Debbie Herbert - Bayou Shadow Hunter

And then there were Tia Henrietta’s words. Annie is your destiny. Without her, you fail. And as he’d started to straighten, the old woman’s hand had gripped his with surprising strength. Take care of my granddaughter.

Destiny? Destiny be damned. It was enough that the gods had placed this duty on him, this infernal battle with Nalusa and his shadows. No doubt Annie could prove useful with her extraordinary hearing. But that tiny woman wasn’t a key to battling evil. She didn’t stand a chance against dark forces she’d never before encountered. If she was an innocent, he reminded himself grimly. And as far as taking care of Annie...wasn’t it enough that his fellow hunters depended on him as their leader? He didn’t need another burden.

The door creaked open, and she stood beside him.

“How’s your grandmother?”

“Miss Verbena says her vital signs are stabilized, but she’s in a coma.”

He tried to find comforting words. “Her brain just needs a rest while she battles the poison.”

“I don’t like it.” Her voice was small, weak.

He should say something sweet, something comforting. But he didn’t know how. Even his twin, Tallulah, wasn’t much good at sweet-talking. If Hanan were here, he would know. His friend was always quick with the comebacks and the right, appropriate thing to say. A real asset in his job as the county sheriff. Tombi stiffened, feeling awkward. “Come with me. Stay with my people.”

She shot him a sideways glance. “Why?”

“So you can help us.”

She sniffed and turned for the door.

He’d said the wrong thing.

“And because we could use your gift. We...apparently, need you.”

“Well, I don’t need you. Grandma made me promise not to go to the hospital, but she can’t make me leave this house. I’m staying here in case Miss Verbena calls with more news.”

“You can take your phone with you.”

“Coverage is spotty in the woods. I can’t chance it.”

“But even if there’s news, good or bad, there’s nothing you can do,” he pointed out.

She gave him a look that would surely curdle even Nalusa’s milky venom. “I want to know everything the moment it happens.” Her words were slow and deliberate, as if she were talking to a not-so-bright child.

An unexpected warmth flushed Tombi’s cheeks at her condescending tone. He scowled to cover his embarrassment. Time to show his ace in the hole. “Your grandmother asked me to take care of you.”

“When?” Her eyes narrowed to suspicious slits.

“That time you saw me bending over her before the ambulance came.”

“You said she was incoherent.”

“I was trying to save your pride.”

They glared at one another. In the distance, an owl screeched. A bad sign.

Very bad.

Chapter 5

Annie shivered, breaking the tension. “That owl sounds creepy.”

“Ishkitini,” Tombi grumbled. No good ever came of the horned owl’s cry. It often foretold death. But no sense troubling Annie with that information. She’d assume it was an omen about her grandmother, and then she’d never agree to go with him. Plus, he had to admit, he didn’t want to upset Annie.

“A dangerous night to be alone. You’d be safer on the hunt with me,” he said.

Her eyes shifted to the woods and back to him.

She was weakening.

“Besides, you shouldn’t be here alone tonight worrying about your grandmother. Go on the hunt with us. It will take your mind off your problems.”

“Why should I go? It’s obvious your friends don’t want me around. At least at home, I won’t be insulted.”

Damn Tallulah and the others for their hostility. It had been a mistake to tell them he’d brought Annie to possibly find a traitor. Nobody appreciated a messenger with bad news. “You’ll be by my side during the hunt,” Tombi promised. “The others follow their own path in the night darkness.”

She glanced over to the woods again. “I have to admit I’m curious about your hunt.” Her eyes met his. “Does what you do involve anything gruesome? You know, like, bloody stuff?”

“Not usually.”

“Good.” She pinned him with a hard look. “And in return for going tonight, you’ll teach me how to control my hearing?”

“For one night’s work?” The words tumbled out, unfiltered. Oh, hell. By the look on her face, he’d lost any chance of getting her cooperation.

Annie marched back into the cottage, slamming the door shut.

He opened it and followed her inside. At least she hadn’t locked him out. “How about this? Spend time with us, and let me know if you have suspicions about anyone. In return, I’ll teach you what I can.”

Anger twisted her delicate features. “Teach me? I didn’t think I’d need lessons.”

“How else did you expect to learn to control your gift?”

“I thought... I thought...” She sputtered to a stop.

“I never said it would be easy.”

“You never said it would be hard, either.” She rubbed her temples. “Just how long will these lessons take?”

“Hard to say.” He folded his arms and considered. “Could take weeks, could take months. That is, if you can follow my teachings. Not everyone can control their energy.”

Annie sat on the sofa and took a deep breath. “Okay, there are a couple of things troubling me about what you just said.” She held up an index finger. “One, your people can guard against leaking their energy, making it difficult for me to hear their auras. So I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to pinpoint this person.”

She held up a second finger, but Tombi interrupted, “Let me take your objections one at a time.” He sat across from Annie, their knees almost touching. Warmth radiated from her slight body, and he clamped down the passion she aroused as he cleared his throat. “After a night chasing shadows, we gather back at the campsite and fill each other in on the night’s events. We’ll eat a light meal and then go to our tents and sleep until the heat of the day drives us out. Usually about noon.”

“I don’t see what this has to do with—”

“I’m getting to that,” Tombi promised. “Stay alert while they sleep and walk around the camp. See if you hear anything suspicious then.”

Her brow creased and then cleared. She nodded. “They must let down their guard during sleep.”

“Exactly. Now what’s your next objection?”

“You said you would teach me what you could. What the hell does that mean exactly? First you claimed you could cure me of this gift. Now it sounds like you’re waffling.”

“No waffling.”

“Then are you saying I’m unteachable? I can assure you, that’s not true. Not at all. There’s nothing wrong with my intelligence.”

Tombi raised a brow and regarded her silently.

She had the grace to look sheepish. “Sorry. Touchy point with me. I was teased unmercifully in grade school because I had to be taught in a separate room one-on-one with a teacher’s aide. The music from all the other students made it impossible for me to concentrate in a regular classroom.” She took a shuddering breath. “They used to call me Crazy Annie.”

That must have been tough for a sensitive girl. “Kids can be cruel. I promise I wasn’t making a comment on your intelligence. What I meant was that I’ll show you how I block my energy. It’s a skill my parents taught me, so it stands to reason that, with the right training, you can do the same.”