Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 138217 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 691(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138217 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 691(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
“It looks like a vintage lighter.” The kind of object people collected. “But since I know that can’t be it . . .” She flicked the little tab on the side.
To find herself looking at a knife deadly and gleaming.
“Don’t touch the blade,” Yakov warned. “Thing’s honed enough to cut through bone. Taji was in a bloodthirsty mood when he made that.”
“Got it.” Using the same flick of the switch to retract the blade, she took her hoard and rose. “I’ll get dressed and secrete these on my body.”
“Yeah, we should head out.” Yakov looked out at the dawn-gray sky. “Weather’s forecast to pack it in this afternoon, so we should get as much daylight time at the site as we can.” He rose. “I’ll call Cissi, too, see how Janine’s doing.”
His bear lobbied to stay in the bedroom, watch Theo get naked.
The human side of him had difficulty disagreeing, but he knew that would put paid to their plans for a quick departure. So he grabbed what he needed and went to change in the lounge instead.
After doing so, he called Cissi.
“Nene’s good,” the carer told him. “Her usual cheerful self. We’re just discussing where we want to go today. I found a big indoor plant fair they both seem keen on.”
He’d just hung up from that conversation when Theo walked out of the bedroom. She was wearing blue jeans and a gray sweater that hugged her form, over which she’d thrown his jacket—though it was clearly now her jacket. His bear made happy humming sounds inside him.
Her hair was in a French braid, the strands pulled neatly away from her face.
A hot buzzing in his brain, a rain of snow.
“Yasha?” Theo strode over. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
Yakov touched trembling fingers to her sweater. “This is it.” It came out harsh. “The clothes you’re wearing in my dream, the way you’ve done your hair, this small snag in the wool of your sweater. Exactly this.”
No fear in Theo, only cool-eyed logic. “The necklace, too?”
Bear prowling restlessly inside his skin, he touched the glossy black beads. “No,” he said slowly, “the necklace wasn’t in it.”
“Then we’ve already changed the future.” A triumphant smile. “Now, let’s go live our today, and deal with the rest when it happens.” Grabbing the back of his neck, she tugged him down for a kiss. “Forewarned, armed, and definitely not easy prey.”
* * *
* * *
DESPITE the logic of Theo’s words, Yakov was still on edge when they reached the facility. But if Theo was safe anywhere, it was out here in this isolated location the vast majority of people couldn’t even access.
Once inside the lonely emptiness of the space, the wind a gentle howl through the trees and a faint drizzle of mist in the air, he parked by the main building. Leaves rustled across the parking area, the entire scene made even more desolate by the heavy skies that hung overhead. “Ready, pchelka moya?”
“Why do you call me that?” Theo’s curious voice was fierce and without fear as she stared at the building that had altered the course of her existence.
“Because you buzz with a furious energy, my Theo. My bear’s fur stands up around you.” He tapped her nose when she wrinkled it. “Bear likes your energy. So do I. I love who you are, my potent little ball of fire.”
A tug of her lips. “Bears.”
Chuckling, he opened his door as she opened hers.
Shielded against the evil of this place by the bond of love that was a crackling storm between them, all wild changeling energy and Theo’s contained fury, the two of them grabbed shovels, a sample collection kit, and a portable scanner that Stasya had dropped off this morning on her way to another meeting in the city.
“Boring city maintenance business,” she’d muttered, “but I have to go since I’m the only bear who doesn’t lose their mind and start suggesting multicolored tarmac or complimentary party busses in every neighborhood to liven things up.”
“I dunno,” Yakov had said, “I liked Zasha’s idea of streetlights shaped like teddy bears. Make the city more welcoming. Adorable.”
“And that”—a pointed finger—“is why none of you are in charge of repping StoneWater at the meetings. Anyway, I have to boost. Hope the scanner helps.”
Yakov trusted the equipment, but he also knew it wasn’t foolproof. Hence the shovels—for exploratory digging in order to get samples that could be run for evidence of decomposition as it related to the breakdown of human, Psy, or changeling remains. Yakov had a sick feeling that it might not come to that—any bodies were unlikely to be buried deep.
Took too much time to dig a deep hole, and given the number of patients Theo’s brother had guessed had been housed at the facility . . .
His blood was ice fueled by pure anger at the ugliness of it all.