Jacklyn glanced at Toby. He looked back, a steady brown gaze.
It's fine, the dog said. Have faith.
Craven and Veronica blocked the one exit of the old sauna.
Things weren't fine in any sense of the word.
Jacklyn took a deep breath.
She needed help to find Matt and fast. She didn't have a lot of options. Veronica was it. Jacklyn didn't like it, horsey sense didn't like it. There would be consequences.
"Bear shifters have Matt. At least that's what we saw in the mirror," she said to Veronica. "Can you find him?"
Veronica studied her. "You're bonded then? You and the Venetian."
What did that even mean?
"I saved his life. I'm responsible for him," she said, sounding like a surly teen.
Veronica raised her eyebrows, looking straight through Jacklyn and her stupid hurting heart, "And there's that too, I guess."
After a moment's silence, Veronica added, "Very well then, I will help you. But you will owe me."
Magic rules be damned. Magic rules sucked.
Jacklyn nodded. There was no other way.
"Cut the crap," Craven muttered. "You have Mama Bear on speed dial, white lady. You hired the bears to find the beast and the thief. You had the bears tell the Visionary. Then he called me to find them first."
Jacklyn felt a pang of fear.
Too late now.
"Call them," Jacklyn said.
Veronica pulled out a cell phone.
"You've better told them to take Matt alive," Jacklyn added, her voice low and calm.
Or I will kill you.
Veronica froze for a second, like she'd heard Jacklyn's unsaid promise loud and clear.
Looking at Jacklyn, Toby the dog made a long wailing cry.
Jacklyn remembered the tall woman with the deadly injured bear. The blood and guts pooling on worn wooden floorboards.
"You didn't warn them about the mirror coat," Jacklyn said to Veronica. "They know now."
Veronica's lips turned into a thin line. She pushed the phone to her ear and turned away.
Long signals rang out in the quiet sauna.
The call went to voicemail.
"I'll get Gabriel to triangulate the signal," Veronica said. "We'll find them."
She turned to Craven, "Take your pick. We're going in." She gestured at the selection of knives, swords and axes.
"I get to kill the messenger," he said, raising an eyebrow. "White mage, dark mage, no fucking difference."
"There is a difference," Veronica said sharply. "I do what I do to protect the San Francisco realm, not rule it."
YOU ARE READING
Shifting Life
Paranormal[COMPLETE] Magic is all about the rules. You mess up, you fix it. Or pay the price. Not that Jacklyn Morse has a choice. She's a new shape shifter paying the price for saving a notorious thief who is as hot as the supernatural loot he's stolen. To J...
