Howling Moon Part 7

"Absolutely." He slid a yellow plastic bag off his wrist and tossed it in her direction. "We'll be back before she even knows you're gone."

Cat caught the bag on the fly and flipped it open. Inside were a cheap set of gray sweatpants and a matching gray sports bra, along with a set of battered fantasy novels. She gave him an inquiring look.

"We'll go down to the school gym. It's Sat.u.r.day, and the kids have an away game. We'll warm up inside, go over the basics. Then I'll take you into the grounds behind the clinic and we'll see about catching ourselves a snack." He smiled. "Why don't you slip into the restroom and change clothes? I'll tell Ned where we're off to."

Cat shot another guilty look in the direction of Violet's room before making up her mind. "If you're sure sure she won't wake up." she won't wake up."

"Positive. Now... shoo." The picture of him making a shooing gesture with his hands made her laugh. It had been a very long time since she'd done that.

"Fine, I'm going."

"I'll meet you right here in five minutes."

Cat watched as he walked back to the room. She couldn't help herself. There was just something about the way he moved that invited a woman's gaze. Oh, and the way those jeans fit was practically sinful. It was enough to make her drool. Under different circ.u.mstances...

Raphael stopped with his hand on the doork.n.o.b, giving Cat a look that all but said, I I know what you 're thinking. know what you 're thinking.

Blus.h.i.+ng, she turned and hurried in the direction of die women's bathroom where she ducked into the first stall and started to strip. She liked him what she'd seen of him. And she liked Holly.

It didn't make sense, really. She didn't know them! But she liked them, instinctively.

Cat tore the tags from the clothing he'd bought her and pulled everything on. The sweatpants were a little big, but there was a drawstring, so she was able to adjust them at the waist, and the larger size would give her more freedom of movement. The sports bra, on the other hand, was tight enough to be just a little bit uncomfortable. Still, it would give her enough support for a workout and and she wasn't likely to fall out of it. she wasn't likely to fall out of it.

She carefully folded the clothes she had been wearing and slipped them with her thongs into the bag with the books.

Raphael was waiting outside the door when she emerged. With a sweeping gesture he directed her to the staircase at the far end of the hallway. He walked just fast enough to get to the door before she did, and held it open for her to pa.s.s.

It was still raining. As she pa.s.sed through the metal exit doors Cat listened to the drumming of rain against concrete, reveled in the feel of a cool mist against her skin. She inhaled deeply, relis.h.i.+ng in the ozone-laced scent that makes the air feel as if the world is fresh-scrubbed and clean.

For no reason she could name, the rain gave her hope. Cat tilted her head upward, laughing as she dashed barefoot across the puddle-strewn parking lot shared by the private hospital/clinic, the pack administration building, and a large blocky redbrick building that could never be mistaken for anything other than a school.

Raphael took off after her. She heard him swear as his slick-soled shoes slid on the wet pavement. It was ridiculous. She laughed again as she waited under the awning that guarded the door.

He struggled to dig a large ring of keys from the front pants pocket of his soaked jeans. He had to fiddle with the lock for a bit before the door would open. Once again he held the door, letting her lead the way.

Cat glanced around, getting her bearings. She'd never been here before, but the setting was familiar. It was just like every school she'd ever attended. The walls of the entry way were filled with gla.s.s trophy cases and bulletin boards with construction papered notices. Farther down, the halls between the cla.s.sroom doors were lined with tan metal lockers, each with its own padlock.

Just beyond a group of gla.s.s-fronted trophy cases were the three sets of recessed metal doors. "Do those lead to the gym?"

"Yup."

The two of them pa.s.sed through the hall, the sound of their wet footfalls echoing through the empty building. Cat paused to snicker at the huge sign painted above the doorway that read "Go Timberwolves!"

"The Timberwolves?" Timberwolves?"

Raphael grinned, obviously pleased that she got the joke. "It seemed appropriate."

"What's the name of the school?"

"St. Francis Private Academy." He turned the key in me lock and pushed the nearest door open for her.

"Cute."

"I thought so." He remarked. "Tatya... not so much. But Lucas liked it, so it's what we went with."

Cat thought about that for a minute. The complex was obviously not new. All three buildings looked as though they had been built at the same time, planned as a unit. They shared the same architecture, the same red brick. Both die clinic/hospital building and the school appeared to be immaculately tended, but there were still signs of long use. If Raphael had been here at the naming of the school he was definitely older than he looked.

Raphael walked across the gym to where the tumbling mats hung on the wall beneath the nearest basketball goal. "Here, help me with these."

The navy blue vinyl mats weren't heavy, just awkward, but they got them down and laid them out without any problem. Cat immediately began doing stretches. It felt good to do something physical. The gym wasn't cold, cold, but it was chilly. The vinyl of the mats but it was chilly. The vinyl of the mats was was cold beneath her damp feet. cold beneath her damp feet.

