CHAPTER 21

Early morning found us in the dark, in the cemetery, beneath a yew tree. Sunrise was still a long ways off, and a series of battery-operated candles surrounded the grave site. Real ones would have gone out in the wind that was blowing briskly. The cemetery had a lived-in feel, and I suspected a plethora of ghosts filled the fenced-in graveyard. Though it might be the resting place for the dead, it was also their coffee shop and community center.

Toby was there, and Officer Paris, and Patrick, Alex, Ralph, Chai, Degoba, and Tonya. The grave digger who stood beside the open grave was none other than Jack, the hearse driver. When I gave him a questioning look, he shrugged.

“Town this small, a man has to have two jobs sometimes.” He gave me a soft shrug as if to say, What are you going to do?

There was no reverend there, but Toby seemed to be waiting for someone. I looked over at the casket—it was simple, a pine box, but it had been painted with runes and designs that gave it the feel of age and tradition. The symbols had meaning and power behind them.

I moved forward to look at it. The coffin was sitting on a small stand, rather than on one of the devices used to lower caskets into the ground. The paints used to draw the symbols were vivid, and they almost seemed to swirl as I watched them. On the ground, next to the casket, two long ropes rested alongside a basket filled with white roses.

Toby stepped forward to stand beside me. “I want to thank you again.” He folded his hands in front of him, staring at the box, his voice solemn.

I glanced at his expression. He looked somber, though he wasn’t crying. And frankly, it made me sad that those who should be crying over Lacy were long gone. I let out a long sigh. The world was a harsh place at times.

“I’m just glad we found her—and found out what happened to her. Did you read through the papers we gave you?”

He nodded. “Yes, actually I think I know who did it. I think you were right. Her father killed her. Her diary is filled with concerns about his mental stability, and after he locked her up, she keeps talking about him being influenced by the spirits in this area. There’s no way to ever know for sure, I guess.”

“I suppose not.” I paused, then told him about freeing her spirit. I figured he’d believe us, given everything else that his family believed.

Toby smiled then. “Again, thank you. I wish I could have seen her, but I’m glad she’s free and gone to her peace.” He glanced over at the sidewalk. “There she is!”

I turned in the direction in which he was pointing, at first expecting to see Lacy. But instead, a flesh-and-blood woman was getting out of a taxi. She was dressed in a richly patterned dress, with a thick shawl pulled around her shoulders. Toby hurried off to greet her and escort her back, while I returned to stand beside Alex.

The woman turned out to be another one of Toby’s aunts. She didn’t have a fortune-teller feel to her, but there was something about her . . . Yes, Toby’s family carried a lot of magical energy with them. After introducing us—her name was Kendell—Toby motioned for her to go over to the casket. He asked the rest of us to join hands as Kendell began to speak.

“Lacy Buckland was imprisoned in her own home. She was forgotten, and then murdered and buried alone at the base of a tree. But her life has been brought to light, and her death, and now we join her to lay her bones to rest, and wish her farewell.”

Kendell paused, then placed both hands on the casket. She gave Toby a nod, and he did the same. “You were flesh of our family, blood of our family. We mourn your passing, mourn that death found you too soon. We abjure the one who did this to you and curse his memory. May our words reach out into death and drag him into fire for his act. May our words reach out into death and cleanse your passing, Lacy Buckland—we know and acknowledge you. We claim you, so that you may move on. Be at peace, even as your murderer finds his punishment.”

Startled a little—I hadn’t expected to witness a hexing at a funeral—I forced myself to stand still and not show surprise. Alex squeezed my right hand at the same time Tonya gave my left hand a little squeeze. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one taken aback by this turn of events.

Kendell began to sing in a language I didn’t understand, but the melody was lovely and it sounded like some sort of lullaby. At the end of the song, she and Toby removed their hands from the casket and moved back. Toby turned to us and motioned for Patrick, Alex, and Ralph to help him. The four men picked up the ends of two ropes and ran them beneath the casket. They then lifted the pine box into the grave, using the ropes to lower it into the gaping hole. Once it was in place, they let the ropes fall on top of the casket.

Kendell picked up the basket of roses and stood by the head of the grave. Toby motioned for us to follow him in a line, and one by one we passed by the grave site, each taking a rose from the basket and dropping the flower into the grave.

