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"Would you kindly inform me as to just what a Death Maiden is?" My sandwich had become a lump on its journey to my stomach. I'd better hit the antacids before I slept, or I'd wake up with one hell of a bellyache.
"You aren't going to like it," she said.
"Thank you, Ms. Obvious. I already don't like it, and I don't even know what we're talking about. Just tell me, so I can start dealing with whatever mess I've landed myself in." Testy, I wiped my hands on my napkin and folded my legs into the lotus position, a massive headache threatening to join the fray of aches and pains working their way through my body.
Menolly slowly lowered herself to the floor, her face impassive. But her eyes were bright with blood tears, and I knew that whatever had happened to me, it wasn't good.
"Kitten, the Autumn Lord isn't just any Elemental Lord—he's also one of the Harvestmen. I did a little more research while the five of you were off traipsing through the ether this evening. The Autumn Lord collects souls in his palace, and he's served by a contingent of women called Death Maidens. They're similar to Valkyries, and on Samhain Eve, they harvest the souls he's marked for death.">Unnerved by the whole afternoon, I asked, "Should we stop off at the Puma Pride before heading home? It's on the way."
Zach let out a loud sigh. "Shit, I want to go home, but what if we walk into a trap?"
"Did you tell anybody where you were going?" Camille closed her eyes; I could tell she was praying he'd kept his mouth shut.
He let out a long sigh. "Yeah, I told Venus the Moon Child. That's all."
"We may still have a chance then," Morio said. "Venus is no traitor."
"He isn't one of the newcomers to the tribe, is he?" I asked.
Zachary shook his head. "Nope. He couldn't be, not and be our shaman. But we've had three come in, and they all arrived during the past six weeks. Shannon and Dodge, from the Oregon Cascade Clan. They started out with the Puma Pride, then migrated south some years back, so we know they're safe. And then… Tyler."
Tyler? Something rang a bell, and I didn't like the sound of it. "Where did he say he was from? Who gave him references?"
"He came in from the south, from New Mexico. He says he was with the Desert Runners Band, and he did have a letter of introduction. But… I'm not sure who checked out the references. I can nose around, try to find out," he said. "So, do you want to stop by the compound first? Or take me back to your house? My truck's still there."
Camille shook her head. "Let's go back to our house. We don't want to tip off Tyler by showing up with you, just in case he's our man. Anyway, we need to figure out what our next step should be."
Morio concurred and slid into the driver's seat. Smoky opened the back door and motioned to Camille, who had moved to sit in front with Morio.
"Get in the back with me. Zachary can sit in front." His voice took on a preemptive tone, and she gave him a dirty look, but he leaned close and whispered something in her ear, and she quickly obeyed. Morio glanced at him through the rearview mirror, but Smoky merely gave him a smug smile, and no more was said.
He draped his arm around Camille's shoulder, and she settled into his embrace. I couldn't tell if she was interested or irritated. Knowing her, probably both. I decided the best way to deal with an imperious dragon was to ignore his arrogance and focus on the matter at hand.
"Okay, it looks like we're ready then," I said. "Homeward bound, Morio, and don't spare the gas pedal."
Morio started up the engine, and we headed out for the two-hour drive home. Three, if traffic was bad. Nobody spoke. It was as if we were all lost in our own worlds.
Zach had to be in shock, and with good reason. I couldn't imagine finding out someone I trusted was turning out to be my clan's worst enemy returned from the dead. Camille looked worn out and in need of a good back rub. And Morio just kept his eyes on the road as he navigated rush-hour traffic. As for me? My thoughts slipped back to the brand on my forehead and what it might signify.
I felt different, but exactly how, I wasn't sure. Now that we were in the car, I rooted around in my purse and brought out my compact, flipping it open. Frozen, I stared at the mark on my forehead. A black scythe, much like a crescent moon, glittered in the middle of my brow, shimmering as if a PVC tattoo had melted into my skin. Gently, I reached up and ran my fingers over the brand.
A shiver of fingers ran up my back, and I caught my breath as I was swept back into the cloak of the Autumn Lord's energy. A voice echoed in the back of my head, a hint of laughter flickering through the words. "You belong to me, now. My time is your time."
"What? What do you mean?" I tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come out, and I found myself staring into his eyes again, twin obsidian flames. Lost in those ever-burning flames, I let him take my hand. The tang of freshly turned soil bit deep into my senses. I was standing on the edge of the abyss, ready to leap over the side and fall forever. Suddenly realizing what was happening, I struggled, trying to break away.
He ran his hand over my forehead, then tipped my chin up. With a dark laugh, he said, "Go then, Changeling. You'll return to me. All of my chosen eventually find their way home. Until then, every time you look in the mirror, watch for me. Every time you see a whisper of smoke, you'll remember the smell and touch of autumn, because I am your destination."
And then he was gone, and I was staring at my reflection in my compact. Over my left shoulder, he watched. Faint, a ghost in my memory, but definitely there. I jumped and yanked my fingers away from the mark on my brow.
Camille was staring at me. "What's going on? Delilah, are you okay?" We weren't sisters for nothing—she knew something was up.
"Tell you later," I said, not wanting to talk about it in front of the others. "Listen, have you guys noticed anything that might be the result of our visit to the Autumn Lord? Any… visions, or anything?"
Camille gave me a sharp-eyed look and shook her head. "You're right. Those kinds of thoughts are for later when we're safe behind our wards."
"Listen, could you guys keep it down? It's starting to snow hard, traffic's a bitch, and I'm trying to concentrate," Morio said, scowling in the rearview mirror. But his focus wasn't on the traffic behind us. He was staring at Smoky's hand as it looped around Camille's shoulders. So, it was possible to goad the impervious fox demon after all.
When we finally reached the house, we tumbled out of the car like foam snakes out of one of those joke cans. As I glanced around the yard, I saw that Iris had been busy. The front porch was covered with strings of twinkling lights, and a gigantic wreath was hanging on the wall next to the front door. Bound with red ribbons and sparkling gold beads, the evergreen boughs smelled fragrant enough to eat, even from where I was standing.
