Gone Hunting by Cecy Robson

Author:Cecy Robson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: witches, young adult paranormal, teenage urban fantasy, teen alpha werewolf, sisters with magical powers, supernatural adventure
Publisher: Cecy Robson, LLC
Published: 2018-10-23T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

MY EYES ADJUST TO THE darkness almost immediately. The cave is nothing more than a large open space. There’s a cot in the corner and some dusty old books piled beside it to form a bedside table. An old beat-up Native American rug lies beside the bed and round, giant pillows circle a firepit made of river rocks.

Mutilated owls hang from the ceiling. There are no strings that I can see, but I do sense the power keeping them in place. I scan each one. None seem to have been hunted. It’s more like they were injured or died from disease or age.

Mimi lowers herself onto a pillow and immediately a fire erupts in the pit, casting shadows along her crooked nose and deep-set eyes. Liam plops down beside her. I exchange glances with Koda and Gemini, nodding once to give them the okay to sit. Koda lowers himself next to Liam, Gemini next to Mimi. I sit beside Gemini.

It’s a strategic move, leaving Celia positioned in front of Mimi with the fire between them. It’s the furthest from Mimi that I can place Celia, but it doesn’t seem far enough.

My attention hones on the wall behind Mimi where a human head is mounted. His brown hair is ruffled, his eyes are missing, and his skin is pulled taught against the skull.

Liam nudges Koda with his elbow and points to it. “That’s my Uncle Donald. He wasn’t a nice guy,” he whispers, oblivious to Koda’s slacking jaw.

Mimi grins, amused. She turns and lifts a large, flat wicker basket and places it just a few inches from the fire. Dry leaves, the size of platters are carefully stacked within the basket, some brown, others a deep yellow, and some so black they appear seconds from disintegrating.

The basket wasn’t there before. I’m sure of it. I place my hands in front of me, cautious of what else may appear and ready to act if it has fangs.

Mimi chuckles, taking pleasure in our unease. “May I offer you some tea?” she asks.

“No. Nope. No thank you. I’m good,” we say.

Except for Liam. “Got any chicken?”

“Tea and smoke, now, Liam,” Mimi says. “Food when we finish.”

“Sounds good, Aunt Mimi.” Liam does a double-take when Koda glares at him. “What?”

Mimi smiles, fixing her attention on Celia. “What did you see at the end of the alley?” she asks. “When you had that man who reeked of sweat and whisky by the throat?” She reaches into the sleeve of her cloak and pulls out a teacup and a saucer painted with big pink roses, the edges, once rimmed with gold, chipped and cracked. Steam rises from the cup and Mimi takes a sip. “Tell me, when you felt the small bones break beneath your hold and he begged for mercy, what came to seek your soul?”

I hate how Mimi is speaking to Celia. It’s not just what she says, it’s how Celia reacts. She resumes that pained breathing. Anyone can see Celia didn’t take pleasure in what she did, and that it came at the cost of her conscience.

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