As I stood there, rose in hand, I closed my eyes and wished Lacy an easy journey, and peace. I let go of the rose and looked up. There she was, standing opposite me, watching. She raised one hand, waved and smiled, and then vanished. Blinking, I looked around, but nobody else seemed to have seen her, and I moved out of the way. After the roses were scattered, Jack moved to fill in the grave as we walked away. Kendell and Toby thanked us and the service was over, and that was the end of Lacy Buckland.

•   •   •

While Patrick and Alex went back to Tonya’s to sleep, Ralph, Chai, and I stood on the edge of the shore, near the lighthouse. Tonya handed me the pendant and, without a word, I headed to the water, wearing the sleek one-piece I’d brought. I couldn’t put the pendant on—I didn’t want to have to struggle with it in dragon form—so I clutched it tightly in my hand as I waded through the foaming waves crashing against the shore.

The sound of the water sang to me, and I dropped my head back and laughed, singing out to answer the waves. The sirens were out there, and the wild waves and the whales that came in from their time in the ocean. This was my territory, this was my joy.

By the time the water was waist deep, I struck out, swimming with the currents, letting them tug me out toward the open water. I dove deep as the water pulled me under, and then broke the surface again. My blood surged with life—the water knew me and I knew it—we were kin. I was part of the ocean and she was part of me and no matter whether it be a raindrop or a rogue wave, the same thread of the Ocean Mother ran through to connect them all to me and me to them.

Before I knew it, I was out far enough to transform and so I dove long and hard, deep, barrel rolling as I spiraled down, shifting form into my dragon self. The strength of my body overjoyed me, and the feel of the water became much more sensual as I drove through it, turning and spinning in joy. But then I remembered what I’d come for. The pendant was still in my hand and so I dove still deeper, down and down farther until I was at the bottom of the strait.

Once there, I rested on the silty floor. With the pendant in one front foot, I used the other to dig into the sand and rock littering the bottom of the strait. I dug quickly until I had a hole about ten feet deep. I stared at the glowing pendant. The forest wight king was trapped inside, and now, hopefully he’d be at the bottom of the strait forever. There was no guarantee that he wouldn’t ever go free, but there were no guarantees in life, period. And this . . . this should hold him for quite some time. I dropped the pendant into the hole and began to fill it in. Once it was set, I looked around and saw a rather large boulder sitting on the bottom. I rolled it over to cover where I’d dug the hole.

That was it. That was all I could do. It would have to be enough. Free from my task, I spent the next hour playing through the water, enjoying my freedom. I was home—more than the Dragon Reaches, more than Seattle . . . the water was my home.

•   •   •

That night, we opened the wights’ treasure chests. Inside, we found various treasures that spoke of the forest—beautifully polished river rocks, and polished pieces of wood. A curiously petrified bag of acorns . . . and we also found a beautiful sapphire ring in a platinum setting. Tonya and Degoba took the other items—they said they were good for magic—but Alex pressed the ring into my hand.

“It matches your eyes,” he said, smiling softly. “Consider it a bonus for a job well done. You held up so well for the first major case we took you out on.”

I stared at it, then slipped it on my finger, the metal cool against my skin. As I stared at it, I realized that it would help me never forget what we’d been through. What I’d learned about myself.

And then, it was time to say good-bye. We all gathered at Tonya’s. Degoba was there, and Toby. Chai had vanished—he said he’d meet me at my place in Seattle, and the party seemed oddly empty without him. But the kitchen was overflowing with snacks and drinks and bottled blood for the two vampires, and before we knew it, it was time to make our farewells.

Tonya and I vowed to keep in touch.

“I’ll be down in Seattle next month for a shopping trip, so maybe I can stay for the weekend.” She frowned. “You guys have totally disrupted my life, but I’m going to miss you so much.” She gave me a long hug. “You’re so much fun to have around, Shimmer. And now I know dragons exist!”

I hugged her back, already missing her. “You call me, okay? Remember, I’ve got a five-year sentence here. I need my friends!” But even as I said it, I realized that maybe this wouldn’t be so bad. There were places I could swim, and I could be who I was. And the fact was, Earthside people tended to be a lot more accepting than my own people. And, of course, there was Alex.

