“Really?” Orwin asked with a crooked smile, standing and stretching his legs. He’d been sitting in the same position for hours, moving only his fingers across the keyboard. “Can I mark this down on the calendar? Pearl Pippa Allifair admits she has been wrong on more than one occasion. That would look great on a plaque hung inside the RV. I could order it online.”
You mean, alongside your aluminum foil hat? You would do well to recall that you removed the warding spell and that Piper has yet to rid you of your allergies. I might be tempted to curl up and fall asleep on your face, alien hunter.
Silence followed, and it carried on long enough that I finally looked away from the falling snow. Orwin and Piper were quietly exchanging glances while Pearl made a slight noise that I’m relatively sure was a gasp of horror.
“What?” I blurted out, already knowing that I wasn’t going to like what they had to say. “Orwin?”
Orwin didn’t reply. Instead, he took a deep breath before rubbing the back of his neck in worry.
I’ll let you two deceivers deliver the bad news. Mr. Cornelia, how could you corrupt my sweet, sweet Piper? You purposefully distracted me with that spot of warm cream last night, didn’t you?
“Hold up there, cotton ball. I didn’t corrupt anyone,” Orwin defended, though there did seem to be a bit of desperation in his tone. “There was a reasonable explanation as to why—”
“Everyone stop!” I practically yelled, garnering everyone’s attention.
I’d been in such shock after deciphering from the three-way conversation that Orwin hadn’t removed his protection ward, thus leaving him wide open to waltz right into death’s door, that I hadn’t moved. It was the only reason I’d caught the movement against the far edge of the tree line, past where my Jeep was parked in the gravel lane.
Knox’s large frame had materialized from the swirling snowflakes and into the golden hue of the porch light…and he wasn’t happy. I’d only ever seen that much rage written across his features once, and that was when we’d been surrounded by a pack of werewolves with our lives hanging in the balance.
Oh, dear. This can’t be good, dear hexed one.
I didn’t even reach for the doorknob. My ability to move things telekinetically responded, resulting in the door banging open hard enough that it was only happenstance the window hadn’t shattered into a million pieces. My only thought was reaching Knox and making sure he wasn’t hurt.
Is that a wooden stake in his hand, Miss Lilura?
My gaze instantly dropped down to the weapon he was holding in his right hand. Was that blood? I was still walking toward him as I quickly took in his appearance, finally noting that there was a hole in his jacket near his right shoulder.
Lycanthropes heal quickly, dear hexed one. Do not fear.
“Get back inside,” Knox practically snarled through his clenched teeth. His eyes were maintaining a golden shimmer that I’d come to recognize as a sign. He wanted to turn. He wanted to unleash his inner beast on the individual who’d attacked him from afar. It wasn’t something I’d ever pondered before, but I did wonder if Knox had allowed the person to live. “Now!”
Do as he says, dear hexed one. Quickly!
I instinctively backtracked, but not in fear of Knox or in response to Pearl’s warning. Whatever had happened in order for him to be holding a stake dripping in blood was the reason he was barely hanging on to his human form, and I didn’t take that lightly. I had no idea what the outcome had been in response to an attack. Until I had the facts, Orwin’s life was still in danger.
Mr. Cornelia is safe for now, dear hexed one.
Pearl and Piper must have hurried to stand in the doorway when I’d bolted outside, for they needed to quickly scramble backward in order to let me inside. Orwin had his back against the corner of the room, lowering a crossbow that he’d brought inside with him earlier today.
“Knox, what happened?”
He’d all but slammed the door closed behind him, the intensity of his heated gaze telling us that he was in full control. He held up the wooden stake in a tight grip for all of us to see, in spite of what pain he might be experiencing from his injury.
“Someone thought it was a wise idea to stake me,” Knox growled, his words rumbling deeper the longer he spoke. “Bad idea. I’m done scouting the area for that cabin, Lou. It’s time that the hunters become the prey.”
I daresay someone might have poked the bear…or wolf, in this case.
