SkinWalker series Box Set Vol III Read online

  SkinWalker Box Set 7-8

  SkinWalker Novels #7-8

  T.G. Ayer

  Contents

  The DarkWord: SkinWalker Series

  Grave Debt - SkinWalker 7

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Oath Bound - SkinWalker 8

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  The SkinWalker Series

  Also by T.G. Ayer

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  About the Author

  The DarkWord: SkinWalker Series

  In the DarkWorld the things that go bump in the night are most likely true. And the problem is they are probably not sticking to bumping around in the night. They are everywhere. Your work colleagues, your teachers, even your friends. They’ve been living that way for a long time. And you haven’t noticed because they don’t want you to.

  You’re much better off not asking any questions.

  The SkinWalker Series

  Skin Deep eBook ~ Audiobook

  Lost Soul

  Last Chance

  Blood Promise

  Scorched Fury

  Fate’s Edge

  Grave Debt

  Oath Bound

  Rebel Heart

  The SkinWalker Series

  The SoulTracker Series

  Demon Kin ebook ~ Demon Kin Audio

  Blood Curse ebook ~ Blood Curse Audio

  Demon Soul

  Blood Moon

  Demon Bones

  Soul Bound

  Blood Born

  Demon Scourge

  Blood Veil

  The SoulTracker Series on Tee’s Website

  Also in the DarkWorld:

  The Irin Chronicles Series

  Featuring Evangeline, The Nephilim, & Barry the Albino Demon Overlord, who just happens to be allergic to angel feathers…. Oops!?

  Retribution

  Requiem

  Resonance

  If you want to be kept in the loop about this series please subscribe to my Newsletter : Tee’s Newsletter

  Grave Debt - SkinWalker 7

  Chapter 1

  Logan

  It was a dick move.

  It was a dick move, and Logan knew it. He’d taken the coward’s way out, but he hoped he’d worded his letter in such a way that Kai would know he hadn’t meant it was over between them—because it wasn’t.

  Not by a long shot.

  How could it possibly be over when the woman meant more to him than life itself? Though the irony wasn’t lost on him that he was, for all intents and purposes, fleeing from her in the dark of night—well, not really since the new day was in full force.

  What would Kai think when she finally did read the letter?

  Logan wasn’t all that sure he wanted to know. He had no idea how long it would take before Kai returned home with Celeste, but Logan knew that though his gut churned with worry about both mother and daughter, he couldn’t wait any longer.

  He had to leave.

  Leave when she needs you the most?

  “You are such an asshole,” muttered Sienna, her dark tone slicing deep into his heart as her eyes and her body—and now too, her voice—displayed their utter disgust, disapproval, and disappointment in his actions.

  Sienna’s arms were folded as she paced the carpet in what had been Logan’s room for the duration of his recuperation. Her narrow naked feet made no sound on the carpet as she strode back and forth, blue-painted toes sinking deep into the thick pile. Her bearing and her expression though screeched her fury, louder than any dragon-call.

  Sienna’s golden eyes were cast down upon the wool fibers in a dark glare, as though the red and green interweaving patterns were somehow responsible for the status of the asshole in question.

  Logan—who stood leaning against the wall beside the window, and somewhat safely out of the way of his fuming twin—didn’t answer. His thoughts focused on Ivy whom he’d crossed paths with only minutes ago; a crossroads at the coffee machine, where he’d asked her a question he was pretty certain should have ended with Grams’ double espresso all over his head.

  That Logan had had the gall to rope Ivy into his subterfuge, and as a result, would soon abandon her to face her granddaughter’s ire alone, still surprised him.

  Though at first reluctant, Ivy had eventually conceded, thankfully without drenching him with her morning caffeine, and was oddly enough in lukewarm agreement with Logan’s need for a quick departure—an agreement that had somehow escaped Sienna’s awareness as she now broadcasted her fury at him.

  With his mind on Grams, Logan missed a timeous response to his sister’s question, his silence now drawing a disgusted snort from Sienna. He glanced up just as she snapped, “Well, I suppose the fact that you’ve admitted what you are—and that you’re not denying your status—should count for something.”