"You handled yourself well back at the house," Raphael observed as he slid off his wet dress shoes. "I take it you've had some martial arts training?"

"Some." Actually, she'd had quite a lot of training in self-defense, martial arts, evasive driving, even some work with guns: all of it at her parents' insistence. When she'd been ten years old, one of the vice presidents of her father's company had taken his family to Mexico on vacation. Their son had been kidnapped. Despite every effort, including paying a ransom that crippled the family financially, they found the boy dead a week later. His parents never got over it. Hers Hers never forgot it. never forgot it.

It was partially that training that had helped Cat to survive the jaguar attack that killed her mother and father. One of her favorite teachers used to say, "Used correctly anything anything can be a weapon. Always stay alert to the possibilities." She had, and was still alive because of it. can be a weapon. Always stay alert to the possibilities." She had, and was still alive because of it.

But her parents were dead.

"Cat?"

Cat shook her head and forced a smile. "Sorry, just thinking."

Raphael gave her a long look, but didn't probe further. Instead, he changed the subject by asking, "What would you like to cover first, physical training or magical?"

"Magical?" She didn't bother to hide her skepticism.

"After everything that's happened, don't tell me you don't believe in magic." Raphael's tone was so scathing she immediately felt her temper starting to rise.

a.s.shole.

It's not nice to call your teacher names, Catherine, even if it is inside your head.

Her eyes widened at the sound of his voice inside her skull. inside her skull. That shouldn't be possible. That shouldn't be possible.

Actually, it is. Your strongest gift will be telepathy, as it's also a talent Jack has. Once you're properly trained, talking mind to mind will be as simple for you as talking to someone on the telephone. You just need to think of him...

Cat felt herself swaying on her feet. She felt unaccountably hot, at the same time it was hard to breathe. Her stomach knotted. Just like picking up the telephone... all you have to do is think of them... The voice in your head Just like picking up the telephone... all you have to do is think of them... The voice in your head Her stomach roiled and she tried to run for the doors. She didn't make it. She tripped over her own feet, dropped to her hands and knees, and retched.

She heard Raphael moving around, heard a door opening in the background, and the sound of water running. She couldn't turn her head to look, though; she was simply too sick to do anything.

The man who murdered her parents, who ate ate them in front of her, had been strolling in and out of her mind at will. them in front of her, had been strolling in and out of her mind at will.

Cat closed her eyes. She wanted to scream, but she was afraid that if she started she might never stop. It was just too much. It was just too f.u.c.king much!

Warm hands lay a cool wet towel across the back of her neck. She opened her eyes to see Raphael cleaning the mess with silent efficiency.

"I'm sorry." It was a croak.

"It's all right." He seemed sincere, and she appreciated that.

She expected him to ask why. Instead, he simply waited in silence with the uncanny patience she'd only seen before when watching animals hunt.

She shuddered as another spasm grabbed her stomach.

Eventually it was over. She was quivering and weak, but everything that was going to come up had. She s.h.i.+fted her weight, pulling her body away from the mess to sit cross-legged on the floor by the free-throw line.

"There's been a voice talking to me in my head. A man's voice. I thought I was going crazy."

"Well, you're not." Raphael narrowed his eyes and lowered himself into a squat next to her, his weight balanced on the b.a.l.l.s of his feet. "What has he been saying?"

Cat looked up, meeting that intense hazel gaze. She watched as her next question hit him like a blow, rocking him backward onto his heels. "Little things, like suggestions as to what I should wear, not to buy silver jewelry. But why why is he doing this? Why is he stalking me?" is he doing this? Why is he stalking me?"

RAPHAEL LOWERED HIMSELF carefully onto the gym floor. Now carefully onto the gym floor. Now he he felt sick. If Jack was maintaining contact, that meant felt sick. If Jack was maintaining contact, that meant He shuddered at the thought of Jack sharing the thoughts of the woman he was stalking.

Cat's eyes staring at him burned with a need for answers. And while he'd rather do almost anything else in the world than tell this story to this this woman, he began to speak. woman, he began to speak.

"Fiona Monier is a were-cougar."

Cat furrowed her brow and opened her mouth to speak, but he raised a hand to stop her question. "Bear with me here. This takes a little bit of background to understand. Fiona and her family are among the most powerful of our kind. Because of that, she was recruited into Wolven when she was still very young."

Cat was watching him avidly. He knew she could sense his reluctance to reveal this. But she didn't make another sound.

"She had an affair with the head of the agency."

Understanding flowed into her face. "Jack?"

"Yes." Raphael watched her absorb the information, saw her pondering the implications. When he thought she was ready, he continued.

"Fiona is brilliant, beautiful, ruthless," He paused, took a deep breath through his nose to calm himself down. "At the time, she was completely disinclined to limit herself to a single man."

"I'm guessing Jack didn't take that well."

