Round and round she turned. The rope above her creaked with the tension that Jackson wound into it.
“But, you’re my woman and there h’aint nothin’ more fun than foolin’ around with the one you love.”
The rope creaked and popped once or twice as he continued to spin her around.
Then, he let go and the world went by in a sickening swirl, fast then slowing before her momentum wound the rope in the opposite direction.
There was a sound. Sickening in its familiarity, almost like ice cubes settling in a cold drink.
Sara knew it for what it was, the jingling sound of Jackson’s belt buckle coming undone, the clasp rattling as he slid thick leather through his belt loops.
She screamed as he came at her. In his hands, one bizarrely curled into a claw, he held the belt and it was not doubled over with the buckle in his fist as he had always done before. This time he held it with its entire length uncoiled, the grey metal buckle dangling at the free end.
But, it was not the sight of the belt in his hands that made Sara scream a second time as she slowly twisted in the air.
The barn door was agape and over Jackson’s shoulder she saw haggard trees lining a dirt road and upon their branches were perched the black shadows of large birds, all of them looking down at her.
Sara screamed again as Jackson lifted his arm, readying himself to begin the punishment he thought he owed her.
And behind him, black eyes glistened in rapt attention as more and more crows descended from the sky in silence to join their fellows.
She knew what that meant and it was far worse than anything Jackson might do to her.
It meant that evil would soon follow. It meant that the Journeyman was on his way....
~~~
A dark sedan of European make pulled up alongside another that could have been its twin.
The low rumbling of its motor went silent as a large man got out from the driver’s seat. In the same moment, a young man got out of the other car. His face was serious then went into a wide grin as the rear passenger doors of the other car opened and two well proportioned women stepped out.
“Hey girls!” Flair said, then nodded to his employer and pack leader, Brazier Abraxis.
Neither of the two women seemed to notice the enthusiastic young man. Instead, they both appeared to study the ground at their feet and, strangely, had nothing to say for a change.
“These two have no more taste for pleasantries this day, Flair,” Braze said.
It was clear to Flair that whatever mischief they had been up to had been summarily dismissed by the alpha wolf. Always the master at everything he did, the wolf who ruled them was a force to be reckoned with. It was something that they all would do well to never forget.
“I brought you here to find a woman. The situation is urgent and becoming more so with each second,” Braze said, pausing to frown down at the two women.
“I’m afraid I do not have something of hers that you might use to scent....”
Agate cut him off.
“Yeah. We got it. She’s all over you.”
Opal mumbled something that sounded to Flair like, “She’s even in his ears. Or between ‘em more like it.”
The two women lifted their faces up and Flair was reminded of why he had been so drawn to them the first time he had seen them. The air had been seething in cigarette smoke, drunken people swaying in time with music that was far too loud, yet when those two had walked into the bar, it was like a burning comet had crashed into the crowd.
Two faces, one darkly tanned, the other almost snow white...together they made a perfect whole as they began walking toward the police barracks in arcs that depended upon one another. They cast about themselves, searching, and as Flair had noted from their previous encounter, they did not seem to use their noses. It was more as if they used some other, uncanny, sense that went well beyond any ability to track cold trails like common hounds.
It was as though they were able to trace the phantom of a trail that could not possibly still exist. Except that they were able to find what no one else could. Not even the most acutely refined nose among all the wolves could do what they did.
“Here,” said Agate. She had been sauntering forward and at the foot of the stone stairs leading to the barracks’ entry she had frozen in place.
She turned on her heel and Flair watched, fascinated, as Opal nodded back at the other woman and walked a quick arc in front of her.
It did not take long before she, too, came to a standstill and said, “And here.”
Agate came to her side and the two of them put their foreheads together, whispering between themselves. Then, they separated and gestured to Braze.
“There was a vamp with her, but she didn’t leave with him,” said Agate.