Page 7 of Alice Worth and the Elite Death Machine

I had no time to waste; with every second, the shifter trace dissipated more. I drew the light golden magic into myself, knitted it to the tracking spell, and sensed the spell crescendo. “Adinvenire,” I commanded.Find.

This kind of tracking spell felt like what I imagined being sucked from an airplane might feel like, or what Malcolm experienced when he moved lightning quick from one place to another.

With metaphysical speed, my consciousness shot forward into darkness?—

—And into the arms of an enormous man with the head of a wolf and glowing white-golden eyes. The wolf’s head had thick silver fur that ran down his neck and over his shoulders.

The moment his arms closed around me, I lost sense of myself completely. I became…safe and perfectly comforted, as if utter bliss were a warm blanket that could be wrapped around my soul. I felt no fear of him at all. In fact, I believed I could not feel any fear now, even if I tried. Fuzzily, I thought that if this was what Sean experienced when he touched the trace, no wonder he’d reacted the way he did.

Who are you, child?The wolf-man’s voice in my mind was deep, with a thick accent I could not immediately place.

I’m Alice. In my mind, I curled up against him without really meaning to, but I couldn’t imagine any reason to push him away. I had never felt so safe and content. I didn’t know such comfort existed.

Alice, I think you are the daughter of a shifter and a human. How did you find me in this way?

For a moment, I couldn’t remember what had brought me here—or whereherewas. My mind felt sluggish, like I’d just woken up after a very long sleep and hadn’t had any coffee yet.

I tracked you, I recalled.I’m a mage. I found strange trace left behind in a hotel room.

Ah.He seemed surprised.I thought I might be followed, but not by a human, and not in this way.

The formal way he spoke reminded me of vampires more than century or two old. I hadn’t thought to ask Sean how long afaoladhmight live. A typical shifter’s lifespan wasn’t more than a few decades longer than a human, but I got the feeling this man had been around for quite a while.

I was told you’re afaoladh, a great warrior and protector of shifter-kind, I said. Is it true?

It is true.

I recalled what Sean had said about afaoladh’sviolent need to protect.You don’t want to kill me?

I do not. He rubbed his chin on my head, as Sean sometimes did for comfort or reassurance when I was unhappy.You are a warrior and protector too. I know my own kind, though we do not often cross paths. Be my mate.

That certainly startled me out of my stupor. My surprise quickly turned to sadness.How lonely must he be, I thought,that the moment he met a female of his kind he asked her to be his mate.

As such, I didn’t take offense, and I tried to at least let him down easy.I’m flattered, but I’m in a committed relationship with an alpha werewolf named Sean Maclin, I told him.He leads the Tomb Mountain Pack.

I am saddened to hear your heart belongs to another, but I know of this alpha. He is a good man.Thefaoladhmoved so he could look into my eyes.Why did you track me?

As kind as he seemed, I knew this part could get dicey.I’m a private investigator. I was hired to find out what happened in Room 401 at the Phoenix Inn. The person who rented the room vanished and there’s a dead body in the tub. Neither of those things are good for business, so the hotel owner wants answers.

His hand brushed my forehead. I sensed something—a pull or tug—along with a rush of golden magic. I got the impression he’d somehow just stolen a glimpse into my memory.

Hey, I said angrily.If you want to know something, just ask me. Stay out of my head.

My apologies, Alice. I forgot myself. His voice became grim.I did not kill the demon. You are not alone in seeking my charge and me.

Who is your charge?

Their name is not for you to know. The child will be safe with me. They will learn the ways of the faoladh.

The child is afaoladh?Why would a demon hunt them?

The demon hunted on behalf of another.

I had a sinking feeling.How many people are after this youngfaoladh, and why?

It is not your concern,he said gently. His arms loosened around me.No one will touch this child. Now, I must go.

Wait.I held on.Sean and I are warriors and protectors too. If this child is near us, and there are others hunting you, we can help. Our pack protects the vulnerable.

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