Chapter Thirteen
“Knox, let me take a look at your shoulder,” I directed once he’d handed off the thin oak bolt to Orwin. It was actually a classic crossbow bolt and round with two fins, with one flat end and the other pointed, for maximum penetration to the target. “Piper can heal you while we make a plan.”
I had no choice but to push away my concern that Orwin was currently vulnerable to death by not lowering that protection spell he’d had in place against Ammeline. We had to deal with each problem one by one, and Knox topped that list by having been attacked by a vampire hunter. If he changed into his wolf form, the wound would heal instantly.
I’d like to know how the pursuer escaped with his or her life. It’s clear that our resident lycanthrope is itching to turn the tables. And yes, dear hexed one, that pun was clearly intended.
“I’m fine,” Knox responded, taking my hand in his when I’d tried to guide him to the kitchen. He took a deep breath and even squeezed my fingers in reassurance. “Really. I’m fine. The wound will be gone by morning even without turning.”
“Why wait until morning?” Piper asked, having more success in shooing Knox to the kitchen. He dropped my hand when it was evident that Piper wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “Remove your jacket so I can see the extent of your injury.”
I purposefully didn’t follow the two of them, wanting a moment alone with Orwin.
Not quite alone, dear hexed one. I want in on this conversation. I have a few choice words to say to Mr. Cornelia as well.
“Does this mean you care about me, Q-tip?” Orwin asked, though he was unable to keep the tremor out of his tone when Pearl and I remained silent. He held up the stake in surrender. “Fine. The both of you want answers. Well, I don’t have them. I had every intention of lowering the protection ward I’d cast against Ammeline, but we ran into a bit of a problem. I made Piper promise not to tell you, because I knew you’d only get upset and freak out.”
“Pearl, do I look like I’m freaking out?” I asked, clipping my words on purpose. I was now afraid and angry, but most of all hurt. “And here I considered myself a very level-headed individual.”
Mr. Cornelia, may I suggest putting that shovel down that you keep digging that hole you’re in at the moment? You somehow got Piper to deceive not only a friend, but her very own familiar. That does not go unanswered, alien hunter. You might wake up with green hair.
“No one deceived anyone,” Orwin objected, though his protest came across rather weak. “We just didn’t want you to worry when there wasn’t anything anyone can do.”
“What do you mean that there wasn’t anything anyone can do? In case you’ve forgotten, we have a healer in our presence. How is Piper going to heal you if my premonition comes to fruition?”
You have access to an online dictionary, alien hunter. You should know better than to split hairs, especially when those blonde strands belong to my sweet Piper. You make it very hard for me not to cave under my instinct of curling up a ball and suffocating you in the middle of the night.
Orwin had walked into that one all on his own. He knew of Pearl’s underlying tendency to be rather merciless when it came to defending Piper. Making her believe that it was alright to lie to us was wrong on every level.
“I can hear you,” Orwin said with exasperation, sitting down on the couch as he held on to the stake. “But you need to put yourself in my shoes. Knox has been out scouring this mountain for the same cabin I stumbled in during your vision. Pearl has been by my side for the last tw
enty-two hours, and you’re doing everything in your power to make sure your premonition doesn’t come true. Adding pressure that I couldn’t be healed if something went wrong with our plan would have only put the two of you on edge more than you already are.”
My sweet Piper purposefully hid her thoughts from me, Mr. Cornelia.
I had a feeling that I was going to forgive Orwin a lot faster than Pearl, but we were both going to have to deal with the repercussions of their choices later. Orwin was now vulnerable in a way we hadn’t anticipated, which meant protecting him had become even more imperative then before.
I’m second-guessing that, dear hexed one. Have you considered that maybe I was the guilty party in your vision? I do keep my claws rather sharp when it comes to one’s reckoning.
“It’s not like I convinced Piper to rob a bank on the side,” Orwin exclaimed in defense of himself, managing to only continue to dig that proverbial hole deeper. “Cut me some slack. I just didn’t want either of you to worry.”
