Sebastian laughed again, louder now, antagonizing her just for the fun of it. “You want this, you’ll have to kill me first.”
There was no response.
“Witch. You’re leaving, now.”
POP. The note landed atop the others.
I need incentive.
“Fuck your incentive. You’re not welcome here. Get out of this house or I’ll come to you.”
He swiped a hand through the cold area, bluffing his ass off. He hadn’t been able to find her for months, but he knew it could be done through this opening—somehow.
I have a right to be here. Service requested.
“Your service is performed and done and over. If I have to tell you to get out again, I’ll be coming for your ass,” he growled.
Another note popped in. This one he was unable to mentally read. He picked it up off the pile of notes.
Impetus cannot be removed like that. Must dissipate. Will not for two days.
“Fuck,” Sebastian muttered. He’d told Trevor he could clear the house in an hour’s time. He thought and considered for several minutes, weighing his options.
“Come on then,” he finally said.
The cube of energy shimmered. It lowered to him, touching him on the top of the head, then grew and surrounded him, chilling him. The bit of the witch that was free-floating in the house attached itself to him. Cold spider feet climbed through his hair to his left ear and into his brain. Sebastian gritted his teeth at the sensation. It was awful and disgusting, like having slime or sludge or sewer water poured over your head.
The witch began to rummage around in his thoughts, delightedly, looking to see what was there. Sebastian imagined the major events of his life and his memories as solid objects contained within bank vaults behind metal doors and he began mentally shutting each one. White ran ahead of him, finding his time in the war camps and his subsequent training to enter the KSRT. She went for it, mentally eager.
Sebastian imagined a massive steel repository in his mind, one big enough to encompass his knowledge of police procedure and strong enough to withstand any attack. Thisshiny room was stuffed full of shelves, books, manuals, and experiences. He slammed the door in the witch’s face. White veered off to one side and found another treasure trove of memories and associations—his early life with thebearen. SLAM—Sebastian walled it off. She ran for his recent memories. SLAM.
Sebastian laughed and headed for the front door, now speaking to the witch.Ifyou want to hang out with me, it’ll be plenty boring.
But she’d already found something else, a trove that Sebastian considered innocent enough. Pup tales—storiesshiftentold their young to pass on history and tradition. Sebastian knew morebearencub tales thanwolvenpup tales. He considered… then he let her in.
“Have fun,” he muttered.
His mission successful, Sebastian left Trevor’s house and did not look back.
31—The Crimstone Academy
Canyon typed in the last of his report and turned his computer off. He was still at his desk. Timber had been back from relieving Sebastian for almost two hours and was taking a power nap in the break room down the hall. They’d been working non-stop for weeks now, no days off and very little sleep, so they napped when they could.
Canyon grabbed his stuff and headed for the breakroom. He pushed the door open and found his brother passed out on one of the couches, surrounded by Slim Jim wrappers. Cartoons blared on the TV. Canyon kicked the couch on his way past it. He turned the TV off, then shuffled the jerky wrappers closer to the garbage can with his boot. Timber was still and quiet. Canyon kicked the couch again. Timber didn’t respond. Canyon went around the back and lifted the couch, meaning to dump Timber off, but a hand came up and grabbed on, then swung at him.
Time to go,Canyon said, dodging easily.
Timber was up and moving quickly and within a few minutes they were headed up Crimson Bluff, Canyon driving.
Sebastian?Canyon asked.
Timber grunted affirmative. “He got White out of Trevor’s house by inviting her into his head.”
His head? Gross.
“He says she’s in there going through all the pup stories he’s ever heard. He won’t let her get a peek at anything else.”
Canyon was silent for a long while, trying to figure out how that would even work, then he dropped it. Not his business. Sebastian knew what he was doing.
