Shadow Watcher (Darkness #6)(7)

He slapped a leaf and then did a low roundhouse kick to a flower. “I feel like Chuck Norris.”

“I don’t think Chuck Norris got famous for ruining flora.”

“Did you know that when Alexander Bell invented the telephone, he had three missed calls from Chuck Norris?”

Paulie barked out a laugh. I couldn’t help my own chuckles as we came to a large park with an overgrown baseball diamond, nestled between voluminous trees and high grasses. We were in a poorer district just outside of town and it showed. Potholes marred the street, the uneven sidewalk tried to grab my feet where I walked and the park was in complete disarray. It was a shame that the city spent their money on people that didn’t need it as badly as this community. Way of the world.

“Did you call the pound?” Charles tried, looking at the high grasses and wildflowers we were approaching. I had every belief that a few would lose their lives for his entertainment.

“You’re not even thinking, anymore. The pound Charles? I don’t drive a dog.”

“I’d like to ride one.” He waggled his eyebrows.

“She’s a mountain lion, for the millionth time, and Ann would totally let you if you were nice to her.”

“I am nice to her!”

“Constantly asking for sex is not wooing a girl, Charles.”

Paulie huffed out a laugh behind us. He’d stayed a few paces back the whole walk, and had been silent most of the time, only once uttering a warning of “Car,” when I was about to cross the street. Even though the guy looked all kinds of dangerous, his overall vibe was actually more on the relaxed side. He seemed grounded and patient, content to let life rage around him, comfortable in his skin.

“Oh yeah, human male? What do you know about it?” Charles glanced over his shoulder.

“I know that women are nothing but trouble,” Paulie said in his deep rasp.

“I like him,” Charles announced.

“Cute.” I glanced at the overgrown field to my left as a strange feeling came over me. Something felt like it brushed against my magic, and then weaved within it. But it wasn’t like normal magic. It wasn’t someone weaving spells or even feeling for other magic workers. It was wholly different. It reminded me of—

I felt a large hand on my shoulder, startled to see Paulie suddenly right beside me, putting his body between the park and me. “There’s something out there,” he said in a low tone, looking out across the dark field.

“It’s a Mata,” I clarified. “I can feel its magic. Only one, I think.” I pointed at the distant trees beyond the field. Deep pools of shadow lurked between the trees. Crickets had stopped their song, uncomfortable with whatever lay in their midst.

“Probably just on patrol,” Charles said.

“He must know it’s us, though. We’re upwind.” I hadn’t meant to hush my voice, but my words came out a whisper all the same. Something was not quite right about this. While the Mata were patrolling a lot of the city, I was pretty sure this was our territory.

“What’s a Mata?” Paulie said, still blocking me off from the park with his body.

“Shape changers. Were-animals. Were-wolves, were-mountain lions and the like,” I answered softly. My gaze scanned the tree trunks. Sometimes a Mata in animal form was in plain sight and you couldn’t see it because it stood absolutely still next to a tree.

“Witches, mages and now humans who turn into animals. I feel like I’m losing my mind.” Paulie’s voice sounded strained.

“You’ll get used to it.” I felt my body tingle with danger. My magic prickled in the presence of a shifter magic, sensing it moving slowly toward us.

“If that’s one of Tim’s, he either doesn’t know who the hell we are, the smell of my kind, or he’s gone feral. There’s something not right about this,” Charles said, dropping his usual lighthearted manner. His tattoos swirled a light gold. “I feel him coming. He knows we’re here, but he’s in no hurry to show himself.”

“My thoughts exactly. Paulie, get behind me,” I said in a low tone as we neared the end of the baseball field. The trees were starting to close in on the rest of the park, the long grasses reaching out into the sidewalk to brush our legs as we passed. “You don’t want to get blasted with magic.”

Paulie dropped back a little. Charles and I walked a little faster to get in front of him. I felt the movement of magic, coming closer. Nearing us but well hidden somewhere among the trees and long grasses. A bird exploded from a tree some distance to our left, warning us of something approaching.

“Do you see anything Charles?” I asked in a frantic whisper. Slow and purposeful, the Mata stalked us like a predator.

Charles peered into the dark spaces with a bent body and squinting eyes. He shook his head slowly as he drew his sword. The blade flashed with magic. He took the gun out of his belt and handed it back to Paulie without hesitation.

“I feel the movement, but I can’t…” Charles shook his head in jerks, frustration making his brow crinkle.

“Should we take off, do you think?” I asked in a squeak.

“Four legs are faster than two,” Paulie said with an edge to his voice. The rasp had deepened into something hinting at unspeakable violence. Neither Charles nor I could help but glance back.