Quaeritur

 The Search Begins

“Wait, Jer. Something's not right. I smell something really different. Should we shift back?” Beth asked worriedly through their mind-link.

Beth was currently in the body of a Great Dane with long hair and a very curved, tucked tail.

“No. The scent is different, but in a good way,” Jer responded.

He chose to shift into an eagle.

Their mind-link worked this way because of Beth's apantomancy abilities, allowing them to communicate even while shifted into different forms.

“What should we do?” Beth asked.

Her heart is beating faster than a normal human's, Jer thought.

“I don't think she is human,” Beth replied to his thoughts.

Halthena stepped out into the sunlit clearing, surrounded by sunflowers and daisies beneath the thick fir trees.

“He is absolutely right. I am a little bit of everything, including part human.”

Beth and Jer stared at her.

“I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that you are Bethanie Wolfaery. Who is he, and who just left with Anton?”

“This is my brother, Jeremy. What name did you call the man who just left with my sister Tina? She told us his name is Arson,” Beth said.

“I am Halthena. He has many names. Is there somewhere we can talk privately?”

She glanced toward the trees.

“The trees can hear.”

“Sure. You can come to our house. Mom loves meeting new and unique weirds,” Beth explained.

“Can she protect herself if the fight ends up at your house?” Halthena asked.

“Yes. She is like us, and she is very strong.”

Beth and Jer exchanged a look.

“Wait... the fight?” they asked together.

“As I said, the trees can hear. We will discuss this in more detail once we reach your mother's house.”

“Hi, Beth. Jer. Who is this?”

Mom answered the door with her eyes lit up and a bright smile.

“This is Halthena. Can she please come in and explain more about the man Tina met?” Jer asked politely.

“Of course. Halthena, I hope you don't mind if I join you. I want to do everything I can to help my daughter come home.”

Beth and Jer's mother grinned as though someone had just served her favorite tea with her favorite crumpet.

“Normally, I work alone,” Halthena explained as she stepped across the sunset-colored threshold. “But considering Arson's uncanny ability to slip through my fingers, I appreciate the help.”

She took a seat.

“First, I am a bounty huntress for an organization called Mixed in Pink. We are often confused with Weird in Pink, even though that name was changed years ago.”

Halthena paused.

“I wasn't born. I was hatched from a very large tube and given the skills of most mixed supernaturals. Those abilities allow me to find, capture, or, if necessary, kill my bounty.”

Beth listened carefully.

“Anton, or Arson as you know him, is the bounty I broke the rules for.”

Halthena's expression darkened.

“I dated him. I fell for him. He tried to eat me and steal my abilities.”

Jer's eyes widened.

“I lost my status and rank in M.I.P. They almost kicked me out. My trainer pleaded with them, explaining that it was my first offense and that my abilities were too important to lose.”

She took a breath.

“This is my only chance. If I don't bring him in, dead or alive, I'm out.”

Halthena looked around the room.

“He will be prepared for us. He has spies everywhere. That is what I meant when I said there may be a fight.”

She leaned forward.

“So let's start with what you know about Arson.”

They all settled into the trio of bold cherry-wood furnishings in the living room.

“He met my youngest daughter directly after her first shift,” Mrs. Wolfaery explained. “He explained everything to her. I have a funny feeling he also placed doubts about the loyalty of her family in her mind.”

She paused.

“Sorry. Old-lady ailment.”

Beth smiled.

“What does M.I.P. mean?”

“M.I.P. is an abbreviation for Mixed in Pink,” Halthena explained.

“This is the first time Beth and I have met him in person,” Jer said as he stretched his long, limber legs across the cheeky cherry lazy chair.

“I smelled him on and near the murder scene,” Beth added. “I got distracted by Tina's scent and didn't realize my mistake until I got home.”

“So how can your psychic ability help us?” Halthena asked.

“As long as I'm connected to someone in some way—by touch, smell, or blood—it can trigger a vision when my talent is most needed. Since my sister went off with Arson, I should get a vision when the timing is right. Hopefully, it will warn us about what to expect.”

“Well, while we wait, we can get started on a plan,” Jer suggested.

“Halthena, that sounds great. How about staying here tonight?” Mrs. Wolfaery warmly offered.

“I don't think that's a good idea, Mrs. Wolfaery. It could put all of you at risk,” Halthena cautioned.

“Nonsense. We can all protect ourselves, and my husband is still out on business.”

Mrs. Wolfaery shook her head.

What was Tina thinking? Why wouldn't she call home before running off with this awful man?

The Pack

Deep in the same forest, a dark clearing was covered with red, orange, and yellow leaves that had fallen from the trees above.

Bundles of clothing were scattered throughout the clearing.

Nearby sat a sealed, faded, beaten chest.

It was locked by both magic and key.

The clearing was otherwise empty.

The smells assaulted Tina's nose.

She began to quiver and shake.

Arson softly brushed her arms, trying to calm her. He sensed she was about to bolt.