  She huffed and paced some more, arms now unfolded, fingers flexing restlessly at her sides. As she walked, she waggled her hands near her thighs, and every so often a brilliant gold-orange flame or two would spark at the tips of her long elegant fingers, followed by a cloud of tiny embers which spun around and around, then floated to the dark carpet.

  “You’d better be careful, Sienna.” Logan gave a soft chuckle, losing co
ntrol of the urge to smile. “Keep doing that, and we’ll be repairing carpets before we leave. Or worse yet, watching as the Odel home burns to the ground.”

  Sienna stopped pacing and spun around to face Logan, her eyes flickering with undulating fire. “I’m not stupid, Logan. If anything, that’s a label best kept for you,” she said tipping her head in the direction of the blackened wall on the other side of the bed. Sienna smirked, eyes—despite her anger—sparkling in amusement as Logan’s cool narrowed gaze settled on the round scorch-mark emblazoned on the wall of Kai’s bedroom.

  Though Logan cast about for a suitable snarky response, his guilt made it somewhat difficult to absolve himself, even if it meant his defense against his smartass sibling.

  At last, he shook his head. “That’s what you would call being overwhelmed with emotion and lacking full control.” It was a weak argument, but Logan wasn’t lying.

  On hearing of Kai’s injuries and admission to hospital, and then of the deliberate attempt to frame her for the murder of Anjelo’s mother, Logan had been filled with emotion, with such fear and rage that he hadn’t been able to control his DragonFyr. As a result, said fire had exploded from his hands, a flaming ball of near-destruction.

  Thankfully, he’d managed to grasp hold of the energy and rein in the full force of the power just in time. But, he’d had only a split second to decide where to redirect the fire, and had made a mess of the wall, with its tiny red-flowered wallpaper, and seared the top half of the white-painted wainscoting. He’d been grateful the damage hadn’t been any worse.

  Sienna twisted her lips. “Pfft. Excuses. And don’t think I didn’t notice that neatly done change of subject.” She shook her head, then blew a lock of her coppery hair away from her eyes. “Can’t you just face her like a man? Talk to her, explain what you need to do.” Sienna let out a disgusted breath—she’d stopped talking so suddenly that Logan stiffened with concern before eyeing her suspiciously from beneath his eyelashes.

  Then, after having confirmed Sienna wasn’t about to lose her shit, Logan inhaled slowly. “I know her way better than you, Sienna,” he said softly. “She won’t just let me go. She’d want to help me. She’d insist on coming with, to support me. That’s just who Kai is.”

  “And what’s so bad about that?” Sienna folded her arms again, her chin jutting out as she spoke. She lifted an eyebrow. “I have it on good authority that the walker in question is pretty reasonable and understanding. It’s what I like most about her—straight-talker, no beating around the bush and no hiding away truths.” The words were accusation enough, each dagger-sharp and impaling him mercilessly.

  Logan shook his head. “Firstly, Kai has enough on her mind. The Walker High Council nonsense is enough to twist anyone up with all their rules. And now this frame-up?”

  Sienna snorted again. “So, you’re running away because some stupid council said you and Kai can’t be together?”

  Overwhelmed by the urge to snap at her, to tell her to leave him alone, Logan had to take a second to still himself. He forced the urge away, knowing that his sister’s first concern was for Kai.

  The two had grown close, with Sienna having the utmost respect for Kai. The fact that Kai had been instrumental in helping Sienna accept and use her ability to shift only added to the strength of that bond.

  Logan smiled, hiding the ripple of sadness filtering through him behind a weak attempt at cheer. “It’s not a matter of running away. Kai has her responsibilities, and right now, I’m the distraction. I’ve been that for her ever since I went into that coma. And Kai gives her all when it comes to people she cares about. With me out of her hair, Kai may be able to see things a little clearer. Without her emotions—and mine too—clouding her decisions.”

  “And you? Are you leaving her because you need a clear head, too?” Sienna asked, her tone part curious, part critical as she turned to face him, body and eyes tense in anticipation of his reply.

  Logan nodded. “Partly. I’m not sure what we’re going to be facing when we get to Drakys...get home.”

