearest town. Masau helped me set up the cistern system. He and I agreed it’s best for me not to need any modern conveniences, especially with my regular demon visitors.”

We’d once again returned to the fence line. It was a traditional-style coyote fence—thin wooden poles lashed together with metal ties. This one stood about seven feet tall, higher than the one that surrounded my backyard.

“Um, thanks for the clothes,” I said, using my left hand to sweep down my body.

“You are very welcome. Up and over.”

“You don’t have a gate?” I asked.

A smile flitted across Zeke’s wide mouth. “That’d be a no. I don’t want to make it easier for demons to waltz into my space.”

He grabbed my waist and hoisted me up so I could capture the top of the wooden posts. I dropped to the other side, wincing as the tiny rocks and sharp, dried plant matter dug into the tender skin of my arch. Running around barefoot was not smart. Zeke dropped down beside me, sliding up from a crouch to his full height with easy grace.

Light from inside spilled out across the darkness, a beacon of safety in this inhospitable land. I inched closer to Zeke, needing the comfort of his body if nothing else.

I stared up at him, trying to make out his expression in the dimness. The moon, a thin sliver, didn’t offer much light and the stars seemed fainter here than at home. That didn’t make any sense, just as it made no sense that I didn’t know how to talk to Zeke. To any man, really.

He looked at me. Really looked. Not darting glances when he thought my attention was elsewhere. He seemed to like my copper-colored eyes, a first for me.

“Let me get my knife. Then we should go inside.”

“Can I do that water thing again?” I asked.

“Hopefully. I’m glad you did. I didn’t have time to turn.”

My spirits slithered back toward my necklace. The water and suspended dog fell to the ground. Zeke shoved his spear into the beast’s chest, and I swallowed the sour taste in my mouth. Removing it from the dog, he shoved the spear tip into the ground.

Zeke knelt next to the last carcass and pulled out his knife. He rubbed his blade on the dog’s muzzle, ensuring all the blood was off. Then he drove the blade into the ground four times and repeated the same prayer.

“Why are you back?” I blurted. “Like, in person.”

He jerked his head back, his lips compressing as he considered me. “I told you. You called me.”

“So you said. But I don’t have your number. I don’t see how that’s possible.”

He rolled his eyes. “Ha. Like a phone would work. You called me back with your mind. But it’d be best if you don’t. Call me, I mean.”

H
e turned
, glancing around the yard again. From the tenseness of his shoulders, I could tell he expected more of those things—or even scarier ones—to show up soon.

No, thank you. Those suckers had lots of teeth that they were more than willing to use.

“You should be safe for a bit, but, still, head inside. And stay there this time.”

My face flamed, and I forgot he made me nervous.

“So very sorry,” I said, my voice edged with the sarcasm and some of the hurt that was ripping through my chest. “I didn’t know I could, or did, contact you. Thanks for the in-person visit to tell me you don’t care.”

I spun toward the door, planning to slam his door shut in his face. He stepped in the house before I had a chance to complete my epic door slam, which irritated me even more. One, because he was fast. Two, because that would’ve been an amazing exit worthy of just about any reality TV show.

I loved The Voice and Survivor, though Layla said way worse shows were out there. I’d planned to watch some of them on her iPad because my mom would never approve.

Yeah, really rebellious of me. What can I say—I respected my mom. Loved her. When she asked me not to do something, for the most part I tried to adhere to her wishes.

Now I wished I’d pushed harder for what I wanted—like true martial arts and more details about my father. If I had, maybe my mom would still be here. And I would’ve been more capable when she’d needed me.

“Echo, you need to pull it together so you don’t make the situation worse.”

“How am I making the situation worse?” I asked. Layla had said the same thing earlier.

“You don’t have any control over your magic. That makes you unpredictable. It also makes you an easy mark. Not just for Coyote.”

“I’ve heard that an awful lot today, and the whole ‘you don’t get it’ thing is getting really old. Especially because no one’s bothered to tell me what’s going on. I’m just supposed to be cool with the fact my mom’s missing and there are real gods who want to hurt me. Well, I’m not fine with this situation. I’m not.”

I was close to yelling. I stepped back and forced my fists to unclench. I blinked up at Zeke, shocked by my vehemence.

I was unsettled and scared and . . . lots of other things. It didn’t help that his frustration was creeping over my skin like millions of angry fire ants.

“Echo, you have to understand. You have power, and gods want it all. Any way they can carve it from you.”

“Right, but I’m just the person least prepared possible to deal with the threats because no one bothered to tell me about them.” I leaned my elbows forward on the narrow counter top. “Care to explain why my father’s missing while all this is going down? Seems like he could at least offer some moral support. Or want to tell me why my mom’s trapped in a soul-sucking darkness?”

Zeke’s lips thinned as he glanced away, the frustration I could sense emanating from him growing stronger with each heartbeat. “Because Coyote and his cohorts planned better than we did.”