Isn’t that for us to decide, alien hunter? Don’t think for a moment that I can’t summon those little green men of yours.
“Why couldn’t you lower your protection ward, Orwin?” I asked, wanting to get to the root of the problem. Maybe there was a way we could get around that matter now that we could put our minds together. Orwin’s conspiracy obsessions were tempting him to latch onto Pearl’s bait, but the truth wouldn’t matter if he ended up dead. “No spell is permanent, so what do we have to do to reverse it?”
“That’s just it. To reverse the spell, it has to be done with the same material components, same weather conditions, and in the same location as where the incantation was cast.” Orwin sighed in defeat, leaning back against the couch. At least he was careful not to put the bloody stake down onto the fabric. “And last I checked, we were nowhere near California.”
Pearl continued to narrow her emerald green eyes his way, as if debating on whether or not to keep lecturing him on his decision to keep us in the dark. I completely understood her anger and resentment at pulling Piper into his cover story, but everyone needed a loyal friend.
“Please don’t make me feel worse about lying to you than I already do,” Orwin beseeched us as he held up the stake that a hunter seemed so inclined to somehow put into Knox’s shoulder. I was wondering how a human could get close enough to a werewolf to pull off something of that magnitude, but first we needed to sort out this lying business. “No, we don’t need to sort out anything. I was wrong, Lou. I shouldn’t have asked Piper to keep something so important from you or Pearl, regardless that I was just trying to stop you from worrying about something we might not be able to control. As for how a hunter was able to stab a werewolf with a stake, this particular wooden post is meant for a very special crossbow.”
I’m still waiting for my apology, alien hunter. My sweet Piper is my charge, after all.
“Piper is the most compassionate, kind, and loyal friend anyone could ever ask for, Pearl. I know that wasn’t only her parents doing, and I truly am sor—”
That’s good enough, alien hunter. Apology accepted. I reserve the right to smother you in your sleep should you do something so foolish as this again in the future. Fair warning—not even those green little men would be able to save you. Now, I fear that our dear hexed one is having a moment.
“I’m not having a moment,” I countered, but the vision of someone trying to kill Knox fueled my anger. I’d always considered myself responsible for those who’d joined me on this quest. As Pearl had so eloquently stated, we were the only ones who got to murder each other. “The hunter shot at Knox from a distance. The huntsman has no idea what Knox truly hides underneath the surface.”
Mr. Kline’s pursuers instinctively guessed wrong that our resident werewolf was one of the undead. Foolish mistake. Amateurs hunters.
“There is some type of engraving on the end of the bolt,” Knox said, walking back into the living room as he pulled his t-shirt back over his head. I couldn’t help but count, and now I was relatively sure there was such a thing as an eight pack. “It’s almost like an insignia of some sort.”
I held out my hand to look at the stake myself, ignoring the knowing looks I was receiving from Orwin and Pearl. Speaking of foolish mistakes, thoughts were easily misinterpreted. I had merely been considering the health benefits of being a werewolf, nothing more.
“Don’t make me use this,” I muttered to both Orwin and Pearl, who wisely remained silent. I studied the flat end of the bolt, the emblem easy to make out as it had been branded into the wood. Someone had spent a lot of time fashioning these stakes. “Whoever is hunting Jerry wants the other hunters to know who is responsible for taking him out.”
This type of mark would make sense, given that evidence was needed in order to collect a bounty. Professor Weaver had taken a chance that Jerry, Paul, or another vampire wouldn’t attempt some type of retaliation. Unless the professor was being protected by other hunters. Presuming we got Jerry out of this situation alive, we’d allow him and Cassandra to neutralize the good ol’ professor.
“Orwin, did you explain what happened when we attempted to lower your protection ward?” Piper asked, her concern over our reactions appropriate. No more lies, and that meant Orwin would eventually have to reveal the truth as to why he’d joined me on this venture. “I’m not sorry that I kept my word to a friend.”
Of course, you’re not. My sweet Piper, loyalty is a rare quality these days. Mr. Cornelia and I have come to an agreement, and he shall not put you in such a position again. Isn’t that right, alien hunter?
