Page 17 of Scout’s Honor

“Holy shit,” Maze said, scrambling to his feet, running his hands over his wounds.

Snakebit! Dallas’ mind screamed. The memory of that night swallowed Dallas, taking him back there, making him relive the agony, again. Pain exploded anew in his leg, and he groaned, then lost his balance and fell to the ground.

He battled his way to his feet, fighting to stay here and now and not go there and then.

Maze wasn’t looking at him, and for that, Dallas was glad. He was looking at the puncture holes on his arms. Warrior Woman seemed to have gone for good.

Maze speed-shifted in a blur, healing his wounds.

“See ya,” he muttered, then he ran and jumped like Superman, shifting into a small brownish-red and white hawk in the air. He flew off.

Dallas stood in one spot for a long time, thinking, before hiking back to his car, the cuff clutched in his hand.

10—Vs

Vasyl Van Buren phazed onto the crest of a hillside in the Nantahala Forest, hungry and angry. He wore wraparound sunglasses, a black Prada, single-breasted wool suit, leather gloves and boots, and also a black Panama hat. ‘The Cause’ had denied him what should have been a fine meal, and now he had to hunt, rather than be served, like he deserved.

Before he hunted he had business to deal with.

Below him stood a neat little cabin in a meadow, looking like a fairytale waiting to happen. Inside that cabin was something that could be used to control switches, shifters, and even some vampires. Vasyl had big plans for it. He just had to get his hands on it.

It was daytime, but he was Fatherborne, strong enough to withstand the sun for a time.

The air near him fizzled. His twin, Vizier, appeared, his outfit the same as Vasyl’s. Their hair mirrored each other, half-black, half-white.

Vizier met his eyes. Vasyl nodded behind him, into the small meadow.

Vizier turned, crying, “There it is!” when his eyes fell on the tiny cabin. “Fia’s head is in there!”

“I know. But we can’t get it,” Vasyl said darkly.

“We should try.” Vizier held his hand out and disappeared, reappearing immediately at the front door to the cabin.

Vasyl phazed down after him. He couldn’t phaze directly into the cabin because he’d never been inside, or seen inside, and also because switch magic enlivened the small building, and helped it protect itself.

Vasyl and his brother stood on the woven mat in front of the door. Vizier reached his hand out, and POP, the cabin disappeared, leaving nothing but dirt under their feet and grass in front of them.

A bird screeched overhead. Vizier startled and cried out, then phazed away. Vasyl laughed and laughed. After some time, Vizier came back.

“That hawk has you running scared,” Vasyl said, still snickering.

“I’ll kill him,” Vizier sneered. “Again.”

Vasyl chuckled, savoring his brother’s discomfort.

After a moment, Vizer quietly said, “We need the keys to this place.”

“Yes.”

“That will mean we own it and it must open to its owners.”

“Yes.”

“Vernon Bunn has the key, he’s uncharmable, and he’s always got a shifter guard these days.”

Vasyl waved a hand. “And wherever there’s shifters, there’s switches, these days.”

“The governor?