Perpetual Prey Read online

  “I can feel a soul stone nearby.”

  “This must be that.” She made a face and pulled it free with a sharp tug. “Can you read it?”

  Imara made a slight face. “Can you pry the hair off it?”

  Chuckling, Elsinor pried the stone free of the cage of hair. When it was exposed in her hand, she held it out. “How about now?”

  Imara nodded. “Perfect. Let me set up some chairs and dim the lights and see if I can’t get a spectral projection going on.”

  Elsinor watched as Imara moved around with graceful and economic movements. “You are very young.”

  “I am as old as I need to be to get through school and get my mage’s license. You are much older than you appear to be, Madam.”

  Elsinor chuckled. “Just so. Thank you for doing this.”

  “Anything for the chancellor.” Imara finished setting up the chairs and gestured for her guest to sit.

  As Elsinor sat, the lights dimmed. Imara extended her hand for the stone, and with a careful handoff, Elsinor placed the only bit of her past that she had laid hands on into the hands of a stranger.

  Imara blinked. “Holy hell. That is a lot of whatever you are. Okay, let’s get this going.”

  Imara’s fingers closed over the stone, and when she opened her eyes, she turned her head, and a vision was broadcast via her eyes.

  Elsinor turned and watched the projection on the wall.

  She was walking through the streets, but the stars and moon indicated it was well after midnight.

  “You came, Mother.” The voice was echoingly familiar.

  She turned and faced the man behind her. “It was time, and I felt your call. Will you tell me what you do with the organs this time? I know they are not for you.”

  He smiled and shook his head. “Of course not. Now, see the wonders that the modern age has offered to us.”

  She blinked, and the shadowy figure lunged forward and struck her with a crackle of energy. The fucker had tased her. The light went bright and then dark.

  A low humming and the sound of mechanical clicking was all she could hear. The white edges of the image denoted pain.

  “Now, Mother, these portions of you will keep you with me until the next time. I know you are curious, and I truly wish we had more time together, but you give me what I need, and I will return for the harvest.”

  A soft voice from the side whispered, “Will I really be healthy after this?”

  Elsinor heard him speaking softly to the woman, but her stomach churned violently. She retched and bent double. Hands held her hair back, and a vessel caught the food from the trip.

  “Easy, Lady. I don’t know what that last scene was about, but I am guessing that you do.”

  A cold, damp cloth was pressed to her cheek, and she grabbed it. She held the cloth to her face as tears streamed from her eyes.

  Thousands of years, all so he could attempt to keep her with him. She pulled the cloth away and vomited again.

  There was the snap of a box, and Imara was next to her. “I am not sure what you saw. The light blinded me. I have never been used as a projector before.”

  Elsinor smiled weakly. “I am sorry. I am not sure what form my magic is currently taking.”

  “Powerful. That is what it is. It burned past all my normal checkpoints. Mr. E, did you see what it was?”

  The mage supporting Elsinor shrugged. “I wasn’t paying much attention until she vomited.”

  She wiped her face with the cloth. “Well, that solves an age-old mystery and takes away the last bit of sympathy I may have had for my attacker.”

  Imara frowned. “Is it rude to ask what that is about?”

  Elsinor sat and drank sips of water that Eadric brought to her. She explained the history, the missing blood and organs, and waking from the dead every five decades or so.

  Imara scowled. “What is he doing with the organs?”

  “I have just figured that out. He is using them to extend the lives of his companions. There is a side effect to using my tissue though.”

  Imara looked curious. “What?”

  “It has a mimicry effect on the recipient that lasts in a standard human for a specific amount of time before time takes over and catches up.”

  “So, it freezes the aging process?”

  “Yes. That is part of it. I am not comfortable discussing the other side effects.”

  Imara nodded. “Understandable. Are you feeling all right?”

  “I am better now that the rage is hitting me.”

  “Good. Can I take a look at the other beacon that is inside you?”

  Elsinor stared at her. “What?”

  “There is another one. Same position, so you might not have seen it. Can I look?”

  Elsinor nodded and leaned forward, exposing her neck to the young woman. Imara used careful fingers to examine the base of the hairline, and she prodded gently. “It is under the skin. I think I can get it to discharge. Are you okay with that?”

  Elsinor took a deep breath and let it out. “Yes.”

  There was a slight pressure, and a stream of information entered her mind. Her body didn’t need to breathe. It had everything it needed in that download.

  “That is possibly the oldest soul stone I have ever seen. It is the size of a grain of sand. The information in there is incredible, but I don’t know that language.”

  Elsinor waited until she was breathing again, and she sat up slowly. “It is a very old language. It was a language before the written word. As far as I know, I am the only person fluent in it in the world, aside from ancient gods, and they are not much for casual conversation.”

  She looked at Imara and could see her lineage streaming into the past behind her on either side. Her smile was slow. “Oh, yes. This is what I was missing.”

  “You weren’t missing it. It has always been there. The scar tissue around it finally built to the point where I could feel it as well as sense it.”

  Elsinor smiled. “You are as bright as your great-great-grandmother Limira. She was quick and had an affinity for the dead and the power of the mind. It made her delightfully dangerous.”