“Seriously?” The anger I’d been trying to control boiled dangerously close to my upper limit for the second time today. Gah. I didn’t know how to answer him—I didn’t know how to fight with a guy. I didn’t know guys. “You are such a jerk.”

“And you’re in a mood. I haven’t seen this one before.”

I sent him a look that should’ve turned him to ash on the spot. “I don’t get moody often. Because I’ve always been more boring than watching paint dry.”

“You aren’t boring, Echo.”

“I am. I don’t know how to talk to you either. You make me nervous.”

His eyes glinted. “Do I now?” His voice was deeper, the corner of his mouth flipping up with amusement.

I would’ve retreated farther from him if I could have figured out how. “Why are you looking at me like that?” I whispered, my pulse spiking.

His eyes narrowed. “I really do make you nervous.”

“I just said that,” I snapped.

He ran his hand up the back of his neck. “This has to be so hard for you.”

I bit my tongue. Adding sarcasm to this situation would not make it better. The silence let me catch the edges of my disintegrating temper.

We stared at each other. The look soon became awkward, then downright uncomfortable.

“Maybe you could explain some things to me. Make this less scary. At least give me more information so I know what’s coming and why.”

Zeke settled back against the wall, all casual nonchalance.

“I’ve been fighting the demons Coyote sent to infiltrate what you call Earth.” He watched me, probably to see if I believed what he was saying.

“I remembered you—the first time we met. Earlier, when I was flying through the sky. Crazy part of my day. Way more exciting than my typical party.”

I tried to smirk, but my face felt wrong, as if it wanted to crumple.

His eyes softened. “I planned to be there with you today.” He stepped forward to wrap his long-fingered hands around my biceps.

Heat sizzled up from my skin. I stepped back, trying to clear my fuzzy head, and he let go.

“Why would the warriors—Layla called them hell-spawn and a lot of other names—help Coyote? I didn’t think he was supposed to head up the spirit world.”

“The dead are Masau’s job. But, like Sotuk, he’s MIA. No contact in the past three days.”

“And that’s bad, because?”

“Gods don’t just go missing, Echo. There’s a reason, and I’m guessing it’s linked to the prophecy.”

The heat from Zeke’s touch had faded, replaced by cool trickles of dread spidering up my arms, tickling the fine skin at the back of my neck. “Which has something to do with me.”

“It has something to do with all of us. But first, those warriors you saw today are kachina. Demons. They’re not supposed to walk in this world because they feed off of negative emotions. They crave power. Coyote’s offered it to them.”

We were silent, me absorbing his words and Zeke studying me.

“Tell me more about this prophecy, please. Why haven’t I read about it anywhere?” Getting information was proving tougher than Aunt Carolina’s pot roast. “And—to be clear—you and Layla are like me? More than human.” I liked that euphemism. It felt . . . safe.

“More than human,” Zeke repeated with a smirk. He needed to stop doing that. I couldn’t get distracted by those perfect white teeth. Gah! Look away, Echo.

“Are you a god?” I asked, forcing my gaze back to his.

Zeke shook his head, the corner of his mouth lifting again. “No more than you are.”

“But you can move between the different planes.”

“I can. Yes. That’s because I am Earth.”

“You can’t be a planet. That doesn’t even make sense,” I sighed.

“Each of the Four can control an Element. I control earth. Rather—the ability to move easily around on it. I can also manipulate certain manifestations of the world like trees, grass, dirt.”

I absorbed this, narrowing my eyes as I considered the implications of his statements.

“One of your parents is a god? Not Sotuk.” I held my breath. I so didn’t want to be Zeke’s sister.

“Definitely not Sotuk, though my father is a god.” He rolled his shoulders. “Not that he’s much of either.”

His tone was hard. A warning. I stepped back again. Zeke measured the space between us before his eyes drifted back up to my face. He catalogued my features, probably taking in my widened eyes. He crossed his arms over his chest. Defensive, much?

“I fight demons, mostly,” he said. His casualness was magnified by his concern for me, which did more to mitigate my fear than his words. “I fell into that role—a demon fighter—back when I was thirteen and they ambushed me. I was surrounded before I knew what happened.”

“How’d you get away?”

Zeke raised his brows. “I didn’t, but they found out pretty quick I wasn’t going to let them rip me apart. I was good at kicking ass and decided to get better. As one of the Four, we’ve had two options to stay alive: fight or hide. You and Layla were in hiding. Who knows where the fourth of us is. I was the main target.”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, and I was. Thirteen was so young. I was eight years older than he’d been, and I was still completely unprepared to deal with whatever the hell I was involved in now.

“I’m not. Learning to fight—both well and dirty—helps us all. You, me, Layla. We’re a team, Echo.”

I sucked on my bottom lip, absorbing his words.

“Masau asked for my continued help to keep demons where they belong—in the lower worlds. He thought it would slow down the prophecy, give us time to plan. The demons have gone after you, your mom, and Layla so often that protecting you became my de facto job.”