“Tina, ready to meet your new family?” Arson asked.

“New family? I'm planning on going back to my original family, if only just to visit,” Tina answered.

“Don't worry. These wolves will be your extended family.”

“Alpha, we need to talk.”

Jax stepped out from behind a tightly packed group of trees.

“Ah, Jax. This is Tina, and she will be traveling with us for a while. You will see to it that she has everything she needs.”

Arson mind-linked Jax, silently telling him to wait until he was finished with Tina before discussing business.

“Yes, Alpha. Call me when you're ready,” Jax replied.

Tina looked from one male to the other, puzzled.

She knew she had just missed something.

Arson offered her a cup of tea.

She refused.

Her goosebumps and trembling returned.

Something was wrong.

She just couldn't place her finger on it.

And she really wanted to go home.

“Now, Tina, where were we? Oh, right. What do you say? Are you ready to meet the pack?”

Tina looked toward the trees.

“Actually, Arson, I think I'd rather go home.”

Arson's smile faded slightly.

“Go home?”

“Yes.”

She took a step backward.

“I'm not sure I've made the right decision. I need some time to think.”

Arson's expression softened.

“If you leave, my sweet, we will be gone by morning.”

Tina frowned.

“Why?”

“The pack travels.”

“I thought you wanted me to meet them.”

“I do.”

“Then why do you sound like you're already planning to leave?”

Arson stepped closer.

“You're overthinking everything.”

Tina shook her head.

“No. Something doesn't feel right.”

“You're nervous. That's all.”

“I wasn't nervous before.”

She looked toward Jax.

“But now I am.”

Jax remained silent.

Tina's heart began beating faster.

“Arson, what aren't you telling me?”

“Nothing.”

“Then why does your friend keep looking at me like I'm a problem?”

Jax looked away.

Arson's voice became softer.

“Tina, you need to trust me.”

“I did.”

Her voice cracked.

“I trusted you because you were the first person who told me the truth about what I am.”

Arson reached toward her.

She stepped away.

“But now I don't know what is true anymore.”

“Tina.”

“I think I should go home.”

Arson's expression hardened for just a moment before the smile returned.

“If you still feel like you need time to think things over in the morning, we will return you to your house.”

He gestured toward his tent.

“My tent and bedroll are right over there. Sleep here tonight. In the morning, you can decide what you want to do.”

Tina hesitated.

“Promise?”

“Of course.”

He smiled.

“We'll introduce you to the pack when you wake up.”

Tina slowly nodded.

“Okay.”

Arson turned away.

His smile disappeared.

He secretly mind-linked Jax.

Bring the syringe.

Tina waited until Arson's attention was elsewhere.

Something inside her screamed that she had made a mistake.

She looked toward the path leading home.

Then she ran.

Arson spun around.

“Tina!”

Jax immediately followed.

Tina ran as fast as she could.

She could hear footsteps behind her.

She pushed harder.

Almost there.

Then Arson tackled her.

Tina hit the ground and rolled.

“Let me go!”

Arson grabbed her and pulled her back to her feet.

“You're frightening yourself for no reason.”

“I don't trust you anymore!”

Jax rushed toward her with the syringe.

Tina blocked his hand.

“Don't touch me!”

Jax tried again.

She fought back.

But he had come prepared.

She felt a tiny prick in her arm.

The world began to blur.

The trees spun.

Her legs weakened.

“No...”

“Jax, call the pack and have them meet us in the gathering circle. I'll be there as soon as I put this one to bed,” Arson said.

“Arson, we have a problem,” Jax replied.

The Truth Comes Out

The other wolves began shifting restlessly.

Arson suddenly realized he should have listened to Jax and moved to a more private location.

“What is it, Jax?”

“The bounty huntress is here.”

Arson's expression changed.

“She found what I left of the girl we decided to use to begin the ceremony to turn you into the most powerful alpha in the world.”

Jax lowered his voice.

“She investigated the scene and ran into your new girlfriend's family. They are working together to find you.”

He paused.

“This could be really bad. The huntress has never accepted help before.”

“Don't worry, Jax. We will be heading out in the morning. As long as we keep moving, they won't be able to find us.”

“I certainly hope you're right. After that last failure, the pack is becoming restless. They haven't seen you fulfill any of your promises to them. They're planning to challenge you and take over the pack.”

“Don't worry. We'll be long gone before the huntress and Tina's family wake up.”

Arson glanced toward Tina.

“I slipped sleeping medicine into Tina's drink. We must move while she sleeps. The farther away we can get her from her family, the better chance we have of making the plan work.”

The Plan

Back at the Wolfaery home, Halthena and the family sat together in the mismatched living room, sipping tea and eating crumpets.

They had a plan.

They needed to track Arson and find Tina before he reached Lucifer's Falls, where he intended to complete the ceremony.

They also needed Tim and Tom.

Everyone willing to help their kind instead of killing each other was worth allowing into the investigation.