  Imara stared. “You know my family?”

  “Your mother will send you some books. I have been with the Deepfords since before standardized spelling.” She wrinkled her nose.

  “What was that grain? Did you want me to excise it?”

  “No, leave it where it is. You couldn’t remove it if you wanted to. It has been with me since the beginning, and I don’t know what it would do to defend itself.” Now that she had the knowledge inside it, she knew what it was.

  Imara blinked and sat across from her. “But what is it?”

  Elsinor smiled slowly. “The world’s first hard drive.”

  Eadric removed all traces of her previous upset, and he brought her another glass of water and a soda for Imara.

  His mage smiled. “It is so nice now that he has access to his thumbs.”

  “You don’t mind him dating your mother?”

  Imara paused. “It is weird, but they are both enjoying themselves.”

  Eadric snorted. “She is dating an agent from the XIA, so she can’t throw stones, as it were.”

  Imara’s cheeks turned bright red. “Get back to four feet, Mr. E.”

  He grinned and obliged.

  “So, you are dating extranatural law enforcement?”

  Imara groaned. “Just one of them. Argus. He’s on an active team, and he’s a shapeshifter. A gryphon. And I do not know why I am telling you this.”

  “It is fine. I have known your ancestors since the Domesday Book. When they have the choice of mates, they choose very well. When they don’t, they run.”

  “So, you know my mother.” Imara chuckled.

  “I do. When you see her next, thank her for me. And as for you, please send a heavily padded bill to this address for your services.” She handed her one of the cards that A
l had presented her with. They would provide anyone that had one a direct line to her accounting department.

  Elsinor bowed. “Thank you, Imara Mirrin. Your services have been invaluable.”

  “I am still not sure what I did, but on behalf of the family, I am glad you are back.” Imara stepped forward and gave her a hug.

  The probing of her magic was definite, but Elsinor held her power levels behind layers of warding. Imara might be curious, but she wasn’t getting in.

  Elsinor smiled and let Imara go. “Nice try. I will show you one day, but that isn’t today. Thank you again.”

  “It was surprisingly fun. I would like to chat again if you are ever in the neighbourhood.”

  “I believe that would be an excellent way to get to know you. Good evening, Imara. Good evening, Eadric. I wish you both well.”

  She turned and left the offices, stepped onto the street, and took a deep breath while her mind sorted and arranged thousands of years of knowledge. She knew who she was now and everyone she had ever been.

  She had some letters to write, but first, she needed a single book, and the location was one she was recently familiar with.

  The Ganger family had always been excellent archivists and collectors. She knew what had happened to them in the interim, and while she wasn’t as disgusted with demons as Eadric was, they did bear watching.

  She was smiling as she got into the car with Jericho. “I need Al for the next visit.”

  “He’s just called. He’s on the way.”

  “Good. In the meantime, let’s get something to eat. I think I need pancakes or possibly something toxic from a food truck.”

  “It is hard to find vegetarian food at a food truck, El.”

  “Let’s just look around. There might be something.”

  Jericho smiled and shrugged, driving casually through some rather sketchy neighbourhoods and industrial parks.

  Elsinor said, “There, next block on the left. There is a taco shop.”

  “You are right. Well, I wish you luck. Do you have money?”

  Elsinor patted her purse. “I do. I will be back if they say no.”

  Elsinor stepped up to the front of the line, and she asked politely, “Do you have any vegetarian tacos?”

  The ugly proprietor grimaced at her. “What would be the point? Eat the meat, you can’t taste the difference.”

  She switched her language to high goblin. “Dem-rah, I helped you keep your family fed throughout the centuries, and your fathers before you. You deny Cathickko a simple meal? A curse upon you and your stand.”

  Dem-rah’s eyes widened, and he looked at her, really looked at her. “Mistress. I was not expecting you.”

  “You know... I thought you might say that. Now, is there food for me here?”

  He bowed low. “Yes, mistress. We keep plantains on the altar in the back at all times. Will that suffice?”

  “Yes, please. You know my requirements.”

  He bowed again. “It will just be a moment.”

  “Attend your other clients first. I can wait.” She smiled and slid a twenty across the counter.

  He waved it away, but she made her face stern. “Take it. This is a business, I am buying food within the terms of our contract. Take it.”

  He nodded and took the twenty, walking it to the back. He barked instructions to the two assistants he had working the line, and they frantically cleaned a large slab of the grill.

  They threw slightly frightened looks toward her, but her own suspect irritation was allayed when bright and fresh plantains were carried out of the back, and Dem-rah chopped them into chunks, fried them, smashed them, and tossed them in a sauce that was blissfully filled with peppers and lacking any meat products.

  She knew she had lived with the goblins for a time, but the details were sketchy. They had found her at least twice after her waking and had nursed her back to health. She had become a minor goddess in their pantheon during the first wave of magic when she gathered the goblins to live together in underground cities.

  Cathickko was the gatherer. She showed them how to forage for the relatively new foods of fungus and underground fruits. It was her name when she walked with the goblins, and she was still coming to the realization that she had over four hundred names. Some of the names were dead, unknown to all current living beings, but some were still bright and burned in history.

