Penumbra (Spook Squad 3)

“They were elementals—the essence of nature itself. There were apparently four types—sun, earth, wind and water.”

“Then a sun elemental could, say, control a fire, or even appear to swallow it?” Gabriel said, remembering the story he’d read in the archives. And a water elemental could control a storm, using the lightning as a weapon, as Sam had done.

Karl nodded. “Each walker was the master of his element. Their ability to disappear into shadows came from the fact that they were more energy beings rather than flesh. Vampires disappear into shadows by exerting psychic pressure on the human sense of sight, making it appear as if the shadows have wrapped around them. A walker merely loses his human shape, reverting to an energy form.”

Sam scrubbed a hand across her eyes. “So basically, what you’re saying here is that I’m not human? That I never was?” She hesitated, swallowing heavily. “How is that even possible? I’m not made of energy, for Christ’s sake. I’m flesh and blood.”

“Sam, you have human elements in your coding, the same as a changer, a shifter or even a were.” O’Hearn’s voice was gentle, almost soothing. “But the dominant coding in your DNA seems to be what we presume is walker coding.”

“If the walkers were all-powerful, why even bother patching in changer or were coding? It’s not as if I can shift or change.” Sam ran a hand through her hair, eyes a little wild.

She didn’t want to be anything more than human, Gabriel realized. She might want to discover her past, but in many respects she feared it, too. Or, rather, feared discovering just what she might be—and what she could do. And while that fear was totally understandable, if what O’Hearn was suggesting was true—and he had no doubt that it was—then it was more important than ever t

hat they press forward on the quest to discover who had made her, and why.

Because not only was the military now interested in her, but someone far worse also held an interest. Sethanon.

“But you can channel the power of the storms,” O’Hearn continued softly. “Which suggests, perhaps, that the walker strands are dominant.”

“Meaning I’m likely to dissolve into darkness at any given minute?”

The silence seemed filled with sudden tension, and Gabriel wondered why.

Finley cleared his throat. “As a matter of fact, you have already begun to fade.”

“What the hell are you on, Finley?” Gabriel snapped. Sam was sitting there, as plain as day, despite the darkness that had gathered in the office. He could see the fear in her blue-gray eyes, the whiteness of her knuckles as she clasped her hands in her lap.

O’Hearn and Karl shared a look. Karl waved a hand in Sam’s direction. “You can see her?”

Stupid question—wasn’t it? “Yeah.” He frowned. “You honestly can’t?”

“No,” Karl said, and glanced at O’Hearn again. “It’s as we thought.”

“Yes.” O’Hearn sighed.

Gabriel took a deep breath to calm a surge of anger. “Would you three kindly explain what the hell is going on?”

“Sorry, my friend, but we just had to be sure.” Karl held up a hand as Gabriel opened his mouth to make a retort. “My uncle’s journals had one very interesting side note about walkers. They come as a pair. They have to, apparently. If a walker does not have a base—someone to call them back, if you like—there is a huge risk of them becoming lost in the powers they seek to control.”

Something cold washed through him. You are her anchor, her reality, Jess had warned. “I’m not a walker.”

“No,” O’Hearn agreed. “But I’ve talked to your father, and I checked your genetic background. It’s highly possible that there is walker blood in your line.”

“Meaning what?” The question came out harsh and was, in some ways, inane. He understood the implications clearly enough. He just didn’t want to face them.

“Meaning,” Karl said softly, “that it’s possible that you and Sam are destined to be a pair, and there’s not one damn thing either of you can do about it.”

SIX

SAM MET GABRIEL’S GAZE. THOUGH there was absolutely no emotion on his face or in his hazel eyes, his horror washed through her mind like lava.

He’d spent half his life fighting a similar bond with his twin, and he was not likely to accept it with her.

Not that she wanted to be tied to anyone right now, either. Her social life might suck, but being alone was far better than being forced into the company of a man who didn’t want to be there.

Damn it, why was nothing ever simple in her life?

Right now, she wasn’t sure whether she should laugh or cry or rant at the heavens and fate itself for throwing so many wrenches her way…