The more eyes they had on the case, the better their chances of cracking it wide open.

They would return to the murder scene and track Arson's scent.

They would look for anyone new.

They would beat him to the falls.

And they would set a trap.

Halthena smiled faintly.

She knew exactly how underappreciated her job was.

My job is the one most people don't even know exists.

The Journey

Arson and his pack traveled most of the night with Tina.

It was a slow journey because no one could shift without risking Tina discovering what they really were.

They returned to the cave where Arson and Tina had first met.

There, Arson planned to continue preparing for his transformation into the ultimate powerful werewolf.

Tina was the final piece.

For now, she slept soundly inside the swaying tent carried by her captors.

But before they could complete the ritual, they needed four more sets of organs from slain mixed supernaturals.

The Bond

“Jeremy, I saw the way you looked at me just now.”

Halthena's voice was gentle.

“Now is not the time for you to find your mate. No matter what the fates say, it will be a very long time before I can even think about mating and settling down.”

Jeremy stared at her.

“I'm sorry. I won't be offended if you try to fill the void I create with someone else. The zing may not be there, but you could still have a lifelong companion.”

“What? Wait, no, I didn't—”

“Jer, you're blushing,” Bethanie laughed.

“Quiet, Bethanie.”

Jeremy looked embarrassed.

“Regardless, it cannot happen now. Maybe never. And do you know how hard it will be to find someone else who hasn't found their link—or whose link hasn't rejected them?”

He sighed.

“I didn't mean to look at you that way. My wolf is a bit overzealous.”

“Don't worry, Jer. You will always have us—Mom, Tina, and me. After all, Wolfaeries are immortal. We'll be together or somewhere on Earth as long as we don't get on W.I.P.'s bad side,” Bethanie soothed.

Halthena smiled sadly.

“Look, Jeremy, I'm sorry it has to be this way. I could get distracted on one of my bounties and lose him. You could get hurt. I could get hurt.”

She looked directly at him.

“We wouldn't be able to mate in the physical sense until I can retire, and that's a long way off. Especially since I'm not your regular everyday bounty hunter.”

She paused.

“However, I will not formally reject you. When all of this passes, I hope we can try.”

Jeremy looked surprised.

“Contrary to popular belief, don't worry. It won't stop you from finding another mate.”

Halthena smiled.

“Just do me a solid and let me know if it does happen. That way, I know to let you and your mate be.”

The Gathering Circle

Back in the middle of the woods, at the pack's gathering circle, Arson and Jax worked on preparing for their next move.

“Arson, what's your plan?” Jax asked.

“We wait in the cave near Tina's house. We continue collecting the sets of organs we need. You clean up your messes better.”

Arson paced.

“We stay under the radar and hopefully fool Halthena into thinking we will perform the ritual there at the Wolfaery cave.”

He frowned.

“I wish they didn't own that land.”

“Where do we find the rest of the organ sets we need?” Jax asked, rolling his eyes.

He could sense Tina beginning to wake.

“I have a funny feeling we won't need to find a random stranger.”

Arson smiled.

“They will come to us.”

“Arson!”

Tina woke suddenly.

“Why are we moving? Where are we going?”

“My dear, sweet Tina, all will be revealed when the timing is right.”

Arson held out a cup.

“Here. Drink this.”

“No!”

Tina pushed it away.

“You said you wanted me to meet your pack. I did not lay down on a stretcher myself. How did this happen? What happened?”

“Shh, my pet. All will be well. Here. Have some tea.”

Tina reluctantly drank.

Her eyes became heavy.

She slouched back onto the cot.

Luckily, it was suspended in a sling.

She tossed and thrashed, struggling to stay awake.

Then she felt another pinch.

Jax injected her with more weakening sleep serum.

Tina went still.

“Tina's family will come looking for her,” Arson said.

He looked toward Jax.

“Then we will have all the organs we need.”

Halthena's Dream

Halthena Davis awoke with a start.

Her body was soaked in cold, salty sweat.

Great.

If anyone sees me now, they'll forever call me the girl who sweats.

She sat upright and tried to catch her breath.

She had been having the same vivid dreams about Anton ever since the night he betrayed her.

Why do I keep seeing him do it over and over again?

First, she saw the mixed mystical he murdered.

Then she saw herself arriving at the first crime scene.

Anton found her there.

He complimented her and asked her to compare notes.

She refused.

He asked again.

She refused.

By the fourth time, she finally agreed.

She had been desperate.

After all, he was a detective who believed she was CIA.

She was stumped.

Maybe he could help.

In the dream, he told her everything he knew.

He even helped her track the killer.

Then came the night he nearly killed her.

He told her to wait for him.

Of course, she hadn't listened when he failed to show up on time.

If it hadn't been for her trainer and M.I.P., she would have been gone.

Halthena rubbed her face.

He knows I know his plan.

She stared into the darkness.

What will he do to throw me off?

Then another thought struck her.

And what will he do to Tina?