Page 25 of Deceiver (Soul Chasers #2)

Wilder

B efore I can even make a plan for how to find Keagan, I turn around and bump straight into Farnsworth.

“What are you doing here?” I ask. “I can handle it.”

“Handle what? I doubt you know the issue since I just discovered it.”

Maybe he doesn’t know I lost Keagan. “What issue?”

“There’s been a breach in the Below,” Farnsworth says, glancing around the room. “This isn’t your house.”

“No. What about the breach?”

“It seems your Horror is craftier than most. It used the target to make contact and several more escaped.”

My mouth drops. “Fuck. How?”

“We’d all love to know. Wilder, are you sure your target isn’t complicit?”

“Complicit?”

“Yes. Is he helping the Horror?”

I shake my head. “No way. Unless…” The words fall away. He is missing right now, and he’s shown that he has trouble separating the father he longed for from the Horror. “I don’t think so.”

“Very well. I wanted to let you know that we’ve dispatched a team of Chasers to this area to help with the escaped Horrors while you focus on yours. We need to stop yours before we find ourselves with a mess we can’t clean up.”

“Understood.”

“I’ll leave you to it.”

Then he’s gone, leaving me reeling from the news. My instincts tell me that Keagan wouldn’t knowingly go along with the Horror, but if he’s being manipulated, it’s hard to say.

I have to figure out where he’s gone, but I don’t have a clue where to start. Then an idea comes to me. The medium.

I pull my phone out of my pocket and open it to an internet browser. While there are a plethora of mediums and psychics in Salem, there can’t be too many named Talon. If her skills are legit, she should be able to point me in the right direction.

I do a quick search and get exactly one hit with a store address right in the heart of Salem. There’s no phone number listed, which is odd, but I’m already heading down the stairs and out the door to drive to Essex street.

Twenty minutes later, I find a spot to park and exit the car, walking down the cobbled streets looking for the shop. It’s getting late, so I have no idea if she’ll still be there, but I’m not prepared at all for the scene I walk into.

Several cops are in front of the entrance to the store, which has been cordoned off with police tape. I hurry over to the one wearing a suit.

“Excuse me. Did something happen here?”

He eyes me up and down. “Who are you?”

“A customer. I had an appointment with Talon,” I lie. “Is she okay?”

“She is not okay. There was a break-in and she was attacked by the intruder. She’s in the hospital.”

“Attacked,” I whisper, looking into the shop. “Did you find who did it?”

“No, and there were no witnesses. No other businesses were affected. It seems like it might’ve been personal. Do you know Talon personally?”

I shake my head. “No.”

The officer nods. “I don’t think she’ll be taking customers for a while.”

I turn to walk away but he calls after me. “Hey, what’s your name?”

“Edward Wilkins. Feel free to research me. I don’t know Talon and I certainly didn’t harm her.”

I continue walking away. If they bother checking into me, they’ll find my perfectly benign persona and squeaky clean record.

Back in my car, I try a search for Mercy, but there are several listings for people with that name. Having no other way to contact her, I choose the closest location and go there. The first place is an abandoned apartment building I’m sure no one could be living in, so I continue to the next.

A feeling of dread spreads through me as I turn down the quiet residential street, guided by my navigation system, and when I get to the intended address, I’m met by a similar sight to the one I just left on Essex street.

Police cars with flashing lights line the driveway and street, the front door is open, and the yard is in the process of being roped off. I’m pretty sure this is the right Mercy. Instead of interacting with law enforcement again, I roll down my window and address some people standing in the road.

“Do you know what happened here?”

A woman turns to me, nodding with her arms wrapped around herself. “Mercy was attacked. Sweet girl. Keeps to herself. They aren’t sure she’s gonna make it.”

“Fuck,” I mutter. “Did they take her away yet?”

The woman nods. “About ten minutes ago. They won’t tell us much, but they’ve been searching the neighborhood looking for a suspect.”

“Thank you.”

I back down the street, turning around when I get to the corner, and head to Salem Hospital. Two women connected to Keagan being attacked in the same evening? Even if I did believe in coincidences, this one is a little too exact.

Driving faster than I should, I make it to the hospital quickly, slipping in through a side entrance to avoid the staff.

If I ask at the desk, I won’t be allowed to see either of them, seeing as I’m not family.

Unfortunately, over the years, I’ve had to learn ways to get around the red tape of hospitals and morgues.

I find the elevators and hit the button, choosing each floor and walking the halls looking for either Mercy or Talon.

On the fifth floor, I finally find Talon’s room.

Peering through the small window, I see a petite woman lying in the bed with a bandage on her forehead, hooked up to various machines.

Opening the door, I glance over my shoulder before approaching. Her eyes are closed, but they snap open.

“Who are you?”

I raise my hands to calm her. “A friend of Keagan’s.”

Her eyes narrow. “You’re no friend. What are you? You’re not human.”

“I’m human, Talon. Different, but still human. I mean no harm.”

She studies me for a long moment, then nods.

“Will you be okay?”

She nods, swallowing. “I took a healing potion after the attack. It’s already working. They don’t have to do surgery.”

“What happened?”