“Pearl, no smothering,” Piper warned with a knowing smile. Either that or she was just grateful that we weren’t going to carry a grudge about being kept in the dark. “Now, Knox is healed. Good as new. We have to figure out our next plan. I’m thinking we call the station and find out what is taking Jerry, Cassandra, and Hal so long to return.”
“The four of you should stay here.” Knox’s eyes still contained that golden shimmer. The rage that had consumed him upon being staked lay just below his feigned composed appearance. He wanted to hunt, and for very good reason. “I’m done playing the amateur sleuth.”
“I don’t think that’s such a good—”
Knox held up his hand, tilting his head toward the back of the house. He’d heard something that the rest of us hadn’t, which wasn’t surprising given his abilities. We all remained quiet, watching as Knox quietly made his way to the back of the house. I motioned for everyone to stay together while I followed close behind, ready and willing to fight alongside of Knox if it came down to it.
“Get out,” Knox ordered, turning abruptly on those military boots of his before I could stop myself from running into him. His hands were on my arms, turning me around without hesitation. “Now. Go!”
I certainly didn’t dawdle. If there was a stake that was about to come crashing through one of the bedroom windows at lightning speed, I didn’t want to be in the crosshairs.
“Someone set the house on fire. I can smell the smoke. Get everyone out of here,” Knox ordered, pushing everyone so that he could take a look out the front window. “Be careful getting to the Jeep, and drive straight to the police station. I’ll meet you there.”
May we pause for just a moment, colleagues? The hunter or hunters who thought our resident werewolf was a vampire has clearly decided to force us out from the safety of Mr. Kline’s house. There is no safe passage once we exit through that front door, dear hexed one.
“I know that, but what choice do we have?” I asked, beginning to smell the smoke from whatever had been set on fire. “The hunters have forced our hand.”
“Pearl is going to have to buy us some time.” Piper had secured her body purse and picked up Orwin’s laptop to hold close to her chest. She kissed Pearl on top of the head. “Stay invisible and be careful. Knox, you’re going to need to protect Orwin until we make it to the Jeep.”
I will cause the most epic of distractions,
my sweet Piper.
Pearl vanished, allowing Piper to join Orwin as she laced their fingers together in support.
“I’ll pull up to the back and do my best to dislodge any stakes that are aimed in our direction.” I was comfortable with this plan, though it would take a lot of concentration. One thing about Knox’s comment regarding all of us meeting at the station didn’t sit right with me. “Knox, we’re all in agreement, right?”
“Not quite.” Knox looked over his shoulder where the smoke was starting to billow in the hallway. I could have attempted to push it back, but that would only have bought us a couple of seconds. We needed to leave now. “I have a bit of hunting to do.”
I didn’t worry that Knox would do something unethical. He wouldn’t actively seek someone out to kill them, regardless that it was in the nature of his beast. He’d tamed what he could of the lycanthropy that had been bestowed upon him, but that didn’t mean his werewolf side didn’t like to come out to play every now and then.
“Knox, now isn’t the time to even the playing field,” I reminded him, grabbing onto his jacket so that he’d know I meant business. “We need to stay together.”
By this point, even I could hear the crackling of the fire as it devoured the rear walls of the house. We had needed to give Pearl time to cause a distraction, but it was best if we left now. Knox stopping long enough to give me a charming smile hadn’t been in the cards.
“Worried about me, Lou?” Knox winked at me. I mean, he actually winked at me as if we were just about to take a stroll through the park instead of being shot at by crossbows. It took a lot to make me speechless. “I won’t go getting myself killed if that’s what you’re worried about. At some point, I’d really like to share a drink while you tell me that story regarding your coven. See you soon, sweetheart.”
Knox actually exited through the front door as if he were going for an evening stroll through the falling snow. I’m pretty sure I was beyond speechless. He chose now, the most dangerous situation we’d ever been in, to flirt.
The Curse that Bites Page 9