Page 27 of Slaying With Sylphs (Haven Ever After #6)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

CONNALL

I was just arriving to meet Lou for lunch when she took off up the path into the woods. Terror filled me watching her, wondering if she was seeing Leighton. I’m not allowed in the gnome village, though, so I sprinted through Alkemi and out the back door as terror filled me.

I’ve never known fear like that, watching her run toward danger and being unable to be by her side in a moment.

Now, Lou shuts down, holding the gnome’s hand as I comm first my Alpha, then Arkan. The gnomes talk in low tones for the five minutes it takes Richard, Arkan, and Doc Slade to arrive. We had just parted to head home after a day of meetings about haven planning.

But now all I can think about is how another monster’s been hurt, and how my mate has gone catatonic by his feet. She was close to whoever did this. Again .

I long to comfort her, but the need to protect rides me harder. I stalk the sides of the path, looking for anything that could have done this to the tiny gnome. There’s nothing. Just the same beautiful forest there’s always been.

Lifting my comm watch, I direct it to call Dirk.

“Wolf,” he murmurs throatily when he picks up. “Tell me yeh’ve called to have delicious phone se?—”

“We need you,” I say. “Behind the gnome village.”

His voice goes steely. “I’m coming.” He signs off without another word, and less than a minute later, he pops into view in front of me. Intelligent eyes survey the scene, filling with sorrow when they land once more on me.

He drops to his knees by Lou and lifts her chin. “Louanna.”

When a tear streams down her cheek, he pulls her into his embrace.

Slade asks the gnomes’ permission to lift Bellami, and we jog back to downtown.

An hour later, the verdict is the same as before. Whatever happened to Amatheia happened to Bellami too. He’s stiff as a board, muttering something unintelligible. Morgan arrived shortly after we did. She’s had her hand over Bellami’s stomach for the last few minutes.

She turns to us with a shake of the head. “I can’t fix him either, whatever it is. It’s dark and I can usually feel that. I mean…I knew I could touch Wesley’s black magic when I killed him. But whatever this is? I can’t get near it. It’s almost like it’s hiding from me.”

Lou hasn’t said a word since we left Shifter Hollow.

“I need to call a town hall meeting,” Arkan says, big arms crossed over his broad chest.

Richard and I nod. My alpha looks to Slade. “Given that this is the second incident, and we’re still no closer to figuring out what happened, any idea how we can recommend monsters proceed? Simply stay indoors? Since both victims were found outside?”

Slade reaches up and tugs at one end of a long, curved horn. “The only other similarity is that they were both found in Shifter Hollow and not in downtown Ever or near the gas station. I’m wondering if we should move everyone?—”

“I saw Leighton again,” Lou says out of nowhere. “It was him. He did this.”

A hush falls over the room. Richard and I exchange looks.

Lou steps to the table where Bellami lies, stroking the backs of her fingers along his jawline. “I know you all probably think I’m crazy, that I’m seeing things because I killed Leighton. But I’m telling you, I saw him after Amatheia was hurt, and I saw him again tonight. It can’t be a coincidence.”

The therapist in me wonders if she’s seeing connections where none lie, but since we have no other theories, I can’t brush her concerns aside to give her any other answer.

Dirk joins her, slipping an arm around her waist but facing us. “We should go to the wraith motel. Their magic comes from a darker place. And given what Lou’s seen, they might have insight.”

Arkan blows a loud breath out from his dark lips. “They won’t love being interrupted at night.”

“I know,” Dirk says with a grimace. “Cannae be helped, though.”

Richard looks at Arkan. “Let’s take my truck. Won’t be comfy, but you can ride in the back.”

“Done,” Arkan says with a grim look.

Richard turns to Dirk and me. “Does one of you want to take Lou back home?”

“Oh, she’s got tae come.” Dirk tightens his arm around her. “They’ll want to speak with her.” He glances down at Lou. “Assuming you feel up to this, my beauty.”

“Of course.” Her voice is pure steel as she turns from Bellami, fists balled at her sides. “Let’s go.” She leaves Bellami’s side and heads for the door, hard footsteps echoing around the cavernous room.

I risk a glance at Dirk as he watches her leave. His brows are furrowed, eyes wide as a muscle works overtime in his jaw. I’ve never seen Dirk worried.

But he’s worried now.