Degoba and I shook hands. I stared at his side. “I’m still so sorry about stabbing you—”

“You did what you had to. There is no blame, girl.” He paused, cocking his head. “Your journey’s just beginning, Shimmer. Whether you’ll end up going back to the Dragon Reaches, I cannot tell. But I will tell you this: No matter what happens, you won’t ever go back as the same dragon you were when you left there.” He leaned forward and whispered, “You don’t really need a family name, you know. You’re creating one, even now. I promise you that.” As he leaned away, his eyes flickered over to Tonya, and I caught a glimmer in them.

“Ask her out. Do it. I guarantee you, your interest won’t be unwelcome.” I pushed him toward her before he could start sputtering.

Patrick and Alex hugged, and Patrick offered us free lodgings anytime we were in town. “As soon as I’m good to open, you are welcome to come back whenever you want. I’ll never forget what you did for me.” He wrote out a check for our fees. Alex started to protest, but Patrick shook his head. “This is your job. I didn’t expect you to help me for free, and you earned it. You all earned it. Just take the damned money.”

“Well, seeing you owe me a thousand from that card game, sure thing.” Alex pocketed the check and then, it was six thirty and we had to make our good-byes before it got too late.

We gathered our gear and headed out to the Range Rover. This time, we actually had reservations on the ferry over to Coupeville, and I’d double-checked them before we left. The ride home would be a lot shorter, as long as we didn’t miss the sailing. As we drove to the ferry terminal, I glanced back at the town. I’d grown to both love it and hate it—the place was a freakshow of weirdness and yet . . . there was something that called to me here. I let out a long sigh as we drove aboard the ferry. Yes, this had been quite a learning experience and it would stick with me. But it was time to go home.

•   •   •

The trip went smoothly, and as the freeway guided us back into Seattle, the lights seemed almost blinding. Culture shock, I thought; even just five days away had taken me out of the city mind-set. We pulled into the agency headquarters around nine thirty. I blinked as I got out of the Range Rover to the tune of sirens playing in the street. Only these weren’t gentle songs, but whirring alarms. Somebody somewhere had done something wrong.

We trooped into the building. Bette was manning the desk and she jumped up, a grin a mile wide on her face as we pushed through the doors. Her ever-present cigarette was hanging off her lip as usual, and tonight she was wearing gold lamé stretch pants, a tiger-print V-neck shirt with ruffled sleeves, and a brilliant fuchsia pleather belt. Her four-inch stilettos were sparkling rhinestones and all in all, she looked like she’d stepped out of an ad for Frederick’s of Hollywood.

“Good trip?” She bustled us into the break room.

“Yes, you lovely old broad.” Alex gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and she smacked his butt. “Anything urgent go on while we were away?”

“Not exactly urgent, but I have two new clients wanting to talk to you. They’ll be in tomorrow night—I made appointments for them. Oh, and Glenda dropped off everything you ever gave her and said to fuck off and never call her again. She and I got into it, and I won’t repeat what she called me, but I don’t think she’ll be back. I warned her to steer clear of me or I’d give her a taste of what my fangs can do. And a water moccasin’s venom? Can affect a succubus.” Bette chuckled, and I could tell she’d just love an excuse to sink her teeth into Glenda.

Alex waved her protests away. “I know, love. Don’t worry. She won’t be back.” His gaze flickered over to me, just for a moment, but Bette caught it.

She snorted. “Well, finally . . . I’ve been waiting for you two to admit that there was an elephant in the room. Took you long enough!”

I blushed, but Alex just laughed.

“Hush, woman. Enough for now. We’ll fill out paperwork tomorrow. Bette, you wouldn’t believe what we went up against.”

She tamped out her cigarette and took a swig of her coffee. “You underestimate me, Alex. But then, you always did.” Laughing, she stood up. “Get your asses home now and relax. You all look exhausted.”

As we trooped out the door, she caught my arm and pulled me back. “I need to talk to Shimmer a second—she’ll be right out.”

“I’m dropping her off at home, so I’ll wait.” Alex headed for the parking lot.

Ralph waved. “See you tomorrow night, Shimmer!”

I wrinkled my nose at him. “Sure thing, Ralph.”

After we were alone, Bette turned to me. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to ask if you bagged him in the sheets. I can see by both your faces that you’re in that sex haze from the start of a new relationship. And I’m happy about it, before you ask. But what I do want to know is this: Did Patrick and Alex get things sorted out?” The concern was evident in her eyes.

I ducked my head, laughing. “Yes. Yes, they did.”

