Chapter 27
Jared
Garrett and I sit side by side in an interview room located on the lower ground floor of the town hall.
According to Rett, the entire floor caters to the town’s protection team and the two SIB agents.
The vampire, Agent Johnson, sits on the opposite side of the cold metal table that’s secured to the floor.
His insufferable partner left to take a call a few minutes ago, and I’m glad for the reprieve from her endless stream of questions.
I feel as though I’ve been flayed open then pinned to the wall like a butterfly, my deepest trauma on display for the world to gawk at.
It’s how I felt before and I hate it. The looks I’m getting now are what I moved to Crystal Lake to escape.
Instead, I’ve led the monster from my nightmares right to my loved one’s doorstep.
I’m just glad Selene’s safe at home. I know she would have stayed by my side, but if The Raven’s here then it’s better for her to stay as far away from me as possible until he’s caught.
The last thing I want is for the woman I love to be caught in his crosshairs.
Besides, these awful fluorescent lights would only have made her headache worse.
“What I don’t understand is how The Raven got into town in the first place,” Garrett muses. “The town wards are designed to keep out anyone with malicious intent.”
A guilty look crosses Agent Johnson’s face, and my hands curl into fists with my irritation. “You know something.”
“I’m not at liberty to say—”
“Cut the crap. I’ve answered every single one of your bloody questions. I deserve to know what’s going on.”
Johnson looks to Garrett, but my friend simply crosses his arms over his broad chest, an expectant look on his face. Johnson lowers his gaze to the table. “I don’t know much. The call my boss took is probably an update on the situation. If you wait for her to come back we can—”
“Your boss is an incompetent buffoon with an over-inflated ego—she won’t tell us shit,” Garrett interrupts harshly. Judging by the hard set to his jaw and the tightness around his eyes, he’s as done with the whole evening as I am.
Johnson deflates. “Fine.” He glances over his shoulder at the two-way glass behind him. “You didn’t hear this from me, understand?”
“Got it,” I agree.
“Agent Terrall sent a pair of protection officers to Raymond’s house.” At my blank look he clarifies, “He’s the witch in charge of the town wards.”
“You think he let The Raven in?”
“We’re not sure—that’s why we sent officers to bring him in for questioning.”
“What are the chances it wasn’t him?”
Garrett’s lips flatten into a tight line.
“Not high. Sanctuary wards are stronger than normal spells. They don’t only rely on the magic of the witch who cast them, they’re also tied to the natural magic of where the sanctuary is built—in this case the crystals in the bottom of the lake the town’s named after.
Changing normal wards requires skill and power, but as long as the witch trying to break the ward is stronger than the original caster, it can usually be done.
Sanctuary wards are different—there’s only a handful of witches in the world with the power and skill to alter them. ”
“Is there any way to tell when they were altered?”
“We assumed it happened today. Why?” Johnson asks.
“I’ve felt like I’m being watched for weeks—it started just after I arrived in town.”
“But that would mean The Raven’s been here for a month. Are you sure it’s not just the locals being nosy because you’re new?”
I shake my head. “That’s what I thought too, but now I’m not so sure. I think The Raven followed me here to finish what he started back in London.”
“Why come to Crystal Lake though?” Garrett asks. “I’m not saying you’re wrong, I just don’t understand why he’d wait, when you were alone and vulnerable in London for six months after his first attack.”
“I don’t know. Maybe he was watching me in London, and I didn’t realise? I was in a dark place before coming here. This was supposed to be a fresh start.”
“I hate to say it, but it’s possible he enjoyed seeing you struggling in London.
That could have been enough for him to leave you be,” Agent Johnson speculates.
“If that’s the case, it would also explain why there have been no new victims—he was still getting what he needed from watching you.
It’s possible that seeing you move on is what drove him to strike again. ”
“So this is my fault?”
“Of course not.” Garrett glares at Johnson. “The only one responsible for tonight’s tragedy is The Raven himself. There’s no way you could have known this would happen, Jared.”
“But if I’d said something sooner, that woman might still be alive.”
“You can’t think like that. Even if we knew The Raven was in town, he’s been impossible to track. Several insight demons and moon witches have tried to find his magical signature, but he’s been using a witch to conceal it.
“Raymond?” Garrett asks.
“Possibly. Whether he knew what the cloaking potion was for is something we won’t know until we speak to him.”
The door to the interview room opens, and Agent Terrall strides in. “Raymond is dead. Killed by The Raven approximately twelve hours ago.”
“That’s right after he altered the town wards to let the humans in,” Garrett says.
“Yes.” She gives a haughty sniff. “There is evidence that Raymond was confined to his bedroom and that someone else, presumably The Raven, has been living in the house for some time.”
“How would they even cross paths for The Raven to force Raymond to help him in the first place?” I ask.
“Raymond’s an expert in wards, remember? He was often called out of town to set wards for supes who could afford his services,” Garrett explains.
“You think The Raven got to him on one of those business trips?”
“Raymond’s family don’t live in a sanctuary town. It’s likely The Raven threatened them to force Raymond to cooperate,” Terrall answers.
Overwhelmed, I flop back in my seat. I can’t believe this. “Why not kill me right away? Not that I’m unhappy to be alive, I just don’t understand.”
“If he’s been watching you since he attacked you back in London, he may even have grown…
attached to you in his own way,” Johnson replies.
