Ever Marked (Mystics of Mercy Ridge #1)

25. Myles

Chapter 25

Myles

C areful not to snag her hair, I drape the necklace over Ever’s head. “Here, it’ll mask any sounds you make while activated now.” And a few other tricks.

Really, updating Ever’s necklace was a convenient excuse to slip a tracker inside, because holy shit, I don’t think I’ve ever been more terrified in my life than when she disappeared and there was absolutely nothing I could do to find her. Even if Arson could shadow walk when she first disappeared, he didn’t know where to start looking. And then when he got past whatever his hangup was and started scouring the city, it didn’t matter. If it wasn’t for Ledger’s nose, we might never have found her. If she’d been in real trouble tonight… we would have been too late.

Never taking that risk again. I might be useless in a fight, but I can at least know where to send my psychotic brother to murder everyone and bring our girl back.

Our girl. Still blows my mind. I don’t deserve a mate, but like hell am I going to do something as stupid as lose her.

“Thanks, Myles. You really saved my ass today.” Her smile knocks the breath from my lungs, oblivious to how close to home her words hit.

All I’ve ever wanted since Skylar died standing up for me is to protect people from mysts. All that power goes to some people’s heads, and they don’t care who they hurt as long as it makes them feel like the big man on campus. I couldn’t protect him, but like hell I’ll fail Ever again. I have to do better, be better. Someone worthy of wearing her mark.

One of Arson’s shadows bands across Ever’s waist like a seatbelt, tethering her firmly onto his lap. “Imagine how much we could torture the others in a game of tag. We’d be unstoppable.” Another cool, shadowy tendril caresses the bandage on her arm, soothing the wound. “Oh! We could rob a bank to fund your project ourselves! Like taking candy from a baby. That’s a stupid saying. Who’s giving babies candy? They don’t even have teeth and already don’t sleep. Really, taking candy from a baby is the responsible thing to do, don’t you think?”

My eye twitches. “Do you take anything seriously?”

Arson rolls his eyes. “Life’s going to throw curveballs at me no matter how good or shitty a person I am. Seems easier to expect them so I can bend and adapt than stubbornly stand still and get pummeled just to prove I can take a hit.”

I pause, anger snuffing out as I look at my newfound brother with a bit more respect.

Shaking my head, I get us back on track. “We’re getting off topic. I don’t think it’s as easy as you two have a similar ability. Arson, you couldn't use yours to go after Ever when she disappeared, remember?”

Ever jolts against him and blurts, “Wait!” Immediately, Arson wraps an arm around her waist, almost as if he’s anticipating her to disappear again and is determined to go along for the ride. Ledger, on the other hand, is on his feet in an instant, scanning the room for threats. But my entire focus remains on Ever, hanging on her every word.

“Seraphina said something about a sound barrier before we talked about this?” she says.

The blood drains from my face. “You’re sure?”

Confused, she hesitantly nods. “Yeah, is that significant?”

Ledger shares a worried look with me. “Seraphina’s clairvoyant, sunshine. It’s how the town is able to run with low taxes; she invests the money in the stock market and cheats the system. If she’s saying she’s afraid of anyone overhearing what we have to say, it can’t be good.”

I leave long enough to snag a device from the basement, returning and activating it with my heart in my throat. “What did she say?”

Ever squirms uncomfortably on Arson’s lap. “She didn’t. Just made a cryptic comment about my abilities being unreliable and praying she was wrong for all of our sakes.” She grimaces, shooting me a rueful glance. “And that you’re supposed to go see her in the morning. Apparently someone’s been trying to break in, but we’re sworn to secrecy to keep people from panicking about the bomb threat.”

Ledger yanks out his hairband and runs a hand through his dark brown hair. “Son of a bitch.” He paces the length of our living room while Arson takes a knife sheath off his hip and slides it into Ever’s hands.

“Until you get control of your disappearing act, you carry this on you at all times,” he demands.

“But this is your favorite knife,” she argues. “Give me one of the others.”

Arson beams. “You noticed?”

“Of course I noticed, you’re always rolling it between your fingers,” Ever says with confusion. “Since I'm not emotionally invested like you are, give me the one you keep in your boot.”

Arson rolls them so she’s pinned against the couch, pressing his hips against hers to keep her in place. “You really do see me,” he purrs, looking like he’s two seconds away from stealing her away and stashing her in whatever lair he crawled out of.

I know he’s stalking Ever, but where does he actually sleep? I shake off the errant thought to worry about later and get back on track.

“What kind of ability would freak out Sera enough to insist it be kept secret?” I ask the room, slowly riddling it out. “Something that people would try to take advantage of?”

Ledger hums. “Ever’s already at risk for those threats simply for being a woman with supernatural blood. It can’t be something that scares mysts; we’re all monsters in our own way. Beasts and demons, creatures with abilities that could kill someone before they knew what hit them.”

He’s got a point, the only thing that supernaturals are scared of is…

I blanch. “I don’t think Ever can shadow walk.”

Arson holds her a little tighter. “What are you talking about? We saw her with our own eyes.”

“Yes… like you do,” I carefully point out. “And then you couldn’t follow her for ten minutes.” I turn to face my best friend. “Just like you couldn't shift at first when you tried to prove that you’re a shifter. “

Ledger’s brow furrows. “What are you implying?”

“I think she's stealing abilities. Temporarily, at least.”

Ever frowns. “But it's not like I turned into a wolf.”

“You also didn't try. Doesn't mean you couldn’t . ”

Arson’s lips part. “You don’t seriously think she’s a mimic , do you? They're a myth. A bedtime story meant to scare little kids into hiding their powers around strangers growing up.”

Ever frowns “What the hell is a mimic, and why is it a bad thing?”

I swallow; hard. “If we’re right, then either people will stop at nothing to take you away from us… or kill you.”