Talon shakes her head, gazing ahead for a minute. “I never saw it. It came from behind me and knocked me down. Then it was just the blur of a knife.” She lifts her arm, showing the slashes marking her skin. “I felt the presence, but it was like I couldn’t open my eyes.”

“Your attacker was supernatural?”

“Absolutely. It’s happened before, but this was different. More intense. I swear I could feel its rage, but I have no idea what it could be.”

“Talon, did you see or speak with Keagan at all?”

“Not recently. Why?”

“I think his father’s spirit attacked you. Mercy too.”

Her brow creases as she blinks rapidly. “Mercy?”

I nod. “I think she might be here too.”

“Goddesses,” she moans. “I brought her with me to Keagan’s house. It’s almost impossible to do a reading or session with him—it feels like a barrage of spirits are trying to break through the veil. I brought her with me for backup. Now she’s hurt?”

“I’m not certain, but I went to her place after yours. What I think is her home. A neighbor said she was attacked.”

Talon closes her eyes for a second before asking, “Why did you come looking for us?”

“I can’t find Keagan. I thought you might be able to help. I think the Horror has him.”

“The Horror?”

“The spirit of his dead father.”

“Why did you call it that?”

“That’s what we call them in my job. I’m tasked with hunting them down and getting them back to the underworld.”

It’s rare that I say these words to anyone who’s not a target, and even more rare to be met with complete acceptance.

“You really are a Soul Chaser,” she whispers. “My grandmother told me about people like you. It’s real?”

“Yes. Normally I have no problem detecting where a Horror is, but this one is smarter than most at this stage. I think it has Keagan.”

“Hold on. I’ll try to find him, but I don’t know if I’m strong enough. Do you have anything that belongs to him?”

“No. I should’ve thought of that.”

“That’s okay. Give me your hand. That can work sometimes if your connection to the other person is strong enough. No promises though.”

“Understood.”

I give her my hand and she holds it delicately, closing her eyes. Her lips move as if she’s speaking, but she’s silent. What the hell kind of tricks does that Horror know that are keeping them both blocked from me?

“Focus on Keagan,” Talon says softly. “Just Keagan.”

“Okay.”

I close my eyes and concentrate on the memory of his face, his sweet smile, his pretty eyes. My mind drifts to the steamy moment we shared and how beautiful he looked all flushed when we were done.

“There you are,” she says. “He’s… running. Woods.” Her head twitches twice, her eyelids fluttering wildly. “He’s frightened.”

“Where is he?”

She shakes her head. “It’s unclear. I sense…” She pauses, raising her other hand. “He’s looking for you.” Talon opens her eyes slowly. “He’ll find you. Go home and wait.”

“Are you sure?”

She nods. “I’m sure.”

“Is he hurt?”

“I don’t get that sense. Just scared and confused.”

“Okay. I’ll go back home, I guess.” I start to pull my hand away, but she holds it tighter. “Talon?”

“He’s…” She tilts her head and nods, and her lips move again. “He’s connected to you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh.” Her expression shifts to surprise for a moment before she turns and looks at me. “You’ve been waiting for someone like him. If you open yourself up, you’ll find what you’ve been searching for.”

I pull back slightly, but she holds tight.

“I don’t understand.”

“You do. You don’t have to stay lonely. Keagan is the answer.”

I shake my head to dismiss her words, but they cling to me, reviving the tiny bit of hope still living dormant inside me.

“Samuel,” Talon says, and I gasp.

“How do you know that name?”

“The spirit world is talking to me.” She looks down at her lap, concentrating, then back up at me. “More love than even with Samuel.” She smiles. “It’s inside Keagan.”

My jaw drops. I’ve seen and heard a lot of shit in my day, and while I’m well aware of the existence of mortals with gifts, I’m astounded by the message she just delivered. Keagan is the love of my life? Could it be?

“You have to trust something outside yourself for once,” Talon continues. “Fate has a plan. Stay open to it.” She exhales slowly, sinking back into the bed and releasing my hand. “Wow. I haven’t had a message that strong in a while.”

I don’t know what to say, so I just stare at her.

“Go home, Wilder. Keagan will find you.”

I nod. “Okay.”

I walk out of her room feeling stunned, and I make my way back to my car in a daze.

Back behind the wheel, it takes me a few minutes to snap out of my stupor and start the engine.

It’s getting late, but if I’m going to trust Talon’s gifts—and I think I should—I need to get home and hope Keagan is on his way.

Arriving at an empty house, I sit in the driveway for a few minutes before I exit the car and go inside. It’s quiet, as it usually is, but the lack of sound is noticeable this time.

After peeling off my trench and tossing it on the couch, I start to head to the kitchen for some water, but I don’t even get halfway there before I’m stopped by pounding on my front door.

I swing around and rush to open it, finding Keagan sweaty and breathless. He falls into my arms and clings to me.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

He doesn’t answer me as I lead him inside.

“Talk to me, Keagan.”

He lifts his head, his eyes red rimmed and wet. “I think…” His voice cracks as he catches his breath.

“What?”

“I think it’s inside me. You have to get it out, Wilder. You have to get it out.”