Raphael leaned back, planting his palms on the floor behind him. He looked up at the ceiling, trying to organize his thoughts. "Actually, for the most part, he was okay with it. He loved her, and was mated to her, but most of all he understood her. He knew she loved him. She'd have her fling, but men she'd come back."

Cat looked confused. "So, what happened?"

"She met her her mate and left Jack for good." mate and left Jack for good."

"Mate?" She tilted her head slightly, her voice and expression making the word a question.

Raphael sighed. "You've heard people talk about soul mates?" She nodded. "Well, with the Sazi it actually happens. It's both a physical and a magical bond. Sometimes, as with Jack and Fiona, it's one-sided. One person is tied but the other can walk away at any time. If tilings have gone too far, and the bond is too tight, when they do walk away, the mated person's mind can break under the strain. But a mated male literally can't can't physically injure the woman he's bound to." physically injure the woman he's bound to."

"So Jack is obsessed with Fiona. What has that got to do with me?"

"He can't harm her. Not ever. But he hates her so much it's driven him quite literally insane. So, he punishes women who look just like her."

Her breath stilled. But it made such ridiculously simple sense. "Me."

Raphael nodded sadly. "The resemblance is uncanny."

The two of them sat in silence for a long time. When Cat finally spoke, her voice was soft, but firm. There was no hint of hysteria. And though Raphael could smell her fear, overlaying it was the scent of absolute determination.

"He won't be giving up. He'll keep coming at me until one or the other of us is dead. He's sane enough to want to come back and get me." She stood in one graceful movement and held out a hand to help him up.

"You're right. He won't give up. I know."

"Then I have a lot of work to do before he comes back. Let's get training."

JACK PREPARED TO give the woman's thoughts a gentle nudge, just enough to move her to wakefulness. He only had a few minutes free before his next meeting to take care of this little charade. Still, there was enough time to do a little poking around. He wanted to see what was on her mind, find out if things were going according to plan. give the woman's thoughts a gentle nudge, just enough to move her to wakefulness. He only had a few minutes free before his next meeting to take care of this little charade. Still, there was enough time to do a little poking around. He wanted to see what was on her mind, find out if things were going according to plan.

It was surprisingly difficult. Ms. Turner was a strong-willed woman, even asleep. He slid past her thoughts of her parents, her determination to take over her father's company, even her anger and loathing of him. None of that mattered to him. When he found what he was looking for he wanted to crow with delight. The seer had been right.

Jack took a second to write a note on the pad of his desk to give to his admin a.s.sistant. Roses perhaps, or some jewelry. Laura was always good at finding just the right gift for the occasion, and this deserved something special.

Now, it was time to up the stakes a little. Good morning, kitten.

CAT STIFFENED AT the sound of the voice in her head. It was morning. She had just opened her eyes and been debating whether or not to climb out of the nice, comfy bed. It was the sound of the voice in her head. It was morning. She had just opened her eyes and been debating whether or not to climb out of the nice, comfy bed. It was cold, cold, and damp, the kind of weather that made her bones ache, made her want to stay under the covers and do nothing all day. But the voice changed all that. She wanted to move, not to stay in one place too long. and damp, the kind of weather that made her bones ache, made her want to stay under the covers and do nothing all day. But the voice changed all that. She wanted to move, not to stay in one place too long.

My name is Cat, a.s.shole. She sat up straight and threw off the blanket. I know who you are now. I also know what you want, but you're not going to get it. You're not going to kill me like the others. I'm going to kill you instead.

She could hear his laughter in her head, warm and rich and rolling. So they've told you about me. Good. Have they by chance mentioned my 'insurance policy'?

The file with proof of the Sazi existence? Oh, yeah. They told me about it. Said that if you die of anything other than natural causes, the proof gets released to the press and the humans start a witch hunt. Must really be something to have them so scared.

Cat closed her eyes, shutting out all the external stimuli. Raphael had told her that if she eliminated distractions and concentrated, she might be able to break Jack's hold on her. At the very least, she'd be able to glimpse further into his mind. Like she'd want to.

Still, she focused her thoughts, concentrating hard. If she wanted to bring Jack down, she needed to know more about him. Yes, she'd be spending tonight on the Internet, but that would only teach her about his human side. His Sazi side wouldn't be in the computer records. To know her enemy she needed to get inside his head literally.

I'd love to see it. Because, frankly, I don't buy it. Cat tried to keep him thinking about the file, keep him distracted.

You don't need to. They do. His voice in her head was smug.

He had a point. Frankly, it was a smart move on his part, playing on the Sazi paranoia. They believed they would be hunted down and destroyed; believed it enough that Raphael had bound Cat with magic to make sure sure she couldn't betray them. she couldn't betray them.

Charles wants you to be fully trained before you leave Boulder Conveniently enough, so do I.

You do?

Oh, yes. You wouldn't be much of a challenge otherwise. As it is... well, I'm all aflutter with antic.i.p.ation. You're doing quite well. A little clumsy, but definitely not bad for a first attempt at distracting me.

Oh, goody.