“But how did they know where to find us if we were hiding?”

Zeke smirked. “Demon-sense.”

At my blank look, he rolled his eyes. “They can sense magic—smell it or something.”

“But not the gods?”

Zeke shrugged. “Seems that’s a no. Otherwise Coyote would’ve visited long before now.”

“Why wouldn’t the demons tell the gods about us?”

“Because then the gods would want to drain you of your powers. This world, it’s survival of the strongest. That comes from magic. He who owns the most power can destroy enemies and rule large swaths of the worlds.”

“So demons want my magic, too?”

“Yep.”

I was small, untrained. No wonder he’d said I was an easy target. My muscles quivered with the primal need to run, hide.

Zeke was helping me, talking to me about the ways of the world. I needed to trust someone, and right now, this part-god who knew my clothing size and favorite ice cream was my best bet.

“You like your job?” I tried to keep my voice neutral. I don’t think I succeeded. “Stalking me?”

“I don’t stalk anyone. The demons were drawn to Santa Fe because of all that banked power. I took them out before they could hurt you. Or Layla.”

Somehow, I doubted that. His answer was off, unsatisfying. Because I didn’t know what else to say, I stepped farther away from him. Emotions rolled through me, some puzzling because they felt like emotions about me. I threaded my fingers through my hair, tugging at the ache building in my scalp. So far the pain hadn’t escalated into a full-blown migraine. Now that I knew my mother caused them, part of me wished for another one. Just to know she was okay.

I leaned back against the wall and shut my eyes. I wasn’t that lucky. Of course I wasn’t.

“One more thing. Coyote is helping spirits through the gate and into our word. These beings weren’t nice when they lived the first time. Mostly, they were greedy, nasty excuses of humanity. They’ve had years to stew in their misery and baser instincts. Now that Coyote knows you’re a spirit seducer, he’ll want your help to control the spirits. That’s why I said you have to stop calling me,” he said.

I opened my eyes. “I don’t understand.”

Zeke ran his fingers through his hair, and the short strands stood up in various cowlicks. Light glinted off the auburn strands intermixed with the soft brown in his hair. I wanted to smooth it all down. I crossed my arms, curling my hands into fists.

“Every time you think with that part of your brain, the part that calls up your power, you’re pinpointing your location. Like a mental GPS. You’re the one Coyote and the demons want, and they will come and get you. Part of that’s because you weren’t trained in how to send a signal. Each time you send out an SOS, intentional or not, gods, kachina like the one who took your mom, other demons can hear you.”

“Every time?”

He nodded. “They have to be waiting, paying attention. But Coyote is, now that he knows about you. He’s dangerous and you need to be very, very careful around him. Any of them. Then there are those things in the yard just now.”

I blinked up at him, trying to wrap my mind around the fact such creatures existed, let alone wanted to tear me apart. My knees shook and my throat went dry. I’d killed one of those beasts tonight. I’d never killed a bug before, preferring to capture them and let them loose outside. But this—nothing could have prepared me for the extreme makeover my life had taken today.

I didn’t like it. And I sure didn’t like Zeke’s tone and implication.

“How could I have summoned you if I don’t know how?”

“With the part of your brain that links us together.” Irritation overlaid with an exaggerated patience laced his voice.

I wasn’t expecting that one. “We’re linked? How? What does that mean?” Oh, no, did that mean he could hear what I was thinking? Or worse, what I was thinking two minutes ago, when I wanted to touch him?

“Your mother and I set it up the first time I met you.”

“I don’t remember that.”

“You wouldn’t. She didn’t want you to know me.”

His voice was tight again. Clearly an unhealed slight. Why would my mother want Zeke to protect me only? She had to have known I’d be fascinated by him. To want to know him better.

Was that why she made him stay away? I tugged at my lower lip, trying to make sense of the myriad thoughts flitting through. I couldn’t really catch one and I didn’t have any answers anyway.

“That doesn’t make any sense,” I whispered. The sconces danced in some unseen breeze. I shivered as the shadows played across his face, making Zeke look even more dangerous.

His eyes traversed my face, pausing on my lips, then dropped to my throat. He yanked his gaze from my skin, and I tried not to notice how his glance had darkened, his brows lowered. I gripped my hands together, his emotions slamming into me as they boiled up in him, fighting for dominance.

“You’re trying to make our relationship fit the ones with your family or even with Layla. This isn’t that world, Echo. The same rules don’t apply.”

His living room seemed to close in as shadows built outside, pressing against the glass.

I fought his emotions as they washed over me, appalled at the intrusion into his privacy. I didn’t know how to turn this off. I was suffocating in his roiling sea of guilt, and desire, but mainly frustration.

He scooted closer, as if to touch me. I whimpered, unprepared for the next assault. Zeke’s touch would unleash a tidal wave of deeper connections I wasn’t prepared to handle.