Spark of a Wolf [Eyes of Darkness Series Book 2] Read online

  Chapter 2

  Sean left the office and headed home. He planned to run to tire himself out so he'd sleep. He needed sleep if he intended to be able to function on the investigation that just came across his desk. Three girls, three murders—all by the same hand.

  He changed to sweats and his Nikes, then took off after stretching. His runs usually went eight to ten miles, depending upon his moods. Hopefully a good pace would settle his emotional turmoil.

  He ran up several hills, then down quite a few others, the last one leading into a small park near where he lived. Once he made it home again, he cooled down, then went inside to get a glass of iced tea. After downing it, he poured another, then went upstairs to take a hot relaxing shower, or so he hoped. A short while later, Sean toweled off, then walked to his bed where he laid naked across it. A headache came on and replaced the sore muscles he'd gotten from running.

  "Damn it! Can't I have a break? I need some rest,” he yelled to the emptiness of the room. He rolled to his stomach and prayed the ache threatening to explode would ease some. Unfortunately, it didn't. Sean tossed and turned in an effort to get comfortable. He finally dozed off, but not into the sound sleep he needed.

  Everything about him ached—his head, his body, his mind—and no relief in sight. He couldn't understand the reasons, though several things in his life proved to have changed. During one of the times he'd woken from his restlessness, he went over them and met with only confusion.

  He always had extremely acute night vision but his eyes had become very sensitive to light, so much so, he wore the mirrored aviators a good part of the time. Bright lighting also bothered him. His eyesight had been the least of his concerns, as the sensitivity had been one of his life's constants.

  Unlike his eyes, his ears had been different. His hearing had been tested at normal levels but lately, he could sit in one spot and hear not only the conversations going on around him, but voices and sounds from a distance. He didn't care if the couple walking on the opposite side of the street discussed divorce, but he heard about it anyway.

  His sense of smell had intensified to the point he could smell things as their odor wafted by him. Insignificant aromas came to him, just as his sense of taste increased, along with his feelings and instincts. He had trouble accepting all this. What made it worse had been the absolute absence of anyone he could discuss this without ridicule. Sean needed to talk to someone who would not force him to see a shrink. He needed to be able to feel safe and secure again.

  As he wracked his brain for answers, he dozed off again.

  * * * *

  Sean McMurray responded to an abandoned church on the east end of town. He entered the main sanctuary and stopped opposite the last row of pews. He looked around, but saw nothing wrong. Why have I been called here?

  Detective, thank you for coming.

  "How can I help you?” Sean asked as he turned to where he thought the voice had come from. His breath caught when he found no one in the church with him. “Father?"

  Your help is needed, a disembodied voice said.

  Sean spun around again and could find no one. The hair on the back of his neck stood on edge. He trained his sensitive eyes on the shadows, but discovered no one lurking.

  "Come out and face me,” Sean commanded, but with no response.

  He turned toward the altar and froze.

  "Why are you tormenting me like this?"

  We have been trying to make you see. We need your help. You need ours. We can help each other.

  "Why do I need your help? How..."

  You need us to get you through to your future. We know of your past and...

  "My past?"

  You've always been different, haven't you? The acute night vision and now, the intensity in your other senses.

  "How do you know about..."

  We are the same bloodline. We endure the same...

  "Curse?"

  Some might call it that, while others embrace the gift. You did in your military service, I think.

  "I was always given surveillance ops, the darker the better."

  Exactly. Your senses are heightened more now.

  "Why?"

  I will tell you later. I have to tell you something of importance.

  "What?"

  You will meet your soul mate. She'll help you to Sanctuary, where all this will become clear.

  "Who?"

  You'll know when you meet her.

  "Why can't you give me her name?"

  You need to meet as destined by other things not in our control at this point. I can't be responsible for changing your future.

  "But if we're to meet..."

  I cannot advance your life's timeline.

  "Damn it! Why did you bring this up?"

  To make you aware of it. You are going to face a lot between your life and the case you're working.

  "You said you needed my help. How?"

  In due time, Sean.

  Sean stared at the wolf in front of him, the same one he faced in all his nightmares. The same one who confused him with cryptic messages, then left before any explanation came forth. As he tried to get a better look at the huge silvery-gray wolf, it darted off as usual.

  "Wait! Come back!"

  Finally able to move, he ran after it but when he got outside the church, he found himself alone again and no sign of the wolf. He turned to go back inside and saw lightning bolts. Pain thundered in his mind as darkness set in.

  Sean bolted up, a cold sweat drenching him. Another nightmare, but this one had a difference to it. This one felt more real than the others, he ran his fingers through his hair, then rubbed his temples.

  He got up, went into the bathroom and wiped his face with a cold washcloth. He padded back into the bedroom then, without thought to throwing clothes on, he headed downstairs to where he kept the Jack Daniels, his favorite. He poured himself a glass, downed it, then went straight to the bottle.

  Seeing no other option to getting some rest, he hoped a hangover might help. He needed sleep and at this point, he welcomed any possibility at all if it meant he rested—even if the pain afterward was worse.

