Circle of Desire (18 page)

Ethan shrugged. “I think he was some kind of mutant.”

“So how is a mutant connected to the case?” Benton stopped his pacing and glared at Ethan for a moment. “And why did it attack Miss Tanner?”

“He was apparently working with the woman behind all the kidnappings and murders.” He paused, then added, “I think if you check the bite marks on the last victim, you’ll find they match the mutant’s.”

They both stared at him for several seconds, then Benton swore and resumed his pacing. “So Tanner was tracking it?”

He nodded. “It must have spotted her, because it attacked her in the restroom.”

“And she killed it.” The captain shook his head. “I should have her head on the block. We needed that man for questioning.”

Ethan realized he was clenching his fists only when he saw Mark studying him. He flexed his fingers and tried to relax. “You almost did have her neck on a block,” he reminded Benton shortly. “And it’s hard to be precise with a knife when someone is strangling you from behind.”

The captain sniffed. “You know we found a second body at the restaurant.”

Ethan glanced at Mark. “Where?”

“In one of the booths,” his partner supplied. “We discovered it after everyone had been questioned and released. Looks like he died the same way as that old man in the barn.”

In the middle of a crowded restaurant? This woman was obviously bold when she took them—sexually and spiritually—or had some sort of magic happening
that prevented other patrons from seeing what she was doing. “Did you run that other check for me?”

Mark nodded. “And your straw-clutching guess was right. In each case, there were reports of disappearances over a three-night span before the kids were taken.”

“All men?”

“Yep. And the body of one was recently discovered. The report says cause of death unknown.”

“But I’m guessing he was found in a somewhat compromising position?”

“Naked and obviously in the middle of sex when he died.” Mark shook his head. “By all accounts, it looks like we have some sort of black widow at work.”

It was something a whole lot worse than a black widow, Ethan thought grimly, though he doubted Benton would actually believe it. Hell, there was a part of
him
that still wasn’t believing, despite everything he’d seen. “The question is, how are those murders connected to the kidnappings?”

Because they were; Ethan was sure of it. He glanced at the door separating the two cabins. Though he’d heard no sound, the hint of summer touching the air told him Kat was awake.

“No one knows how any of these men died,” Benton exploded, “and to add to the confusion, there have also been reports of a number of men going missing around the same time frame. Whether they’re connected or not, we’re not sure, but I have a damn
bad
feeling about it all.”

So did Ethan. The door opened, but it was Gwen who stepped through. “They’re connected,” she said, voice sharp. “But the trouble is, you seek answers that
lie in the ordinary, and this case has nothing to do with the ordinary.”

Kat followed her grandmother through the door. She no longer wore the wig and her eyes were once again green. But they were haunted with exhaustion and pain, and her face was pale. She should have been asleep, and probably would have been had it not been for Benton’s booming voice.

She no longer wore Ethan’s jacket, and her low-cut shirt revealed a tantalizing glimpse of her breasts. Her black skirt swirled around her thighs as she headed for the second sofa, showcasing long, wonderful legs. He wasn’t the only one who silently admired them as she sat.

Her gaze rose to his and, for an instant, there might well have been no one else in the room. Though she was tired and still in pain, the need in her eyes was every bit as strong as the one that pounded through his veins. The momentary smile that touched her lips did strange things to his breathing.
Tomorrow
, she’d whispered. He suddenly wasn’t sure he could wait that long.

“What do you mean?” Benton’s voice cracked the brief silence. “If you two are withholding information—”

Gwen’s snort was contemptuous. “The only thing we’re withholding is knowledge you’re not likely to believe.”

“Right now, I’m desperate enough to listen to even the most outlandish theory.”

“Then I’ve got one that’ll blow your socks off.” Gwen perched on the arm of the sofa beside Kat. “The thing that is taking these kids is called a mara. It’s an
ancient spirit that can enter houses by taking the form of a cat or vapor. It seduces men and eats their souls while they’re in the midst of passion.”

Benton stared at her for a second. “This thing is human.” His voice was harsh. “Your granddaughter saw it.”

“The fact that it can take human form doesn’t make it human,” Gwen said dryly. “As yet, we have no idea why it is taking these kids, but it
is
stealing their souls. And doing so while they are in great pain.”

“The first was drained of blood,” Mark said. “Six days later, the second kid was torn apart. How’s that related to this soul-stealer?”

There was very little doubt in Mark’s voice, Ethan noted. But then, Mark had seen the disintegration of the zombie firsthand. That would be enough to make anyone believe that something beyond the norm was going on in this case.

“The first kid was drained by a vampire who was working with the soul-sucker,” Gwen elaborated. “Kat killed it in the warehouse. You probably would have found a man-shaped black stain on the concrete.”

That explained the bits of humanity found among the soot. Ethan looked at Kat. “Is that why you were attacking him with stakes?”

She nodded. “White ash.”

Her voice was little more than a croak, and he raised an eyebrow, glancing at Gwen for explanation.

“Most stakes will damage a vampire,” she said. “But to ensure a kill, it’s best to use white ash.”

“And the mutant in the restroom this evening?”
Though Benton asked the question, his expression suggested he really didn’t want to know. “How is that connected?”

“Ethan has already told you it was working for the soul-sucker. And it was a werewolf,” Gwen said, meeting Ethan’s gaze for a moment. “Not a mutant. Not a freak of nature.”

He had a sudden, unsettling feeling the old woman was beginning to figure him out.

The captain scrubbed a hand across his mottled cheeks. He looked sick, Ethan thought. Heartsick.

“You’re seriously expecting me to swallow this?” the captain said, voice flat.

“You have the werewolf, and I guarantee his bite will match those on the second kid’s remains. You have the residue of the zombie who tried to force Kat and Ethan off the road. You have the charcoaled remnants of humanity from the warehouse.” Gwen crossed her arms and studied Benton coldly. “What further evidence do you need that something beyond normal is going on with this case?”

