Scent of the Heart (18 page)

Though he tried to be patient, Casey’s nerves were jangled. Taking an unskilled climber was bad enough, but this was his mate whose life was in peril, and that wasn’t even taking into account the big, ferocious cat that was probably barreling down on them right now. The good part would be the fact that Jake wasn’t the climber Casey was, but with Elizar in control, he probably knew a quicker route to his destination.

“I’m an idiot,” Casey mumbled.

“And I’m starting to freeze, so can we hurry this along?”

“Jake’s coming. We both know he is. What if we let him lead the way instead of us trying to find it?”

A knowing grin crossed Sev’s face. “That’s a bit of brilliance. No idiocy involved at all.”

Without the blood thorn draining him, Casey had enough power to move minute bits of snow, in essence creating what appeared to be a path up the sides of the mountain, in the spots that seemed most likely to conceal the best way to go. By the time he’d finished, though, he was panting heavily, the worry in Sev’s expression reminding Casey how exhausting all this was. When he’d done everything he could, they found a windbreak and huddled together there, Casey providing what little warmth he could.

“What happens if he doesn’t come? Maybe Elizar called him back.”

Casey tightened his grip, pulling Sev closer to him. “He knows where we’re going, I’m certain. Even if the item isn’t here, he won’t want us going any farther in the search. We’re the only two we know of that he hasn’t been able to control. He’s going to want to stop us.”

“And Jake?”

“I’ve known Jake as far back as I can remember. His mantra was always ‘do what you have to for the good of the team.’ He willingly waded into a group of kids who were taunting me because of my long hair, my big mouth, and being what they thought of as less than a man. He pushed his way in, throwing other guys off me. Jake has always been big, and I don’t think he was in any danger, but it meant something to me. He put himself at risk for me and kept me from being hurt.”

“I don’t understand. That story tells me that you owe him, and that you should be willing to do what’s needed to save him.”

“No, that story means Jake knows I will follow his example and do what I need to so that we’re safe. I don’t want him to die. I know that Zak would probably understand, but I wouldn’t get over it. If it has to be done to save everyone else? I’ll do it. If I can.”

***

Sev listened to Casey’s words but knew the weight that went with them. His mate wasn’t a violent man, and the price something like this would exact from him would haunt him forever.

The sound of strained breath caught their attention. The Protector had caught up with them. He raised his head, sniffing at the wind, and Sev felt a shiver ripple through them both as Jake padded around the area. Sev shifted, knowing that if Jake attacked them, he would need every spare moment. He turned his gaze to Casey, hoping for some direction, but those blue depths were closed to him as Casey mouthed words.

With a sonorous roar, Jake leapt. His muscles quickly covered the distance between them, and Sev struggled against Casey’s grip. His skunk was about to bite his mate, desperate to be released, until he realized that Jake’s path took him beyond where they lay hidden. He bounded to an area nestled in the rocks, then slipped beneath an outcropping, from which he didn’t reemerge.

They lay there for another twenty minutes before Casey hesitantly scooted forward. “Let’s go.”

Sev regained his human form, regretting it as the wind whipped over his naked skin. “What did you do? How could he miss us?”

“Masking cantrip. It’s a low level spell that the shamans used to help hunters to keep their prey from noticing them until it was too late. I wasn’t sure if it would work, because Jake isn’t exactly an animal. If he’d gotten much closer to us, there was no way he’d miss it. As it is, we won’t get lucky a second time.”

“Do you think Jake is fighting, and that’s what kept him from noticing us?”

“I told you, Jake isn’t there anymore. That’s all Elizar, who has no idea how to use Jake’s body properly. When Jake attacked us before, he could have killed me a dozen ways before I drew my next breath. Elizar is enjoying the fear too much to give it up.”

“Then why doesn’t he just take Jake’s body?”

“I have a few thoughts on that. I think he bonded to Mikhail. The only way he can be free is if we killed Mikky. If he had Jake kill the body, I don’t think it would release him, and he’d die with your brother. Sort of committing suicide.”

“So now what do we do?”

“Follow that kitty.”

They crept forward, following the huge paw prints that dotted the ground for about five hundred feet, then simply vanished.

