Primal Law (Alpha Pack #1)(54)

The corner of Nick's mouth kicked up at his choice of words. "Plus somebody might find out it's not an act."

"Can't have that, either. So it's just me and the road." He cocked his head. "I don't know why I came here, but now that I'm giving it more thought, it's almost like something called to me. I mean, it's a good place away from the city to let my panther run, but there was something else. Once I got here, I sensed death. My panther smelled it."

"We're in the forest," Nick pointed out. "Animals die, sometimes campers and hikers who aren't careful."

"Yeah, but I'm not talking about natural death or accident. What I sensed after I arrived was more like . . . something that makes your skin crawl, makes you want to run and hide, shaking in terror and hoping it'll pass by without noticing you. Know what I mean?"

"Yes, I do. And that's why you started snooping around the cemetery?"

"Partly." He heaved a deep breath, looking afraid for the first time. "Before I started hanging at the cemetery, that awful feeling and the scent led me to one of the bodies of those four guys. At least I'm pretty sure it was one of them."

Nick laid a palm flat on the table. "What? Explain."

"I'm the one who anonymously called the sheriff's office about that victim, but I don't know how they found the others. I did my duty but I didn't want to be in the spotlight, so I made the call and stayed out of the picture."

"But you didn't, not completely. You were noticed hanging around."

"I knew that was a risk, but I couldn't leave town. Not when I had such an unsettled feeling in my gut, like I'd crossed paths with something truly evil that most wouldn't have the capacity to understand or figure out. Shit, I'm not sure I do, either, but I might have a better chance than the average guy."

"So you decided to play amateur detective." Nick allowed a hint of doubt to seep into his tone. "How convenient."

Jaxon knew Nick was playing the kid, that from what he'd said so far he didn't really believe the Sorcerer was responsible for any of the deaths, but was testing his worth. His determination. He'd been on the receiving end of Nick's scrutiny in the beginning often enough to know.

"I didn't kill those men," Black asserted, his expression fierce. "I've never hurt anyone, and I'm not stupid enough to stay in the area if I did."

Nick let him hang for a moment, then said, "I know. Tell me why you raised Henry Ward."

"If you saw what I did, don't you know why? You're the Seer."

"Humor me."

"Fine. It wasn't rocket science to connect the local buzz of an old man found bludgeoned to death with the body of a man found in the woods nearby. Like the cops, I thought there was a good chance Ward might've seen something, and I have a tool in my kit they don't."

"You can raise the dead and talk with them."

"Yep."

Quickly, he filled in Nick on what Ward had told him. The logo on the one man's shirt proved to be a good lead, and their boss nodded in approval.

"That sounds like the logo used by NewLife Technology," he said, and Jaxon stiffened in surprise.

"That's Kira's former employer." Damn, she hadn't been far from his mind all evening, and simply mentioning her name brought back all his physical discomfort with a vengeance.

Nick looked to Jax. "Who she alleges is possibly conducting some sort of DNA experimentation on human tissue, morphing it into a different strand altogether. Something animal."

"And the photos and autopsy reports show slivers of flesh removed from the men while they were still alive." Jaxon heaved a breath. "This is emerging into a terrible picture."

Nick agreed. "The question is, if NewLife is behind this, what the hell are they trying to accomplish? And at the cost of human lives, no less."

The Sorcerer spoke up. "This is fascinating, but am I free to go?"

Their boss pinned the kid with his blue gaze, and then gestured for Ryon to unbind him. "You can leave anytime you want. As a rule, I don't interfere with free will, especially if the individual intends no harm."

"Why do I hear a 'but' in there?" Black asked quietly, rubbing his wrists.

"Because your destiny is here," Nick said in a low voice, expression grave. "You may go, but if you do, know that your life will follow a path it was never meant to take, and you'll never find what you're searching for. I can't tell you more than that. The decision must be yours."

It was more warning than Jaxon had ever heard Nick give anyone.

"Trust him, Black," he advised the Sorcerer.

The kid studied each of them, those emerald eyes shining with something like hope that didn't come easily. "Call me Kalen. It's been years since I've had a pillow and a mattress. That'll make sleeping on the decision a lot easier."

"You do that. Sleep on it; take all the time you need. Tomorrow, or I should say later today, Jax and a couple of the other team members will show you around, explain what we do and how things work. We'll get you checked out in the clinic, too. Get some food in you."

"Thanks. I appreciate this." Kalen didn't say the words lightly. He was a man who had nothing and no one.