Unbound (2 page)

“I know you were trying to help, but don’t bring me back here again,” she whispered and stood, not caring if he chose to follow or not.

In the street, she stared at the building that had once been her home. Numbly she walked towards it, the shards of glass and charcoal biting into her feet unnoticed. She slid to her knees, pounding her hands over and over into the rubble. Without any conscious thought, Kayla lay down in the burnt out remains. Blood and muck caked her tear-streaked skin. She’d decided to wait for the hunters to find her. Their retribution would be swift. Her dog lay across her, giving what comfort he could. She reached out, curled her hand in his warm coat and slept.

* * *

She didn’t know how Keaton found out, or why he’d chosen to come. She lay defenseless, staring up at him, uncaring what he chose to do with her. Roo growled and snapped at anyone who got too near. Kayla saw the guns and didn’t move. The darts shot from their barrels in slow motion. The blast sounded, echoing in the hollow shell of her house. The dart hit, the pain radiating out, then numbness encased her limbs. She dimly heard Keaton order his man to grab her, and then nothing.

She opened her eyes; the blurry sights greeting her made her turn over and puke. She retched until she couldn’t breathe and then lay back. Vague, indistinct shapes wouldn’t come into focus. Shaking her head set the room spinning. Groaning, she lifted her hand to her head.

“She’s awake.”

“Good. Have you given it to her yet?”

“No, I was waiting to make sure you wanted to do this. You are aware of the side effects?

“It will make some of her memories dormant. Yes I know. That’s what I’m counting on.”

“You’re absolutely sure? If she sees something familiar it could bring them all back.”

“Yes, I’m sure, let me worry about that, just get on with it. Kayla, can you hear me?”

She didn’t bother to answer, not caring what he said. He reached over and squeezed her face, turning it towards him.

“I said can you hear me?”

She stared at him blankly. He slapped her hard across the face and she just lay there. She didn’t care what he did. She was already dead.

“Just give her the damn drink already. She’s not going to respond until she’s had it and I’m losing my patience with her.”

The other man, the one she couldn’t see, put a funnel between her teeth. “You might want to hold it, sir. I don’t think she’ll keep it in place while I pour this.”

“Fine. Move over there.” Keaton pushed him out of the way and gripped her chin hard in his hand. She didn’t fight.

She tried not to swallow the noxious liquid being forced down her throat, but they held her nose closed as well. Her eyes burned, tears welling, and finally she gave in. Her stomach rolled up, heaving.

“If you puke that up, the dog will die.”

Her heart fluttered. Roo still lived? She swallowed the bile back and held on. Straps bit into her arms, cutting off circulation. She jerked up convulsing on the table. Her head lolled to the side, unable to move it, she stared at the wall helplessly.

Her mind struggled to grasp at something that was falling away. She closed her eyes against the sensation, feeling like she’d just lost something very important but couldn’t remember what.

She couldn’t see much in her surroundings. Someone stood over her, but she couldn’t focus on them. She heard a low growling from somewhere in the room. “What’s going on? Where am I?”

“Is it supposed to work this quickly?”

“I don’t know, sir. I’ve never used it before. I just followed the instructions for the potion.”

“Fine. Get out of here. Your payment’s on the table. We’re done. Do you understand?”

They were men, then. One of them retreated out of her field of vision. She turned her attention back to the one near her, straining to make out his features.

“Kayla, I’ve got a nice place for you to stay. The woman who owns it owes me and I’ve called to collect. Do you understand?”

She jerked, then stilled. “You’ve gotten yourself into some trouble with the Mage Hunters. Do you remember?”

She shook her head no. She didn’t like where this conversation was headed.

A memory nudged the edge of her mind, but she couldn’t seem to grasp it.

“That’s fine. I don’t expect you to remember right away. What I do expect is that you do as you’re told and I will protect you from them. Is that understood?”

Her stomach tightened. She was forgetting something important. The man’s face in front of her came into focus. She could remember that she didn’t like him, but she couldn’t remember why.

“Who… Who are you?”

“You’ve forgotten?”

“I don’t know who you are.”

“Keaton. You work for me. You got into a little trouble this evening, don’t you remember?”

She shook her head. “I can’t recall. What did I do?”

“You broke the law. You killed a pack of Hunters. You’ll not want to go into the Drifts.  The Mage Hunters have a contract on you. You won’t last long if someone sees you in the Drifts. Do you understand?”

The man was handsome she supposed, but his presence made her uneasy. Thick brown hair curled on the top of his head, falling a little into his eyes, which were black, and not just the pupil but the iris as well. His mouth was wide and the tips of his teeth pointed when he smiled at her.

“Kayla, did you hear me?”

“I was thinking. I don’t remember. Are you sure I work for you?”

“Yes. Now I’m going to untie you. You weren’t coherent when they bought you in, and you were trying to hurt yourself.”