“No way. We saw him.”

Casey’s gaze flew to the trees, and Sev knew the frustration and panic he could feel rolling off his mate.

“I don’t understand. He has to be here.” There was so much fear in Casey’s eyes as he continued to scan the area.

“We’re thinking of this wrong,” Sev murmured. “We know he came this way, and neither Elizar nor the Protector has magical ability, so the answer must be physical.”

Sev shifted, his squat form wobbling in the direction Jake had gone. Sniffing at the ground, he picked up the scent. It was the Protector’s scent, but not. A hint of Elizar was intermingled, overwriting the natural strength and dominance Sev noted from Jake. Casey followed, mumbling quietly, and Sev knew he had to find where Jake had gone, or risk having his mate questioning himself.

He neared the area Jake had disappeared when he saw it. Too low to be seen by a human that wasn’t on hands and knees, but still large enough that a man could slip into it. Ensuring he had Casey’s attention, Sev crawled into the hole, then stared in wonder. A tunnel, carved into the living mountainside, sloped upward. He regained his human form, then he and Casey began doing the impossible.

Stalking the hunter.

***

The pathway was an impossibility. Years with the most sophisticated equipment couldn’t have crafted something like this. It went on for miles, sloping gradually as they rose. It almost seemed as though it was a spiral staircase covered by a mountain. The nearly three hours they spent walking along the stone pathway finally came to an end when they arrived at a massive doorway carved from the stone.

“Okay, I didn’t expect any of this,” Casey admitted.

“The previous shaman is the only one who could have done it, but I’ve never heard of such mastery. It would have taken lifetimes to do, and Elizar killed him when we were banished to the outer ring.”

“It seems weird that he’d walk all this time, doesn’t it?”

“He likely knows shortcuts or has a talisman imbued with shaman magic to speed him along.”

Casey pushed the door open, and light spilled into the darkened corridor.

“Oh, spirits save me,” Sev whispered.

The roughhewn stone of the tunnel opened up into a room with smooth, almost glass-like rock walls, engraved with intricate patterns of stylized words, ornate scrollwork etched into light wood. The furniture was obviously crafted from the same type of tree, then covered in a rich brocade of deep black cloth.

“This—” Sev’s voice cracked. “This is the style he lived in while others were starving? Predator shifters killed their prey counterparts in order to survive, then mourned the loss of their neighbors and friends. So many deaths, while Elizar could have sheltered nearly the entire enclave in here.”

“It’s impressive, I admit. Tsvetok, welcome to my home away from home.”

They turned as one to find Jake, draped in animal skins, standing before them.

“This is where I wanted to bring you, so that I could introduce you to the ways of the world. If your parents had not fought me at every turn, you would have lived here. At least until I tired of you. And, Shaman, you see what marvels your abilities could bring? Imagine it; untold knowledge at your fingertips. Through Jake, I can sense the magic within you. Given time and attention, your abilities could dwarf those of any who came before you. Join with me. Not only will I spare your friends, but I will let you keep Tsvetok and his family as your pets.”

Casey recoiled in horror. “Dude, you can’t have my mate or family. I’ll do what I have to do to keep Jake from hurting anyone, because I know he couldn’t live with himself if he did.”

“By all means, kill your friend. Imagine the darkness that would creep into your heart. You would become the perfect partner. Your power, my direction, and Jake’s ferocity, we wouldn’t even need the enclave. I could teach you much. We could raze it to the ground and take all of those weak and pathetic shifters with it. The world would be better off without them. Humans are meant to rule.”

“Casey is going to stop you,” Sev barked, his muscles tensed.

“The shaman is going to do nothing. Even if he were able to kill his friend, and make no doubt, that’s exactly what it’s going to take, this place is not without guardians of its own. Even if you were to find the item, assuming it’s here, I would lose nothing. You on the other hand, risk it all. You’ve lost. Take what I offer you, and you’ll save yourselves much pain in the future.”

Casey moved a few steps from Sev, murmuring to himself. With no herbs or potions, he was relegated to cantrips and low-level spells, none of which would stop Jake. Still, a bit of misdirection never hurt, and he was almost certain Elizar was ingrained deeply enough that he would be overwhelmed by it.

