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"A couple, but don't get your hopes up. I lucked out with the friendly one. He was looking for dinner, and I happened to know where a farmer with a herd of cows lived. The other time wasn't quite so bloodless." He grimaced. "I was traveling with a young priest who decided he was more powerful than the dragon. He wasn't."
"Oh Jesus, that's just what I needed to hear," Chase said, slowing as we came to a turnoff to the left. A graveled road led us through a tangle of undergrowth. Huckleberry and bracken, brambles and juniper encroached on the road, and giant Douglas firs rose out of the thicket, along with wild crab apple, vine maple, and red cedar. Here and there, patches of fireweed long gone to seed dappled the area. As we bumped along, the wild energy that Delilah had mentioned spread like mist rolling along the ground.
When we rounded a bend, to the left up ahead we saw an old house. The road ended in a circular driveway, where a couple of old trucks sat, rusted out from the looks of things. Further back, three outbuildings looked ready to tumble. I scanned the area, looking for any sign of the lumberjack. Chase was craning his neck, probably looking for the dragon.
The SUV coasted to a stop, and we piled out. Chase lightly tripped up the steps to the house, skirting a broken patch that threatened to cave in under him. He knocked on the door, but nobody answered.
I slipped around the side, veering toward the tenuous outbuildings, looking for any sign of life. As I approached the smallest one covered with moss, Chase screamed as an explosion rocked the area. Hell-and high water!
Racing back to the house, I saw that Chase had been thrown clear of the porch by some sort of blast, and the sparkles that indicated magic at play were flying everywhere. He was lying on the ground with Delilah kneeling beside him. Morio was cautiously approaching what had been the door. I dashed up the stairs, taking them two at a time, skidding to a halt beside the yokai-kitsune. He held his fingers to his lips.
"There's someone inside," he whispered.
Inhaling deeply, I mustered up as much energy as I could. Even though it was raining, lightning felt a long way off, but the Moon Mother—invisible as she was behind the cloud cover and daylight—ran strong and clear. I summoned her power, and it raced through my body, into my hands.
"Okay." I nodded at Morio. "I'm ready. Let's go see what we're up against."
As we rounded the archway, we found ourselves face-to-face with one of the Fae. She had pale mint-colored skin, and her eyes were the same color as mine, lilac and lavender. Tiny shoots, tendrils of some plant, emerged from various parts of her body, peeking from beneath a dress so sheer that she looked more naked than if she'd been nude.
Magnetic and lovely, she gave us a long look and then motioned to Morio, who took a step toward her. I grabbed his arm.
"No! I smell demon," I said. And then I knew who we were facing. It was Wisteria, from Jocko's journal. And as far as I was concerned, that meant Bad Ass Luke couldn't be far behind.
Wisteria shifted her attention to Morio. She held out a finger and again crooked it. I glanced at his glazed eyes and jabbed him in the arm.
"Snap out of it; she's using a glamour on you!" Morio shook his head and blinked. Wisteria gave me a dirty look and pulled her lips back, showing sharp little teeth. Oh yeah, she wasn't on our side; that much was obvious. Just then, Delilah and Chase pushed through the door.
Seeing the four of us standing there, Wisteria seemed to think the better of a fight and turned to run.
I was on her like snow on a mountain, sending a bolt of energy zinging in her direction. I hit her square in the small of the back, shoving her a good ten feet forward, but then to my horror, the bolt continued to ricochet off the walls. Before I could stop it, the energy slammed into Chase, knocking him off his feet.
"Crap! Chase, are you okay?" As I knelt beside him, Morio and Delilah converged on Wisteria. I heard a scuffle and glanced their way. They had managed to catch her. Morio was holding her down, while Delilah attempted to muzzle her mouth with the sleeve of her coat.
Chase blinked a couple of times, then slowly sat up. Thank the gods, he hadn't received the full blast, or he could have died. He glanced down at his shirt, which was scorched, and winced.
"Anything broken? Do you need a doctor?" I helped him to his feet.
He dusted off his jeans, then gingerly prodded his stomach, where the material had turned soil brown. "Thanks a lot. I loved this shirt. Damn, that stings. You pack a wallop, girl."
"You didn't get the full effect. Be grateful for small favors," I said grimly. In the best of all possible worlds, the bolt shouldn't have ricocheted like that, but considering the haywire effect of my magic, there was always a chance for something to go awry. Actually, in the best of all possible worlds, Menolly would still be alive, my magic would work perfectly, my sisters and I would be at the top of the OIA food chain, and we wouldn't be stuck running after a Degath Squad of demons who'd decided the time was ripe to take over Earth.
After making sure that Chase would survive, I turned my attention to Wisteria. Delilah and Morio had managed to restrain her near a big oaken table that was covered with a faded linen cloth. A place mat and napkin sat neatly in front of a chair. I shook out the napkin and advanced on our prisoner.
Delilah pulled her hand away as I slid the cloth in place over Wisteria's mouth. "She's strong," Delilah warned. Just then, the Faerie twisted savagely, attempting to free herself. My sister slammed Wisteria against the floor as Morio strengthened his grip.
I knelt down, trying to get a handle on just what race Wisteria hearkened from. She was obviously connected with the woodland. The vines and leaves weren't adornments on her dress; they were part of her flesh, part of her very essence. I stroked her hair, smoothing the long, wheat strands away from her eyes. The faint outlines of a brand appeared in the center of her forehead—a trefoil leaf.
"An offshoot of the dryads, I think." I struggled to remember my schooling.
"A maenad?" Morio asked. "She's volatile enough."
I shook my head. "I don't smell any meat, and maenads eat meat. She's never touched a hamburger in her life, I'd stake my reputation on it. No, I think Wisteria here is a dryad who's gotten into a snit over something and fallen in with the wrong crowd. Problem is, now she's linked to two murders."
Chase joined us and stared down at the Faerie. "She's got plants growing out of her."
"Genius, aren't you?"
"Hey, give me a break. After all, you almost killed me."