She let out a satisfied sigh. “I’m so glad. They were best of friends for a long time. I don’t wish bad luck on anybody but . . . if it brought them back together, that’s a good thing.” She gave me a keen look. “I think, Shimmer . . . you are going to keep Alex on his toes. And vice versa. And this is going to be a fun one to watch play out.”

Then, I did blush. “It’s so new . . . I don’t really even know what it is.”

“You’ll figure it out. And you have me to talk to if you want.” She patted my arm. “Go home now, and get some rest.”

I glanced at the clock. “Yeah, I’m tired. And Alex is waiting, I’d better go.”

“Mm-hmm,” she said, a twinkle in her eyes. “Have fun, child.” And then she gave me a quick hug and sent me out the door.

•   •   •

Alex parked the Range Rover in front of my house. “Here we are.” He leaned back, staring at me. “It’s up to you, Shimmer. Was Port Townsend a fluke? Or . . . is there more there for you? There is for me, if you’re willing to give it a go?”

Now that we were alone and back in Seattle, I felt oddly shy. But I didn’t have to think it over. “Let’s see where this takes us. No promises, no guarantees. But we owe it to ourselves to give us a chance.”

With a soft smile, he leaned forward, clutching the steering wheel. “I’m so glad you said that. I would respect whatever decision you made, but I . . .” He stopped, glancing sideways at me. “No, not going there yet. It’s too soon. But, Shimmer . . . you’re incredible. And I want you to know that I can’t stop thinking about you.”

I smiled softly. “I know. Listen . . . On the business side of things . . . I didn’t muck anything up too badly, did I? On the trip? Other than getting us lost on the way there?”

With a laugh, Alex shook his head. “On the contrary, you were wonderful, Shimmer. You had a few moments there, but we all did. You’re going to make a good team player. So don’t worry about that. You’ll get nothing but a stellar review to the Wing-Liege about this.” He paused. “Will Chai be staying with you?” There was a tinge of something in his voice I couldn’t pinpoint. Disapproval . . . disappointment?

I nodded. “He’s a good friend, Alex. He can help us out at times. And . . . I need to feel like I have some touchstone here. As long as Chai stays, I have some sort of family. You know? Ralph has his family. You . . . you have Bette. I don’t have anybody.”

Alex reached out and took my hand, holding it as he caressed my palm with one cool finger. I looked up and he caught my gaze. His eyes glimmered, their frosty light flaring as he stared at me, refusing to look away. My breath tight in my chest, I suddenly felt dizzy as he leaned toward me.

“I have Bette, yes—and so do you, whether you know it or not. But you have me, Shimmer. Never think that you don’t.”

Before I realized what was happening, he whispered my name and his lips met mine. They were cool and insistent, pulling me under as the kiss deepened. I closed my eyes, parting my lips ever slightly to allow him access. And then, I was in his arms and he tangled one fist in my hair, holding me tight. His lips lowered to my neck, and he licked the skin softly. I could feel the edge of his fangs scrape against my throat, and then . . . and then . . . he pulled back, letting go.

Breathing hard, I stared at him. “Do you have time to come in?”

He let out a low laugh. “All the time in the world, love. Sunrise won’t roll around for a while.”

And so we went inside, and the house seemed much warmer and fuller than when I had left. Signs of Chai were everywhere, but he himself seemed to have vanished. I knew he was around but giving us our space. As I led Alex into the bedroom, eyeing his lanky form, I realized that I wanted this to work—all of this. Seattle. The agency. Alex. I wanted something in my life that wasn’t transitory. Something real.

Alex took one look at the bed, then at me. “Come here, you dragon wench.” He took my hand and pulled me to him, trailing kisses down my cheek, onto my neck as he slid one hand up my shirt.

Fumbling for my belt and zipper, I began to strip, hungrier for him than the first time. This was new, like I had told Bette, and I didn’t know where it was leading but I wanted to follow the trail and find out. As we slid beneath the covers and he began to explore my body, the sounds of city streets provided their own kind of music. Cars passing by, the thrum of the lights and the concrete.

“Alex . . .” I whispered his name, my thoughts whirling from the sensations of his hands on my body, of his cock thrusting deep within me. Yes, I was stuck here in Seattle for five years, but the future didn’t seem as bleak as it had. In fact, maybe . . . just maybe . . . it might turn out to be something wonderful. Either way, I decided right then, I was going to enjoy the journey, and lost myself in the touch of his cool skin against mine.