Page 41 of Gone Hunting

Terror and shame that I now know her secrets.

“Celia?” I say, my tone more wolf than man. “What did you do?”

She lifts her chin, her resolve seconds from crumbling, while her voice remains firm as stone. “I did what I had to.”

She addresses Mimi, her features softening. “I may have done some of those things you claim, but I didn’t cause those storms and I sure as anything didn’t summon those skinwalkers.”

Mimi straightens up and howls with laughter. “No. But if you wonder why they came, I can show you. Or do you prefer to remain in the dark with your pretty eyes closed?” Again, Mimi laughs, the animated and shrilled pitch scraping down my spine. “If knowledge is what you seek, come with me and I will give it.”

Mimi stretches out her long, twisted fingers. I half expect a red shiny apple to form in her palm. I snag Celia’s hand, no longer willing for her to have a bite of anything Mimi is offering.

Celia looks at me then back at Mimi, appearing torn.

“Come, child,” Mimi says, motioning Celia toward her mess of a home. “Come and seek what you came for.”

I pull Celia away from Mimi’s reach. Mimi slaps my arm. “Stop it, Aric Connor. No harm will come to her by me.” She turns around, shuffling toward her cave and what remains of the splintered door. “Here, kitty, kitty,” she sings. “There is much to discuss, much to see, much to smoke.”

“Smoke?” we say.

“Nice,” Liam adds.

Our response earns us another cackle. Liam shrugs and strolls after Mimi. “We came for answers. Mimi wants to give them. Worst case scenario we get something to eat and we go home.” He pauses and glances over his shoulder. “Or she mounts Celia’s head on her wall. Either way, Mimi always has plenty of snacks.”

I’m ready to break Liam’s neck all over again. Koda’s strong grasp on my shoulder keeps me in place, but it’s Gemini’s words that snag my attention. “Don’t be afraid, Celia,” he tells her. “I’ll never let anything happen to you.”

Shock drives a stake through my heart and maybe jealousy, too. I shouldn’t react like this. He means well, except . . .

“We’llallkeep her safe,” Koda interjects. He drops his hand away from my shoulder. “I don’t know what’s going on either, Aric. And believe me, I’m less excited about being here than I was this morning. But Celia helped us. We need to help her.” He motions Gemini forward. “Let’s go. We’ll take point in front.”

“Aric,” Celia says. “About what Mimi said. I . . . there’s a lot more you don’t know.”

She’s worried my opinion of her will change. “I’m not going to leave you,” I promise.

She doesn’t look convinced, even as we walk toward Mimi’s home.

We step inside the cave behind Gemini and Koda. The only light trickles in through the mouth of the cave.

Until the battered door reforms, swallowing us in darkness.

Chapter Eleven

My eyes adjust to the darkness almost immediately. The cave is nothing more than a large open space. There’s a cot in the corner and some dusty old books piled beside it to form a bedside table. An old beat-up Native American rug lies beside the bed and round, giant pillows circle a firepit made of river rocks.

Mutilated owls hang from the ceiling. There are no strings that I can see, but I do sense the power keeping them in place. I scan each one. None seem to have been hunted. It’s more like they were injured or died from disease or age.

Mimi lowers herself onto a pillow and immediately a fire erupts in the pit, casting shadows along her crooked nose and deep-set eyes. Liam plops down beside her. I exchange glances with Koda and Gemini, nodding once to give them the okay to sit. Koda lowers himself next to Liam, Gemini next to Mimi. I sit beside Gemini.

It’s a strategic move, leaving Celia positioned in front of Mimi with the fire between them. It’s the furthest from Mimi that I can place Celia, but it doesn’t seem far enough.

My attention hones on the wall behind Mimi where a human head is mounted. His brown hair is ruffled, his eyes are missing, and his skin is pulled taught against the skull.

Liam nudges Koda with his elbow and points to it. “That’s my Uncle Donald. He wasn’t a nice guy,” he whispers, oblivious to Koda’s slacking jaw.

Mimi grins, amused. She turns and lifts a large, flat wicker basket and places it just a few inches from the fire. Dry leaves, the size of platters are carefully stacked within the basket, some brown, others a deep yellow, and some so black they appear seconds from disintegrating.

The basket wasn’t there before. I’m sure of it. I place my hands in front of me, cautious of what else may appear and ready to act if it has fangs.

Mimi chuckles, taking pleasure in our unease. “May I offer you some tea?” she asks.

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