Black Moon (Alpha Pack #3)(40)

Not yet. When and if he went down, his death had to have meaning. Purpose. Until then, he'd hang on. Another hour. One more day. The claw retracted and he started to relax.

Come to me, boy. I have a task for you.

He started at the damned Unseelie's voice in his head, though he'd been half-expecting the ass**le to intrude in the wake of his last thoughts.

"I can't do that," he snapped to mask his fear. "It's the middle of the f**king day. Everyone will want to know where I'm going."

Don't play me for a fool. You're a Sorcerer. Simply cloak your passing and nobody will know.

Not necessarily true. He could think of one who might, but he carefully guarded that name.

"It's an unnecessary risk."

And a test. Don't try my patience. Just get your ass here.

Kalen's brow rose. A crack in the Unseelie's normally cool, persuasive facade? Interesting. Whatever Malik was up to, it was a matter of some urgency, and his curiosity got the better of him. "I'll be there. Are you at the cabin?"

No. Follow our bond, and you'll find me.

"Or I could just follow the stench."

Agony knifed through his head as swift punishment, there and gone so fast he barely had time to draw breath. The connection between them vanished, but his orders were clear. God, how he wished he could tear out the bastard's throat. One day soon, he promised himself.

But he was the only one who could get close enough to learn Malik's immediate plans for his so-called super-shifters. To help the Pack stop him. If only he could hold on.

Considering his options, walking through the busy compound, even cloaked, didn't sound like a great idea. Nick or one of the others might still pick up on his life force moving in their vicinity. Using his magic to translocate was one way to go, but was a method he seldom used. It required a lot of concentration and zapped his energy much too fast. But right now, it was the best way.

Closing his eyes, he let the room fall away. Concentrated on his breathing, finding his center. Then he opened his mind to the black thread of the bond connecting him to the Unseelie. It stretched past the boundaries of the compound, beyond the forest, over the miles almost into the town of Cody. What was Malik doing there?

No time to dwell on it. Gathering his magic, he focused his power. Directed it into breaking every particle of his body down to nothing more than mist-a dangerous transition should he lose his grasp on the power. He let his body begin the journey, felt himself travel through space. Faster and faster, following the dark thread to the end, to Malik.

As he reached his destination, his form once again became corporeal. His boots touched solid ground and he took a deep breath, swaying a little. Blinking the spots from his vision. "Shit, that jacks me up every time."

"Perhaps you should practice more."

Malik stood a few feet away, wearing his guise of Evan Kerrigan. He looked like any classy businessman out for a midday stroll, his dark hair smoothed back, sunshades perched on his angular face.

"What do you want?" Kalen said with barely concealed venom.

"So testy." He smirked. "Watch your tone with me, boy."

"Whatever." Glancing around, he frowned. "Why are we standing in the middle of a park? Where are we, exactly?"

"We're in a small town not far from Cody. The name doesn't matter. It's a quaint little place, don't you think?" he observed, waving a hand at the peaceful, sculpted slice of town.

Across the expanse of lawn, a couple walked a yellow Lab. A man jogged past them on the paved, winding path, doing a double take at the undoubtedly odd sight of a businessman and a guy dressed in Goth attire loitering in the park.

"Yeah, it's nice. What does this place have to do with anything?"

"Are you so shortsighted? Look around us. It's the perfect canvas for the first swipe of our brush."

"Meaning what?" When Malik merely gave him a droll stare, dread crept through his stomach. "You're not planning to hurt any of these people, are you?"

The Unseelie scoffed at that. "How can someone who's lived your life still be such a bleeding heart? You wandered through many a town just like this one in your days of being starved and homeless. Did a single one of those people ever offer you a hand?"

He didn't answer that. Of course, nobody had.

Instead, he shook his head. "That doesn't mean people deserve to die for others' indifference. There would be nobody left on earth if-"

"Yes, yes," the Unseelie cut him off impatiently. "I've heard it all. Even so, none of these humans are without their failings. The jogger who passed us is cheating on his wife. The couple walking their dog over there closed the door in the face of a Boy Scout who was collecting cans for the local food pantry. That same Boy Scout struck another student at school just the day before, calling him names. No one is innocent, Kalen."

"But-"

"This beauty you see is a mere facade. That is why I brought you here, for a simple reminder. And a second exercise toward your tutelage, as well."

"What are you planning?" he asked, trying to hide his trepidation.

"My Sluagh are coming this way. They must travel by foot, as there are too many for me and you combined to transport them magically." His eyes were snakelike, glittering and cold. "They will level this pretty little oasis and devour everyone in it-while you and I stand here and laugh over their screams."