Page 22

Chapter 22

My floppy heart gave two solid beats as I grabbed my phone and dialled my mate. My call went directly to voicemail. Fuckity fuck-fuck.

I collected my coat, the vehicle keys and Fluffy then dashed out of the office, panic riding me. I should have called out to Gunnar and let him know where I was going but instead I just pounded the pavement to the SUV.

As I leapt into the Nomo vehicle, Fluffy jumped in through my open door and settled into the passenger seat, already alert and as worried as me. I fired up the engine, buckling my seatbelt as I tore out of the car park, then I did something I’d never done before: hit the lights and gunned it.

‘Please let Connor be safe,’ I begged the universe. I hadn’t been raised particularly religious, but with everything I’d seen I was willing to believe in a higher power. Heck, with all the spirits I’d seen, it would be hard not to believe .

I raced the ten miles to Kamluck faster than I’d ever driven there before and pulled into the car park at the offices, a single wide trailer with faux-wood sides. Connor did his paperwork and met clients there, but mostly he worked outdoors with the men either logging or at the sawmill. He could be anywhere on the site.

Fluffy and I ran up the five metal stairs and flung open the office door. No one was there. Damn it! I scanned for signs of disorder or conflict. There was no blood, no evidence of fighting; both my eyes and my nose said everything was clean and hunky-dory. I looked at Fluffy for confirmation, but he didn’t indicate anything unusual.

We went out the back door towards the large warehouse several yards away. It housed an employee breakroom and a showroom for flooring and the fancy treated wood that needed to stay dry. Most regular boards were stored outside under cover.

Both rooms were empty, which was unusual since a lot of Connor’s employees were vampires and it was night time. Everyone should have been there hustling.

I yelled, ‘Anyone in here?’ but the only sounds I heard were my own voice and Fluffy’s breathing. My tension rose and I tried to push down my panic. I’d know if Connor was hurt, right? We had a nascent bond so surely I’d know if he wasn’t okay ?

Fluffy and I raced to the bunkhouse. If John was off-shift he’d be there, and it had been his voice on the message. I pounded on the door, but didn’t wait for an answer before yanking it open and shouting, ‘John?’

There was a pause, then, ‘Bunny?’

‘Yeah!’ I stepped in, relieved someone was around.

John came around the corner pulling on a shirt. ‘You got here fast. I was going to meet you at the office.’

‘What’s wrong?’ I asked, panting. ‘What’s going on?’

‘I’m not sure. I was just told to get you here. Apparently it needs to be seen to be believed.’

‘Is Connor alright?’

John studied me; my every emotion must have been scrolling across my face because he winced. ‘He’s fine! I’m sorry, Bunny, I didn’t mean to frighten you. Connor’s up the hill. His phone died and the snow has driven in rodents that have eaten all his charging cords. He told me to get you here pronto.’

My knees almost gave way in relief as I sent a silent thank you to the universe and waited for John to put his boots on. Now I knew Connor was okay my brain clicked into gear. I pulled out my phone and texted Gunnar to let him know what was going on.

I got a terse response: Saw you tear out of the office. Checked Wilson, heard the message. I’m right behind you. It made me grin to hear Gunnar call the office phone Wilson; my whimsy was obviously contagious.

By the time John was ready and we were walking out of the bunkroom, Gunnar was barrelling up the trail. ‘Sorry,’ I blurted before he could chew me out.

He pulled me into a hug. ‘I’d be the same if it was Sigrid. Do we know what’s the matter?’

‘I’m not sure yet. John says we have to see it.’

‘Connor is okay?’

John nodded. ‘Yes.’

‘Good.’ Gunnar looked almost as relieved as I felt. He might like Connor but I knew he was more worried for me. That was an incredible feeling, one I was still getting used to; people genuinely cared about me.

John started walking up the hill towards the sawmill. I expected him to stop there but instead he kept going further than I’d ever been before. Roads and trails criss-crossed the hills. There were some old trees but most of them were replants from almost a century ago, and some were being logged. Connor’s skill was apparent; he knew how to manage his resources in an ethical and sustainable way.

We followed a logging road so far that I wondered if we should have brought a vehicle, but John had to have a reason for bringing us on foot. Eventually I heard a low murmuring and we approached a crowd of loggers. Lights had been set up, although I doubted the vampires needed them. I certainly didn’t.

As Connor’s third, John had some authority and wasn’t afraid to use it. ‘Move out of the way, Nomo coming through,’ he called as we edged through the crowd. The workers parted reluctantly.

On the other side of the gathering Connor, Margrave and a few more of Connor’s vampire council were standing around something. Connor sensed me and turned around to meet my gaze. Although his eyes welcomed me, his face was serious but after the scare that I’d had it was just a relief that he was there. I’d been so panicked that seeing him made my legs wobble. I walked up to him, trying to look calm and casual even though I wanted to fly to him and wrap my arms around him.

Then I turned to look at what the crowd was staring at.

There were five poles thrust into the earth in front of one of Connor’s huge tree-lifting, stripping and moving machines – I reminded myself to find out their proper name. On each of the poles was a skull. The centre one was still covered in flesh; its hair and beard were brown, and dried blood had darkened the colour around the bottom.

‘Alfgar Simonson, I presume,’ I said quietly .

The other skulls on the poles looked old; I guessed they’d been free of flesh for some time. But the skulls weren’t the only thing of note. Written in the earth below the heads was a message: Tell the dwarves they can have their heads if they leave the mine. They have 72 hours, then the heads will be destroyed and their dead will never rest.

So many people were talking at once that it was hard to make out what was being said, but I made out one word that was being repeated by the assembled vampires: ‘hag’. Great, now the dwarves and the vamps had it in for Matilda.

Gunnar, Connor and I walked away a little and put our heads together. ‘When did you find them?’ Gunnar asked grimly.

‘My team saw them about forty minutes ago.’

‘Are they new, or do you think they’ve been here a while?’ I queried.

‘New – they appeared after lunch. No one saw anything before that, and no one saw them being put here.’

I looked Connor in the eye. ‘What do you think?’

‘I think someone is fucking with the dwarves.’

‘Gunnar?’ I asked.

‘I agree with Connor.’

‘I don’t think this is the hag,’ I said slowly. ‘When I went to her den, there were no books, no paper, no pens. She had furniture, sure, but nothing to read or write on. Do you know whether the hag has ever left a written message?’

Gunnar shook his head. ‘Not to my knowledge.’

‘Mine either,’ Connor agreed, ‘But I’m no expert. We’d be better off asking Thomas.’

I rang the hunter. He sounded slightly breathless when he answered and I heard Sidnee giggling in the background. My cheeks flushed as I tried to ignore the thought of what I might have just interrupted. ‘Hey Thomas, sorry to bother you but I have a question about the hag.’

‘Shoot.’

‘Do you know if she can read or write?’

‘She definitely can’t,’ he confirmed. ‘The dwarves have tried to get her to sign contracts agreeing to areas they can both use but she refused on the grounds that she couldn’t read or understand what they wanted her to sign.’

‘Thanks, Thomas, I appreciate your time. You get back to … whatever you were doing.’

He hung up without responding but not before I’d heard Sidnee giggle some more. Vampire hearing was a curse sometimes.

I looked at the others. ‘According to Thomas, she can’t read or write. Someone is definitely trying to set her up.’