  * * * *

  Rhiannon got up early. She loved watching daybreak as dawn broke over the mountains. She threw on a robe, grabbed a cup of coffee, and went to sit on the front steps of her cabin.

  She relished this time of the morning as the sun bathed her in the warm glow of the new day. She closed her eyes to enjoy this beauty. She heard a sound and slowly opened her eyes to see the black wolf who hung around the area. Over the months since the previous autumn, they had become extremely close and comfortable with each other, a relationship few could claim.

  Their eyes locked as he came closer to her. She reached out to him and felt the softness of his fur between her fingers.

  My Lord Wolf.

  Rhiannon.

  Are you all right?

  Me personally, yes, but all of us are in danger. We need to find the one who'll keep us all safe before it's too late.

  As I keep asking you—why me?

  You two are soul mates.

  Soul mates? I'm not...

  It's your destiny.

  I don't want...

  You have no choice. You need each other to survive.

  I'm doing...

  Not with what's in the near future. You will find each other and...

  I'm not mating, if that's...

  You will. We need the two of you if we expect to survive.

  But...

  It's your fate and our beginning. We need you, Rhi, more than you know.

  But if what you say is true, who is this supposed soul mate?

  I can't say, but you will find each other.

  My Lord Wolf, I...

  When you do, you will know it. When it happens, you must bring him to Sanctuary. We are the only ones who can help him and you.

  It would help if you weren't being so damned cryptic...

  I'm sorry.

  Th
e sound of the phone ringing broke their link and the wolf ran off. He disappeared quickly and without a sound, something that caused Rhi to marvel. She felt so clumsy in comparison.

  She stood up and went inside to the phone on her desk.

  "Hello?"

  "I'm sorry to bother you so early, but I need you to guide a party today."

  "You know it's my day off. I have plans. What about Haynes? He's available."

  "I want you."

  "I can't. I have appointments I can't break."

  "Please. I swear I'll make it up to you."

  "No. How about the new girl? What's her name?"

  "Natalie? I hadn't thought about her. Ok, thanks,” Lowell said, then hung up. She shook her head.

  Lowell Atlee had been Rhi's supervisor for two years. Ever since he came into their close-knit group, he'd been trying to break Rhiannon's schedule. He could not understand why she had special considerations. He wanted to change it but the district head and his boss over him had backed her. Lowell lived with this predicament but tried every chance he could to assert his authority, or lack thereof.

  She went to get another mug of coffee. Once she had, she went to her desk and checked her e-mails. While she waited for one to come up on her laptop's screen, she sat back and tried to think about what she'd learned earlier.

  "Soul mate? Me? Not!"

  * * * *

  "Hello?"

  "Sean, its Hunt."

  "Hey, what's up?"

  "You sound terrible. Another bad night?"

  "Yeah."

  "This isn't going to make it any better."

  "What?"

  "Our three are the most recent of a long line of related deaths. We've got a long list of unsolved murders, all with the same MO's."

  "From where?"

  "Tacoma, Billings, Minot, Salt Lake, Houston, Sedona, Taos, and one or two others."

  "All the same? How many?"

  "Almost four dozen."

  "Shit! And no one's caught them?"

  "No."

  "Cause of death?"

  "Gunshot or the like. The wounds are bad enough to cause massive bleeding. All the victims have been found with numerous needle wounds on the arms, a few legs."

  "What had they been using?"

  "A new designer drug more potent than Ecstasy. One victim had a curious comment on the autopsy report."

  "What?” Sean asked as he held the phone away from his ear and the pounding headache from the hangover.

  "The victim had been stabbed and left to bleed to death. Whoever dumped her decided to have a go at her. According to the coroner, the girl's brain exploded roughly about the time of climax. Whatever it is, this drug causes massive aneurysms during the height of sex."

  "One hell of a way to go."

  "The thing is, the victim is either out of it or so high, they have no idea of either the sex or the pain in their heads."

  "Jesus, Hunt. What the hell have we got here?"

  "I don't know."

  "Do this. Get backgrounds on all the victims. I want to know everything and especially if any of them were loners, or the type who seem like it."

  "Ok, anything else?"

  "Yeah, check into drug activity in the area. Find out about any unsolved cases, dealings, federal ops, or DEA ops. Oh, and find out if any ran active."

  "Can I get you the world?"

  "It'd probably be easier."

  "True. I'll get back to you."

  "Thanks."

  "Are you coming in?"

  "Later."

  Sean hung up and laid back. His head hurt from his drinking binge but at least he'd gotten some sleep and without the God-awful nightmares, though he still felt like crap. He knew he needed help but this would get him a ticket to the department psychiatrist and a good possibility of losing his job. He loved his job, the only thing keeping him going.

  After he took a shower, Sean went into the kitchen and made himself a steak with eggs. For some reason, he had a ravenous appetite, yet another change in his life.