“More than that,” he bit back. He glared at Gwen a moment longer, then resumed his pacing. “We know this … woman … is taking these kids. We don’t know the reason.” He glared at Gwen again, as if daring her to contradict him. “Why, then, is it killing the men?”

“Like all things, it needs to eat to exist,” Gwen said. Mark swore softly and she gave him an amused look. “Amen to that, Detective.”

“So the next question we have to answer is, how did it become involved with the werewolf and the vampire?” Ethan said.

“Kids,” Kat croaked. “The werewolf said part of his job was taking care of the kids.”

Ethan frowned. “The ones they kidnapped?”

She hesitated. “No, he said
her
kids.”

“Good God,” Gwen said. “If this thing is
breeding
, then that could certainly explain both why she’s taking the kids and why she’s killing the men.”

“How?” Benton growled. “What has one got to do with the other?”

“Breeding takes a great deal of strength. To produce young, she has to be at optimal levels herself.”

“But she’s not killing the young,” Ethan noted. “Her henchmen are. So why take the kids?”

“I don’t know,” Gwen said, her expression one of frustration. “We’re still trying to uncover more information about maras.”

Ethan glanced at Kat. “Did the werewolf say anything else?”

She nodded. “He said he’d been moving between Springfield and here for a couple of weeks. He also said they couldn’t leave until the kids were old enough.”

“If that’s true, why is it taking the children to warehouses to kill them? Why not kill them wherever it’s keeping its own kids?”

Kat shrugged. It was Gwen who answered. “Maybe it needs these children for something more than feeding. Or maybe it simply kills them elsewhere in an effort to throw police off the trail. Which it did, until we came along.”

“If this thing is supposed to be a spirit, how the hell can it have kids?” Mark asked.

“It
does
have a physical presence. It wasn’t a spirit
who seduced and killed those men.” Gwen pushed to her feet. “I feel the need to scry. Kat?”

Kat rose and followed her grandmother into the other cabin. Benton and Mark looked at Ethan.

“She can sometimes see future events,” he explained. “Through a crystal ball.”

Benton snorted. “You really believe that rubbish?”

Until he’d met these two, he hadn’t really believed in anything supernatural—despite the fact that
he
was a werewolf. He’d been born and raised in a small farming community, and his family had very carefully shielded the townsfolk from the knowledge of what they were. He’d grown up feeling like a freak—a dangerous freak who needed to be locked up one night every month. But the last couple of days had certainly opened his eyes to just what else was out there. “I thought you were willing to use anyone who helps solve this case?”

“Doesn’t mean I have to believe it.”

“Believe in them. They’re the real deal.”

Mark’s blue eyes glimmered with amusement. “You’ve changed your tune over the last few days. Wonder what the reason for that is?”

“I’ve seen things—”

“I just bet you have.”

Benton’s gaze wavered between the both of them. “Am I missing something here?”

“Nothing important,” Ethan muttered, shooting an annoyed look his partner’s way. “Did you come up with any ID matches for the driver that attacked us?”

Mark shook his head. “Not yet. And it’s a long shot, at best.”

Everything about this damn case seemed to be a long shot. Including finding Janie alive. He scrubbed a hand across his jaw. He couldn’t think like that. He had to find her. Anything else was simply unacceptable. “The lab boys find anything unusual when examining the second kid?”

Mark frowned. “Maybe. They found some dirt under a couple of his fingernails.”

“Most kids have dirt under their fingernails.”

“Yeah, but this stuff was slightly phosphorous. It didn’t come from that warehouse in Springfield, that’s for sure.”

It was a clue. Maybe their first. “Are they trying to place it?”

“It’s going to be a long task, so don’t expect miracles.”

He didn’t expect miracles. He only expected answers. “Nothing else?”

“The kid’s clothing and shoes were still damp. He’d been immersed in water a couple of hours before his death.”

“No telling whether it was bath, river, or sea, I suppose?”

“It wasn’t seawater, but that’s the only thing they are sure of.”

Another possible clue that led them nowhere. He glanced at Benton. “What about the old man? Any clues there?”

“No—” A shrill ring interrupted him. The captain swore and dug his cell phone out of his pocket. “Benton here.”

It was bad news. That was obvious from the captain’s
expression. After listening for a few moments, Benton said, “Where?”

He scrawled down an address, then hung up. “Another kid’s gone missing,” he said grimly. “And this time, the mother was killed in the process.”

“I
’M COMING WITH YOU.”

Ethan’s response was almost automatic. There was nothing he could do that Mark and Benton couldn’t, beyond finding scents. And this thing left as little in odors as it did other clues.

But it was better than standing here. Better than wondering if the soul-sucker would follow the pattern it had set so far. Wondering if, in three days’ time, they’d find Janie’s body, sucked dry or mutilated.

Benton stabbed a finger his way. “You take one step toward that house, and your ass is in the nearest jail cell.”

“Captain—”

“I’m serious, Morgan. Keep your nose clean.” Benton glanced at Mark. “Let’s go.”

Ethan looked at his partner, and Mark nodded at the unspoken request. The two men walked out the door. For several minutes, Ethan stood there, weighing his need to follow them against the wisdom of staying put for the moment. He swore and locked the door, then headed into Gwen’s cabin.

Gwen was at the small table, staring into her crystal
ball. He sat beside Kat on the sofa and gently touched her neck. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired. Sore.” She shrugged. “It’s to be expected.”

At least most of the bruising and swelling had gone down. Those herbs were definitely miraculous—either that or Kat had supernatural self-healing abilities, which he’d seen in werewolves, but never before in a human. He blinked. But she
wasn’t
human. She was a shifter, a raven.