“You said you reported on his crimes at your old job?” I nod.
“It’s possible he’s craving your recognition.
That, or his sadistic streak combined with his narcissism meant he wanted you to know he was coming for you. ”
“I’m not sure which is more disturbing,” Garrett says. “We need to keep Jared safe.”
“I’ll assign two protection officers to you until he’s caught,” Terrall says apathetically, as though Garrett’s overreacting. I bite the inside of my cheek to avoid chewing her out.
Sensing I’ve hit my limit, Rett stands, levelling her with a glare.
“See that you do. I will escort Jared home and wait with him until they arrive.” At least if I’m being assigned protection, it will be safe for me to see Selene.
That thought buoys me enough to stand and walk through the door Rett’s holding open.
Garrett and I make the walk from the town hall to Selene’s cottage in silence, my mind still reeling from tonight’s events.
“I can’t believe The Raven is here. I only just wrapped my head around the fact he’s a fear demon.”
“I’m so sorry, Jared, I never imagined he would find a way through the wards, but I promise to keep you safe.”
“We’ll keep each other safe—that’s what family does.
” Rett looks at me like the idea of me protecting him is adorable.
Fair point. “Besides, it’s a good thing you didn’t think The Raven would ever find a way into town.
If I’d known he could find me here any time, I…
I don’t think I’d be in the place I am right now—tonight’s setback aside. ”
“Hey.” Garrett halts me with a hand on my arm. “Your reaction tonight was completely understandable, and nobody thinks any less of you for it—not me, and certainly not Selene. It doesn’t negate all the progress you’ve made either. Remember what Mohinder says—healing isn’t linear.”
I nod and we keep walking. “You see Mohinder too?” I ask, surprised to hear him quoting the vampire therapist.
“Not anymore, but I did for a while after my dad died, and I took over the pack.” He looks at me intently. “You’re stronger than you think, Jared. Look at everything you’ve been through and you’re still standing. Not only that, you haven’t let it warp you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your first experience of the supernatural was literally a homicidal psychopath. Yet here you are embracing your supernatural nature and our community.”
I choose to let my friend believe I wasn’t scared of everyone in town when I first found out the big secret. “In fairness, I only found out The Raven was a supernatural after I started learning about my powers.”
“Yet even after learning the truth about The Raven, you didn’t let that colour how you see yourself or other demons. Instead, you embraced your new abilities and became close friends with another demon.”
“That’s because Huxley’s not a serial killer,” I reply drolly. “While it gives him a worrying advantage, The Raven being supernatural is the least terrifying thing about him. I’m not afraid of what he is—I’m afraid of who he is. That person is capable of pure evil.”
“We’ll catch him,” Garrett declares with quiet confidence and determination.
My response dies on my tongue when I spot Selene’s gate and front door hanging wide open.
“Rett,” I say, terror strangling my vocal cords.
“I see it,” he replies, all business. Watching him tonight, I can see why he’s pack Alpha and a council member. “Let me go first.”
“But—”
“You’re not trained for this, Jared. Let me go in first.”
“Fine. Just hurry.”
He nods, then heads inside. After what feels like an eternity but in reality I know was only a couple of minutes, Garrett reappears in the doorway.
“There’s nobody here, but I did find this.” He holds up a black feather and, for the second time tonight, my world comes crashing down around me.
“The Raven. He has Selene.”
Garrett’s answering expression is grim. “Yes, but we can find her.”
“How did this happen? She was supposed to be safe. He was supposed to be after me! Why didn’t he take me?” I think back to the time I felt like someone was watching us walk to the diner for breakfast. It was him. The Raven saw me with Selene, and that’s why he took her. It’s my fault.
“Jared,” Garrett snaps. “Focus. You can use your insight powers to track them using the feather he left.”
“There’s a signature this time?”
“Yeah. Looks like the SIB’s theory that Raymond was cloaking him was right. Now he’s dead, the magic’s worn off. Huxley taught you how to track, right?”
“Yes, but I’m supposed to use a personal item or DNA. I don’t know if a bird feather will work—it’ll depend on how much leaving them behind means to him.”
“The feather’s not from a bird. This is a demon feather. Whoever The Raven is, he’s got wings.”
Hope dawns like the first rays of sunlight. “Give it to me.” I take the feather and close my eyes, focusing on my inner magic just like Huxley taught me. A faint tugging sensation starts just beneath my sternum. I lock eyes with Garrett. “I’ve got his signature. Let’s go.”
We race through town, the tugging in my chest growing stronger the closer we get to wherever The Raven’s holding Selene.
“We’re almost on pack land,” Garrett tells me, concern for his fellow shifters clear, but we don’t slow down.
Minutes later, a barn comes into view. For being in the middle of the countryside at night, it’s eerily quiet, like the creatures here can sense the evil lurking within the wooden structure.
“He’s in there.”
“I only sense two supernaturals—one demon, one witch—you?”
Switching my focus from the signature on the feather to the barn that’s seen better days, I wait a beat to be sure before replying. “Same. How do you want to do this?”
“We should call the SIB agents for backup.”
“Not a chance. He’s got Selene. I’m not waiting for them.”
“No!” Selene’s bloodcurdling scream travels through the night air, and I take off running towards the dilapidated structure.