“By the way, Shaman…your use of the blood thorn was inspired. Not many would risk their lives like that. How much blood do you think it drained from you? I can see you’re unsteady on your feet. Do you feel lightheaded? I could kill you now, you know. But you would be a better ally than a meal for the so-called Protector.”

Sev shifted so rapidly, Casey didn’t even have time to utter a warning. He released his spray as Casey threw a flash of bright light. Jake roared and tumbled over one of the heavy wooden tables. Casey smiled, knowing the smell would cling to everything, and hopefully dull Jake’s senses for a while. He once again used the misdirection cantrip, praying to the spirits that between it and Sev, Jake would be out of commission for a bit. He grabbed Sev, who struggled against his grip.

“Stop it,” he snapped.

His mate stilled instantly as Casey continued to run. A long corridor of doorways, each as intricately carved as any he’d seen, even in the city, lay before them. Casey could sense no magic from anywhere, making him wonder if Elizar’s item was even here. And if it wasn’t, could he and Sev do anything to stop the madman?

“Sev, shift. I need you in human form.”

Sev obeyed, regaining his body. “We could have stopped him,” he argued.

“Yes, because your itty-bitty skunk teeth and my bare hands are going to kill the Protector. No, our best bet is to find the item as quickly as we can and destroy it.”

“Elizar wasn’t lying. We’re not alone in here. I could smell other animals. Definitely bear, wolf, and lynx. There might be others, I’m not sure.”

“Shifters? If we can get them on our side—”

“No, pure animal.”

“Do you think Jake could fight a bear?”

“Given the size difference, a regular jaguar would have little chance against a bear, but the Protector would kill it without difficulty.”

Thoughts flew through Casey’s head. There had to be something they could use. A place this big would take forever to search, and knowing that there were animals somewhere made the job that much more difficult. Jake was hindered by Elizar’s presence. If these animals were trained, they would be the perfect guardians for the place.

“Do you think you can guide us past them if you’re in skunk form?”

“Maybe. If they come at us, we won’t have much time. I think I can spray one, maybe two more times. Beyond that, I’m spent.”

“Sure, you had no problems spraying me in the forest,” Casey said, trying to keep a teasing tone.

“If I tell you something, will you promise not to hold it against me?” Sev’s voice quavered, and Casey could feel what he was about to say. “I’m afraid. For you, my brother, our Alpha. I was just beginning to believe that life was going to be good again.”

Casey tugged Sev’s hand, dragging him down the hall. “As much as I’d love to stop and give you comfort, I can’t. I’m scared, too. Eight months ago my biggest problem was getting a bad grade. Now it’s whether or not the place I can finally call home is going to be taken from me. I would never hold that against you. I promise you we’ll do our best, and if the spirits are willing, we’ll come out on top. If not, I hope they’ll take mercy on our souls.”

He knew he should try to bolster Sev’s confidence, but with the link between them, Sev would have to know how he felt. Even without the link, the terror wasn’t going to be easy to hide.

“I wish to hell I knew more. Is there something to locate magical items? I mean it’s got to be magic, right? If it holds a soul, there has to be some enchantment on it.”

“You’re thinking too hard about this. This isn’t your Harry Potter. This is earth magic. You are the connection to it. All energy from the earth flows through you. It surrounds you, embraces you. You need to feel it. Previous shaman didn’t need the items you do to cast a spell. Most of them could do amazing things with nothing more than a verbal component. You have to tap that power.”

“How? I don’t know any more than what Hakiim taught me. I can reach the spirit realm and blend tea; that’s about the extent of it. The books in his house gave me some basics, but I don’t understand them and, I admit, I’ve been too nervous to try some of them because they’re scary powerful.”

“Yes, but did you read them? Did you see what they do? You don’t force the magic. It is a part of you. An extension of your will. And believe me, you’re the most willful person I know.”

Casey was about to laugh when a loud growl echoed down the hallway. They stopped, frozen in their tracks, as a large black wolf padded around the corner and cast its gaze in their direction.

“Well, damn,” Casey muttered.

“I can try for one more spray. Might not be much of one, though.”