  Elsinor was a name offered to her by a dragon who sheltered her and let her spend time reading and painting. He treated her like a little sister, and she enjoyed the memories that her mind could now replay. There were no emotions attached to them, but she could see the facts. It was the downside of the cold and analytical method of recording that her little drive had employed. Emotions were subjective.

  “Here you are, mistress. Please, come again soon. I swear to continue to have more on hand.” Dem-rah bowed, and after a snarl, his assistants bowed as well.

  She took the impressively heavy cardboard tray and walked over to a picnic table.

  A surprised Jericho wandered up to the taco stand and ordered, joining her in a few minutes.

  El sipped at her lemonade and smiled as Jeri eyed her tray.

  “What the hell is that?”

  “Basically? It is mofongo. Fried and pounded plantains that are fried again before being dressed in a sauce. He covered it with fajita fixings and made it something fun.”

  Jeri ate her burrito, and her eyes widened. “That is hot.”

  “Yeah. It is rather nice.”

  “You know that I am shocked they made it for you. I saw you had to negotiate a bit.”

  She gave Jeri a bland look. “I just had to remind him who I was. Once that was out of the way, I have opened the doorway to regular meals here when I like.”

  “Can I try yours?”

  “Sure.” She slid the second of her two wraps over. Jeri took a bite, and she turned her head and coughed dramatically.

  “Holy shit. What is in that?”

  El looked at the peppers and noted their rippled and thin profile. “I would guess that it is some of the new goblin peppers. They are a growing market among the extranaturals.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “Well, I have been reading everything as I have been recovering from my workouts, and anything to do with vegetables gets my attention for some reason.”

  Jeri’s eyes were tearing up. “My mouth is still on fire.”

  “Just wait. It doesn’t stop.” El waggled her eyebrows.

  Jeri groaned and got back to eating her nice, safe meat.

  El smirked and kept eating her gut-scalding wrap. Al would be with her shortly, and then, she could visit the family who kept her greatest treasure. They had made the news in the last two years, and she needed Algethan to keep a promise to one of their ancestors and to defend her against the casual attention of an incubus who usually only had eyes for his mate. He made an exception for her.

  She was well into her second wrap when Al landed in the lot and walked toward her. He looked at her determined chewing, grinned, and changed his direction until he was at the counter and placing an order.

  El chuckled and kept working on her meal. He ate at ten times the speed she did, and if she wanted to get to the Ganger’s tonight, she was going to have to be fast.

  He sat next to her with his box of food and began eating. He paused to exhale, and she could swear that she saw smoke rising from his lips.

  She chuckled and finished her wrap. “So, are you enjoying it?”

  He nodded and opened one paper wrap after another, mowing down the tacos as the goblins in the truck stared their way.

  She smiled, got up, and got everyone another round of beverages. Jeri had eaten all of her ice and was sitting with her tongue stuck in the cup at an angle making soft gargling sounds.

  Dem-rah stared as she stepped toward him. “Is everything to your liking, mistress?”

  “Very much so.
We need some more lemonade, please. Plenty of ice in one of them. My niece is a little sensitive.” She winked.

  She was walking back to the table with the drinks in her hands when a black SUV pulled up.

  Four XIA agents left the vehicle, laughing and joking in the manner which indicated that their shift had started a little rough. The three males were from different species, as was the woman who had a mostly human appearance.

  After a quick glance, El walked to her companions and set out the drinks. Jeri frantically finished her first drink and jammed her tongue into the ice-heavy cup.

  El sat with her thigh pressed to Al’s. “How was the flight?”

  He smiled slowly and finished his last taco, neatly bundling everything together into a tight ball of paper and grease. “Uneventful.”

  “Good. We have one more errand this evening, and I would be delighted if you could accompany me.”

  He wiped his hands and then slid his arm around her waist. “Any particular reason?”

  “I need to visit some old friends, and I once promised someone that if I ever found a mate, I would bring him over for a visit. I don’t think that I have ever introduced you.”

  “Jeri was mentioning the Gangers. I have met them a few times.”

  “Ah, this is a special someone, but the means to the greeting are within their home.”

  “Well then, we shall approach with caution.” Al sighed.

  The group of XIA agents was looking for a place to sit, and El got to her feet. “You can have our table.”

  Jeri staggered upright and grabbed the empty boxes, taking them to the trash. There was a growl and a slight rocking as all traces of their food disappeared.

  El had a very good idea of what was in that trashcan, but she didn’t want to look.

  The quartet gave their thanks, and El used the vision she had just acquired to see their lineage. She blinked and laughed as the young woman was made up of familiar faces. Lenora and Harcourt Ganger’s images stood behind the woman. Those were the people that she wanted to see.

  The other men with her were fascinating. One had lion stamped through his line, one was fey through and through, but the third had a normal pair of human parents who were overshadowed by the image of the Mayor of Redbird City, the Given Vampire Matthias. Elsinor had a more than passing familiarity with him as well. She would have to see him soon but not until after matters were settled.