The ride to Hel Motel is quiet. I don’t think anyone has an idea what to say. The idea that Leighton is somehow involved is too horrible to consider. He’s gone. We burned him on the traditional pyre, gifted his ashes to his parents, and mourned him. We’re still mourning him.

By the time we pull up in front of the motel, uncharacteristic anxiety prickles my skin, my heart racing uncomfortably in my chest. In the front seat, Lou’s completely silent, her figure stiff. The need to protect her forces breath back into my lungs. First the thrall bites and now she’s seeing a dead monster? What if those things are connected and she’s getting sick?

I can’t imagine anything more terrifying in this world than something happening to her. Forcing air into my lungs, I concentrate on steadying my wolf and myself so we can be supportive to Lou.

I get out of the car the moment we stop and open her door. Holding a hand out for her, I stare deeply into her eyes as she takes it.

“I’m here, Sweetheart,” I promise. “Right by your side, okay?”

She nods as I pull her to my chest, purring and wrapping my arms all the way around her. Dirk joins us, gripping the back of her neck and leaning in to kiss the top of her head. If my Alpha, Arkan, or Slade are at all surprised to see us both comfort Lou, they don’t show it. Richard’s face is grim when our gazes meet.

“Hello, Keeper and othersss…” a hissed whisper of a voice floats toward us from the direction of the motel.

Lou extricates herself from my embrace enough to glance around me. Her eyes go wide, then move up to mine.

“I’m right here,” I reiterate, bending down to rub my cheek along hers, purring in her ear.

Turning, she threads her fingers through my hand and reaches for Dirk. He slips an arm around her waist, his fingers in the pocket of her jeans.

A single wraith floats at the base of the black stone stairs leading into Hel Motel.

“Welcommme to Hellllll…” he rasps. “May I cheeeeck you into a rooommm?” His voice is hollow, like shouting into a void. I can’t imagine a being that seems less suited to host travelers, but wraiths are famous system-wide for their hospitality. It’s why every single haven has at least one wraith motel.

“No thank you, Zevrial,” Arkan says confidently. “We’re here to ask for your help with a security issue.”

The wraith, Zevrial, seems to stiffen, even though he’s floating off the ground, his long black cloak fluttering in the air around him. “Weeee are not responsible for ssssecurity, Keeper.”

“I know,” Arkan returns gently. “But two Evertons have been…well, we think they’ve been attacked. They lie catatonic in Doc Slade’s office.”

Slade steps forward and nods his confirmation before Arkan continues.

“Both times, Lou,” he points to her, “saw a vision of someone who recently died here in town. Leighton, from Shifter Hollow.”

I stiffen at hearing it described that way. Very few monsters know of Lou’s involvement in Leighton’s death. It’s a level of secrecy Leighton’s parents insisted on after they learned the full story.

Lou unthreads her fingers from mine and steps forward. “I don’t know how much you know about Leighton’s death, or Wesley’s involvement, but?—”

The wraith raises his hand. “Weeee knowwwww, Louanna of Shifter Hollllllow. Commmme insiiiiide.” Without another word, the wraith turns and floats up the black stairs. Double glass-paned front doors swing open wide, and he disappears through them.

Arkan glances at us, mouth pursing into a flat line. Our group hesitates. Shifters, in particular, are wary of wraiths, preferring to stay with local packs rather than at wraith motels when we travel. There’s something about their aura that rubs me the wrong way, my wolf focused and unsettled, growling under his breath.

“We need answers,” Lou says, glancing over her shoulder. Without waiting for a response, she heads for the stairs and begins to ascend them.

Dirk and I are right behind her. I’d marvel at how exceedingly brave she is if I wasn’t sick to death about what’s going on. She doesn’t need this, any of this. Not when she’s trying to heal from trauma. She needs therapy, love, snacks, a good dicking down at the end of the day. She needs comfort and safety. And a nest. A big gigantic nest where I can lavish her with attention. A nest where I can keep her safely within the cocoon of my arms.

But the world seems determined to throw Lou obstacle after obstacle.

When we enter the motel lobby, she halts and stares around in wonder, mouth dropped wide open.

Arkan clip-clops through the door with Richard and Slade by his side. He looks down at Lou and smiles. “Hardly similar to the human version of a motel, hmm?”

“Hardly,” she murmurs.

I try to see Hel from her perspective, and I don’t know what human motels are like.

“Motel is the closest translation of the wraith word for these sorts of buildings,” Arkan offers, waving at our surroundings.

