“Nope.”
“Nope?”
“Yup, nope.”
Both fangs appeared as his lips curled back. He looked pretty mad. If he had a human’s circulatory system, I imagined he’d be turning bright red right about now. As it was, his pale skin flushed slightly as his eyes took on an otherworldly sheen.
“And why not?”
“He’s shy. He’ll only work with me.”
I clamped down on the thrill of excitement at delivering my coup de grace. He was shy, but he wanted the items bad enough that he might consent to working with Liam, especially if he thought Liam was more likely to get him what he wanted. Right now, the fact that I was the only one who knew the identity and location of the sorcerer was my greatest trump card. I intended to use that to my advantage.
“There is something you’re not telling me,” Liam said, narrowing his eyes.
I went still, shoring up my mental defenses and projecting calm assurance in case he tried to force his way through to my thoughts. There was a lot I was keeping to myself and a lot of misleading distractions in the information I’d just given him.
“Tell me why you think you know what is doing the killings.”
I relaxed slightly, glad he was on a different topic. There was less risk in this line of questioning.
“The thing came after me twice. The sorcerer and I were able to narrow down the culprit based on my experiences.”
“Tell me.”
Seeing no harm, I told him what I’d seen and experienced. The smell of decay, the appearance of death, the dead dryad and the creature’s conviction that I had something of his.
“It sounds similar to a draugr. They’re able to possess animals, which would explain the attack on the alpha and you, and the most recent death.” Seeing the question on my face, he explained, “Another werewolf was murdered last night.”
“That means three wolves are dead.”
“Three?” Liam’s eyes sharpened. “I’ve only heard of two.”
“The first wolf was murdered before anybody put together the connection between the deaths. It was easy to overlook. There were also a few discrepancies between it and the following victims.” I hadn’t meant to give him all that. I rushed on, hoping to distract him from what I’d just said. “The sorcerer and I believe it’s a draugr as well. One thing I haven’t figured out is why it’s killing in all of these random places. Everything I’ve been able to dig up on them said they don’t usually leave their place of burial.”
And how was it choosing its victims? There was no connection that I could see.
“That’s a myth. In the old country, people would put salt in front of their doors and windows to keep the creature from entering in body or spirit. They used to bury their dead with iron scissors on their chest to keep them from rising.” He looked thoughtful. “Anything could drive a daugr out from its grave. I’m surprised one is here, though.”
“What makes you say that?”
“They’ve become rare in the past few centuries. This city isn’t old enough to have one of the ancients. The young these days are less likely to have the strength of will to cling to life after it has faded.”
“Okay, grandpa. I get it. My generation is the source of all ills in the world.”
“You are truly an irritating individual.”
I grinned at the complement. His next words wiped the smile off my face.
“Nothing you have said has convinced me of the need to have you help with my investigation.”
“I never said I wanted to help you,” I said. “I want to conduct my own.”
“No.”
“I’m not really asking. This is my life and future you’re gambling with. No way am I going to sit quietly hoping you know what you’re doing. The sorcerer said he wanted me out looking.” I held up my arm up so he could see the mark. “He also said if I didn’t actively search for both the killer and the items, the mark would kill me.”
He reached out and brushed one thumb along the vine of thorns. A tingle spread from where his fingers touched.