  * * * *

  Natalie Young had gotten Atlee's call near seven in the morning. She grabbed her gear and headed into the office where she would meet a party of five men for a two-day hike into the nearby national forest. The unexpected scheduling pleased her since she could always use the extra cash.

  At twenty-three, the dark-haired young woman knew her way around the area and, after a short time on the job, had been given the go ahead to take her own groups out without another guide. She liked her position and easily fit into the group. She could stay away as long as needed since she had no pets, no close family, and no close friends to worry about. She preferred to live her life alone, simple and basic.

  Once she arrived, Natalie waited to meet her group.

  "Miss, I'm looking for Natalie Young,” a male voice said. She turned to see a tall blond-haired man, very muscular with a rough complexion. His blue eyes betrayed nothing but a hard demeanor as if he'd been hurt both physically and mentally. At six foot five, he struck her as being one not to meet in a dark alley. She detected a Russian accent, though it was faint.

  "I'm Natalie Young. Can I help you?"

  "Lowell Atlee gave me your name. We'd like you to guide us into the mountains."

  "You're my..."

  "Actually, the rest of my group is outside waiting to get started."

  "Oh, and your name is?"

  "Adolph Gliickman with two i's."

  "Ok, let me get a few things we need so we can get started."

  "Good, I'll be outside with the others."

  "That's fine."

  She watched him as he went outside to join the others. She grabbed extra maps and information, plus a radio, her only tie to civilization for the next forty-eight hours.

  Once she joined the group, introductions were made.

  "If you'll follow my car, we'll proceed to our start point, where you can leave your vehicle. We have periodic patrols so it will be all right. Are there any questions before I go over the basics?"

  A few minutes later, she sat in her car advising her base of the group's departure, the others piled into a van and waited for her to lead them to the beginning of the trail. She pulled away and made sure they followed her. A few moments later, they grouped at the front of her car, then started the hike.

  Before they did, Natalie checked for the cell phone she used as a backup if the radio didn't work and vice versa. Rhiannon Drake, the senior guide, had taught her to do this for her safety, along with her group's.

  They hiked about forty feet into the outer tree line, when they had to stop. One of the men, an Asian, had twisted his ankle. She went to see if she could help him. She knelt down to look at it and froze.

  "Make one move and you die right here."

  "Please, I don't..."

  "Shut up,” the man yelled before another one of the group took her radio. He threw it on the ground, then put a bullet through it. She jumped at the sound of the radio exploding from the silenced gunshot.

  While Gliickman held her at gunpoint, the Asian, who had faked the injury, and a dark-haired man held her while a curly-haired man frisked her. He found her cell phone and a knife she used for survival. She tried to fight the men's hold on her but they overpowered her considerably.

  "Take her to the van."

  "No, you can't do this."

  "I can and I have. Now, shut up and move."

  "Please..."

  She struggled with them as she refused to go with these men quietly. Once they got to the side of the van, the two men shoved her against the side of it then, as one held her tight to the cold, unforgiving metal, the other taped her hands behind her back. They forced her inside, tied her feet and left her lying on the floor of the vehicle.

  "Remember this, Miss Young, I am now in control of your life."

  "Please, I beg you. Let me go..."

  "You are too important to us to let you go. Besides which, I will not take the chance of you identifying me or my m
en."

  "You won't get away with this."

  "But I will. I always do."

  Gliickman nodded and the Asian pressed a piece of tape over her mouth. Natalie looked at the men, fear in her eyes. The Asian slid behind the wheel as the others piled into the van with her. Gliickman sat up front with the driver and never said another word.

  Natalie looked around, then whimpered. Why hadn't I been more careful? Why...

  * * * *

  The van rumbled along for a good distance. All Natalie could see was the blue sky passing by. A solid-sided van, the windows it did have had deep tint. She laid back and wept.

  Once they arrived at their destination, the taller of the men shoved a black hood over her head. She felt him cinch it at her neck and shivered.

  Next, she heard the door slide back, then felt her body roughly yanked from it before her waist made contact with a firm shoulder. A strong arm crossed over her legs as her head bounced behind him.

  Natalie's head swam between the hood and the way the man carried her. She knew they had covered a good distance of uphill and winding paths. Where the hell are they taking me?

  Blood ran to her head as Natalie became lightheaded. How much longer?

  Their pace slowed some before she heard a door open. The man who carried her stopped, then climbed several steps to a wooden floor Natalie figured to be a porch. She felt the difference in temperature from the warmth outside to a chill inside. She thought it strange for the air conditioning to be on full blast with such beautiful weather.

  Footsteps across a hardwood floor caught her attention as she tried to get her bearings. Where have I been taken? The man turned to his left and, as he went through a doorway, her spine scraped the top of the doorjamb. She whimpered in pain but he ignored her.

  More pain shot through her as he dropped her on a bed. The shock stunned her for a moment, though it was long enough for two others to join them. Silently, several pairs of hands untied her and removed her clothes, except for her lingerie. Her body was secured to the bed, spread eagle. Cold air made her shiver.

  "The hood will be removed and you will keep your eyes closed. Open them and you die."