The straps slipped away and she could hear the whimpering of a dog in the corner, he was caged. She remembered him. Roo… He was hers. “That’s my dog?”

The man nodded. “Yes. We had to tranq him and lock him in the kennel because he wouldn’t let any of us near you. When you get ready to leave, Laylan will walk you and him to your new place.”

She nodded and stood on wobbly legs, holding onto the edge of the table.

A muscular blond stood just inside the door, absolutely still. He didn’t move even as she focused on him.

“Who are you?”

“Keaton already told you I’m Laylan.”

“Right… I just can’t seem to place you or any of this.” She glanced around the room and realized nothing looked familiar.

“It’s alright. I’m sure it will come to you in time.”

She shuddered at the lack of emotion in his voice and turned to Keaton. “Can my dog come out now?”

“If you can walk over and let him out. He’s not too fond of me and I would prefer not to deal with him again. In fact, I think I’ll leave and you can let him out once I’ve gone.”

“Keaton…”

“Yes?”

“I might be your dog, but I won’t act like one.”

“I’m sure we’ll come to some agreement that benefits us both.” He shrugged and walked out of the room.

A door shut further down the hall. Taking a deep breath, she walked to the kennel. She almost fell, but kept moving. Leaning down, she released the door.

“It’s not wise to speak to him like that. He may seem like it didn’t bother him, but he will make you regret it. It’s your own rope he’ll hang you with.”

Kayla followed Laylan’s retreating back out the door and into the night. She couldn’t remember why she had a hollow ache in her gut, but she didn’t feel like herself. Maybe some sleep would help.

The diner was at the bottom of an old style brick building. It felt homelike just looking at it. Laylan pushed open the door. The tinkling bells brought an unwilling smile to Kayla’s face.

2

April 26, 2009

The rickety stairs leading up to her place had long since passed the point of being safe; she didn't dare stand on them too long. She would ask Mable to fix them eventually, but didn't feel up to making waves with the closest person she had to a friend, her landlord-hence the not-completely-a-friend thing. She knew Mable meant well, but there wouldn't be a thing she could do to protect her from the dangers her life brought. Kayla couldn't risk letting Mable close enough to hurt her.

“Alright, Roo, do your thing. I don’t want to be out here all night.”

Roo grunted and moved away, his reddish-gold coat shining under the street lamps.

“I need coffee
,” she muttered, running her hands through her shower-damp hair framing her face in dark waves. The dog looked at her, whimpering. “Nothing, Roo. Just thinking out loud. Hurry up. I want to get inside.” She thought of Nyx, her cat, as she watched Roo go about his business. She missed him terribly, still imagined she could feel his warm imprint beside her on her pillow when she woke each morning. Sighing, she went inside to get ready for her day.

Kayla sat down on a stool, dropping her bag to the floor. Roo flopped down next to it, making himself comfortable. She waved to a few of the regulars before she nodded to Mable.

The thin woman wore low slung jeans and a small black apron around her hips. She had a tight fitting blue shirt on with the café logo over the right breast. Her deep purple, curly hair cut in a pixie tapered to ends around her cheeks.

Kayla never thought to ask how a woman like her had ended up owning a café, but she wasn’t complaining. It gave her a friend and a pleasant place to stay, even if the back stairs needed work. Kayla watched as Mable finished taking the order of a man near the end of the counter. Kayla felt something familiar about him, but shrugged when she couldn’t place it.

Mable came at her own pace. “You sure look like hell this evening, girl.” She snapped her gum between her teeth. “What ya having, then?”

Kayla pretended to think about it. “Just the regular.” She smiled faintly as she rubbed Roo’s ears. She didn’t want to deal with anything until after she’d had her first cup, and she’d come to rely on Roo’s calming presence to get her through until then.

“Sure thing, sugar.” She clunked down a mug and poured thick black coffee into it. Then reached under the counter for a small silver flask she kept for her favorite customers. She uncapped it and poured a shot into Kayla’s coffee. “There ya go, hon. Don’t drink it too fast now.” She leaned over the counter in front of Kayla and grasped her hand. “If there’s ever anything you feel like talking about, I’ll be here.”

Mable froze at the sound of tinkling bells and snatched her hand away, looking beyond Kayla at who’d just walked in the door. She turned away, distancing herself from Kayla by wiping down the counter and refilling coffee cups of people nearby.

By the stop in the customers’ chatter and tension filling the room, Kayla recognized the newcomer without looking at him. She took a slow sip of coffee, letting the Irish warmth spread through her chest, not detracting from the cold hatred deep within her for the man who stood behind her.

“What can I do for you, Keaton?”

“Now, now, Kayla, how is it that you always know when I’m around?” Keaton ran his hand down her hair, then settled it on her shoulder.

Kayla shrugged, trying to dislodge the unwanted hand. “Just lucky I guess.” She didn’t show her revulsion.