  “So what exactly are you expecting?” asked Sienna after a brief pause, one eyebrow raised. A myriad emotions flickered in her fiery eyes, all of which Logan knew arose from her unequivocal love for him. Something even time and distance had been unable to shatter.

  Logan blinked away the sentimentality. “I’m not entirely certain what to expect,” he said, at first playing it safe with a neutral reply. When Sienna’s eyes flickered again, and he recognized a hint of disappointment in them, he sighed and relented. “What if they don’t accept me? You, they know already—you’ve had the way paved albeit in a strange way. But me? I’m still not even sure I understand why I’m needed.”

  Sienna took the three steps over to Logan and put her hand on his arm. “I’ve told you as much as I already know, but there is a crapload of knowledge that’s retained exclusively for the ears of the pair of rulers on the throne. They’ll tell us a whole bunch before the ceremony and everything else after we’re initiated. Of that, I’m pretty sure.”

  His sister’s eyes held a confidence that seemed to rub off on him, and he prayed that she wasn’t just spouting embellished truths in order to make things easier for him to handle.

  Logan put his arm around Sienna’s shoulders and gave her a squeeze. He was sometimes surprised at how much he cared for her—this tiny slip of a thing—and, given that he’d spent the majority of his life entirely ignorant that she existed, it surprised him too to understand the depths of his love for her.

  He’d also spent half his life believing he’d been the one who’d murdered his parents—or rather, the man and woman he’d believed were his parents—not to mention all the other lives he’d taken on that fateful day.

  Logan had struggled for almost a decade, shouldering the burden of being a mass-murderer who also bore a notch in his belt held the name Sonia—Sonia Odel who had been Kai’s sister-in-law. Iain’s wife.

  Only, that burden hadn’t been Logan’s to bear, a truth he was now well aware of. A truth he had no intention of revealing to Sienna anytime soon.

  Or ever, if he could help it.

  More secrets.

  Logan had to wonder at the wisdom of keeping the truth from Sienna, but her recollections of her childhood were filled with pleasant, happy memories. Could he willingly destroy that by handing the soul-crushing weight of his guilt over to her?

  The door opened, and Darcy entered, swiping her long blonde hair out of her face. She’d taken to wearing it open in the last few weeks, and Logan had to wonder how much of the new style had to do with Kai’s brother. It seemed likely that Iain had at last found in the MindMelder, a woman capable of grounding him.

  “Hey, you two,” Darcy said as she walked over to them, fingers gripping the strap of her handbag as she stared from one face to the other.

  “I’m assuming you want Logan?” asked Sienna softly.

  Logan suppressed a ripple of concern. Sienna’s interactions with Darcy had remained polite, perching on the fence between neutrality and mild affection, as though she constantly hesitated to move, preferring the freedom of not committing to something as tangible as a friendship. Logan had promised himself that he’d uncover the reason for Sienna’s distance from Darcy, no matter what stood in his way.

  “Unfortunately, I have to do one final check on Logan before you two leave,” said Darcy, her expression serene, no hint at all that she was aware of Sienna’s almost-indifference. “Your brother thought he’d be able to leave without my final assessment just because he was literally disappearing from the face of the Earth at the ungodly hour of nine in the morning. And I wasn’t going to let that happen,” the MindMelder said, throwing an arch look at Logan.

  Sienna nodded in reply though Logan didn’t miss the smirk she tried and failed to hide as she took a handful of steps backward, then spun on her heel, heading for the door. “I’ll go finish packing,” she said to nobody in particular as she left the room. She closed the do
or gently behind her, leaving Darcy and Logan with full privacy.

  Darcy sighed, the sound a low rush of air tapering off into a soft growl that broadcasted her weariness and the status of her almost non-existent patience. “Does my professional opinion not matter at all to you?” An eyebrow quirked, eyes darkening for lack of humor.

  Logan snorted. “Are we going to do this again?” She was right; he had wanted to sneak off without an examination, but, despite his guilt, he didn’t want to waste time rehashing his reasons.

  A sharp roll of Darcy’s eyes followed his words. “If I thought it would make any difference, I would,” she snapped. “But I think I know you well enough by now, so I won’t bother.”