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The vine stopped, hesitating. The dryad tapped her foot on the stone. "You say he was a werewolf?"
"Yes," I said, edging back yet another step. The hovering vine made me nervous, and I didn't trust the dryad not to send it whaling away on us. "He was a beta wolf . . . he would have been easy prey for those wielding Wolf Briar."
The vine began to retreat, but only to the edge of the wood. We could stil see it. The dryad squatted on the rock, wrapping her arms around her knees. I wondered, briefly, how her flimsy gossamer dress--so sheer it was see-through--could keep her warm in this weather, but she didn't seem bothered by the chil , and I didn't want to chance insulting her with another question.
"Wolf Briar." Her voice was low. "Someone is using Wolf Briar. I smel ed it--close to the time you are talking about. It stank up my trees, and I remember trying to hunt down whoever left the trail, but they were quick and not easy to trace. I stopped when I came to the edge of the wood."
"We think the coyote shifters used it to attack our friend. He had a pregnant fiancee. We found her dead today, before she could talk to us. We know the coyote shifters--the Koyanni--kil ed her to shut her up. They didn't want her to tel us anything that might endanger their plans." I decided to take the chance. "Wil you help us? Wil you show us where you smel ed the Wolf Briar being used?"
She stared at us, unspeaking, for a moment. Then, with a single nod, she jumped off the boulder and motioned for us to fol ow her as the thick undergrowth next to her parted, revealing a hidden path.
The dryad led us through a winding trail until we came to a smal field with a track in the center of it. She pointed. "He was there. I was watching him because he seemed odd, not human, and I watch al who wander the paths. He was alone, by the way. No friend came with him."
"Nobody?"
She shook her head. "None. I was about to leave him be when a group of shifters came off that path across the way." Gesturing, she pointed to one of the sidewalks. "They raced over to him, and I heard a noise and smel ed the Wolf Briar. I hid, so I didn't see what happened. When I returned some time later, there was no sign of the werewolf nor the shifters. The Wolf Briar was stil drifting on the breeze."
Camil e and I headed over to the track. It didn't look wel -used, most likely due to the fact that we'd had rain for most of the past two weeks and the track was dirt. Most joggers seemed to prefer the city streets or park sidewalks when they ran in the rain, and Seattle joggers didn't let rainstorms stop them from getting out on the streets.
As we circled the quarter-mile path, I stopped and pointed off to the side nearest the walkway that the dryad had pointed out. Something shiny lay in the grass. We headed over and knelt beside whatever it was.
"A watch," Camil e said, lifting it up. She turned it over. "It's inexpensive, but look--an inscription. To Paulo, the love of my life." She paled. "This was Paulo's watch." Standing up, she shaded her eyes and looked to the opposite tree line. I fol owed suit.
"Something must have been waiting here for him, come out, dragged him off. What's over there?" I turned toward the dryad, who had fol owed us out onto the grassy meadow.
She frowned for a moment. "Parking lot," she said after a pause. "Cursed machines. Tear up the ground, tear up the earth to lay pavement. Humans need to learn how to walk again."
I didn't say anything, not wanting to get her off on a tangent against cars. I rather liked my Jeep, even though it wasn't the best thing for the environment, and by now, cars were an integral part of human society, although the new hybrids were winning my heart for their attempts to shift away from pol uting the world.
"Coyote shifters got him here. Took him to the parking lot . . . this was Paulo's last free stop, I'l bet you." Camil e hung her head. "Poor guy. And poor Mary Mae and her baby."
My cel rang, and the dryad jumped back as if she'd been burned. I moved out of her way to answer it. "Yeah?"
"Chase here. We found something you need to see. It's not pleasant."
"What is it?" I was getting tired of unpleasant. I could real y go for something a little nicer right now. Maybe even downright fun.
"You mean, who was it. We think it's the remains of one of your werewolves. I say think because what's left isn't in very good shape. Get over here ASAP." And with that, he signed off.
I flipped my phone shut and turned to Camil e. "We've been summoned. Chase's men found something." I motioned to the dryad. "We thank you for your help--we real y appreciate it. If there's anything you ever need, let us know, and we'l see what we can do."
She blinked. "You mean it?"
Oh great. Earthside Fae were notorious in the way they latched on to the words "thank you" as a promissory note. Usual y, it was a good month or two before people cal ed in their markers, and when we were lucky, they said, "Forget about it," and let it go as a favor. But she was serious.
"Yeah. What are you thinking?"
She blinked, then broke into a sly smile. "I could use a new garden to tend. I'm tired of the space closing in on me here. Find me a place where the trees are stil wild and free, and I'l move."
Wow. That was unexpected. I choked down my first thought, which was, Oh yeah, we're great little Santa's helpers, and forced a smile to my lips. "We'l do our best. It may take a little time. Do you mind cold winters?"
The dryad gave me a look like I had just asked her if she encouraged strip mining. "No . . . does it look like the cold bothers me? You may cal me Bluebel . I'l be waiting here for you. Don't take too long. Please." And with that, she vanished into the undergrowth.
Camil e shook her head, warning me not to speak. We hightailed it out to the parking lot, Paulo's watch in hand. Once we were in the car, I told Camil e what Chase had said. "I think we don't have to look far to find one of our missing Weres."
She grimaced. "Wonderful. Okay, let's head out. This day just keeps getting worse and worse."
I was al in agreement, though to be honest, after finding Mary Mae's body, I didn't think there'd be much of a worse coming, and I prayed I wouldn't be wrong.