“Uh, this is a mansion,” Lou corrects with a snort. She points to the giant crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. “Mansion.” Textured black wallpaper and black and white checkered tiles lend the entryway an elegant look. Her finger moves to a beautifully etched black wood table in the center of the circular entry. A black vase is filled with black, red and white flowers. It’s stunning.

“Mansion,” she whispers. “You haven’t seen a motel if you think that’s what this is.”

A wraith appears behind the table, floating up over it to stand in front of Louanna. “Motelsssss are the lowesssst-levellll offerrrinnnng in our porrrrtfoliiooo of residencesssss. Hennnce the naming connnnventionn. Ourrrr version of a bed and breakfasssst isss quite luxurrriousss.”

Lou’s mouth drops open. “You don’t find this luxurious?”

The wraith shakes his head, the dark mask where his face should be obscured by a flowy black hood. “I dooooo noooooot. Commmme to theeeee officccce.” He turns again and disappears through the flower vase, reappearing on the other side.

“Go on,” Arkan encourages, seeming at ease with this place.

My wolf whines and stands forward in our shared mental space, focused on both Lou and our surroundings. Dirk is a tense presence at my side as we trail the wraith around the table and between two giant curved black staircases that lead to the motel’s second floor.

Everything in a wraith motel is opulent. It’s why, despite how otherworldly they seem, most monsters opt to stay in wraith motels when they travel.

Our group is silent, save for the sound of Arkan’s hooves, as we follow the wraith through dark hallways, past the open doors of a ballroom, past a bustling kitchen where more wraiths flit quietly around, cooking. Eventually, we come to black double doors that swing open for us. The room within is lit faintly by the blue light that emanates from all wraiths, their soul auras.

Lou walks into the room as if there’s nothing at all unusual about this. But from what I’ve learned about humans from other monsters over the years, and past human residents, it’s that the wraith are usually considered “creepy.”

Yet my woman isn’t afraid.

As a therapist, that tugs at my instinct, because I worry she’d willingly put herself in harm’s way to keep someone from being hurt again. And as her mate, I simply worry she has more shit to deal with, shit I’m at a loss to fix.

The moment I enter the office, I step behind Lou, hoping she’ll feel my presence like a warm hug. Dirk joins us, pressing his body to hers. But her focus is entirely on the scene before us.

A half circle of identical wraiths float in the air around a black wooden desk. The entire room is sophisticated but dark. Rows of black books line every wall to the ceiling. Thick black curtains hang in front of the room’s only window, which doesn’t seem to show the outdoors. It’s all black too.

At the desk sits another wraith, this one larger than the rest. The only discernible difference between him and the others is his size and a sparkling black star-shaped pendant clipped to the front of his cloak.

The manager.

Ghostly dark hands are half-tucked into the wide sleeves of his cloak, but he removes them, setting his palms flat on his desk when our full group is inside the room. “Whaaat bringgss yyyyyou here, Keeperrrr?

The ethereal hiss of his voice causes my wolf to growl. I choke it back, masking it under a cough as Dirk glances up at me with a quizzical expression. He slips a hand around my waist, his other hand moving to Lou’s hip. The touch comforts me, and my wolf settles.

Arkan steps slightly forward of our group. “Jezbelah, we have a problem in town. Two monsters have been stricken with, well,” he waves a hand through the air, “I’m not sure what. Doc Slade has examined both patients, but they are simply catatonic. At first, they…” His voice trails off as the manager, Jezbelah, turns from him and glances at the wraith to his left.

All the wraiths start murmuring under their breath, looking at one another. Ultimately, they return their gazes to the manager.

Arkan plants his hand on his hip. “What am I missing?”

The manager stands, easily towering over the other wraiths. “We have ssssssensed a dark presenccccce in the foresssst around the motel, but have been unable to traaaack it downnnn. However, if whaaaat yyyyou are sayinnnng is corr?—”

“It is,” Slade says. “I’ve examined the victims myself. I’ve never seen anything like this in all my centuries as a healer.”

“—ect,” Jezbelah finishes his word, ignoring Slade, “thennnn I thinnnnk we knoooow what weeee’ve been ssssensing.” He slips both hands back into his sleeves. “Yyyou have a revenannnnt on your handssss.”

Lou steps out of our embrace before I can stop her, stalking across the office. She plants her hands on the manager’s desk and leans over it, her body stiff.

“What the fuck is a revenant?”