Here Witchy Witchy Box Set 1

by A. L. Kessler

  "It's simple, really. I was hired by internal affairs to investigate Tomes. They helped me create a new identity and wiped my old one from the system. I was to pose as a rookie and was assigned as his partner. I reported back when able and we were just waiting for something else to happen." She sat in the chair in the front of my desk.

  I glanced at Nick. My paranoia made me wonder if he had been placed here for a reason as well. He folded his arms and watched Melody with a blank face. No sign of him being a spy. I looked back at Melody. "What was he suspected of?"

  "Going against the vampire king, and of course the government because of that."

  The vampire king was someone who was rarely spoken of. Vampires were the only supernatural creatures who had voted to have a king over all of them. One who worked with the governments of all countries to rule over the creatures. No one called him by his name, but he was like the boogieman of vampires. The real big badass of them all. "That's a pretty big crime." I tapped my fingers on my desk. "Levi said he'd cleared Tomes with another vampire in that territory."

  "We've kept the suspicions under wraps. If it were to get out then it'd be an instant death sentence for Tomes. Most likely carried out by the vampires."

  And we all knew it was easy for supernatural creatures to get away with murder. "Understandable. And you had no idea that he was a necromancer?"

  "We're still trying to figure out who he really is. He has to be working with someone equally as powerful as internal investigations, because everything about him was fabricated. Everything. So no, necromancy wasn't listed as one of his skills." She shook her head. "But we need your help on this. Yours and Nick’s. We have no idea where to find him. He's strong enough to block tracking spells and to hide his magic."

  I leaned back in my chair. "We were hoping to draw him out. His associate told me that he wanted me dead. We don't know why. I don't particularly care, he's a threat and he needs to be taken down." Truth was, I wanted to know why he wanted me dead.

  "So you're going to go about your business and hope that he comes after you?" She pressed her lips together but then nodded. "It might work. Your partner needs to stay low, but we'll both stick close to you."

  My phone went off and I glanced at it. Simon's name and picture flashed on my screen. I picked up the phone. "Agent Collins speaking."

  "Abby, Rachel's gone, two of the pups are dead in a ritual. I need you here."

  His voice was calm, but there was a fine tremor escaping. I glanced at Melody and Nick. "I'll be there as soon as I can. Don't let anyone into the area." I disconnected the call and stood. I grabbed my bag from the floor. "I'll check in with you guys later. I have a personal emergency that's come up."

  I ran out the door and to the stairs. I took them two by two and slowed down only when I heard Nick calling my name.

  He caught up to me quickly. "What's going on?"

  "I have to go help Simon with something." I kept walking to the Hummer.

  "Your boyfriend is the personal emergency?" I could hear the annoyance in his voice.

  "We have a serial killer case and a rogue necromancer. We have no motive behind what he's doing and he wants your head."

  "Do you think that's unusual for me? When you first met me, I was working a case where I had a hex put on me." I spun to face him. "Your brother trapped me in a burning building, I've had two cars blown up and people keep managing to get into my house. Simon currently has two dead bodies and a missing pack member. I can't work the case as a PIB agent, so I'm going to go help a friend."

  His brows creased. "Two dead bodies? What the hell is going on up there, Abby? What do Levi and Greg have you mixed up in?"

  I wasn't aware that he knew the pack leaders’ names, but now was not the time to question. "What makes you think either of them have anything to do with this?"

  "PIB may turn a blind eye, but I know you work for Levi as well."

  My heart jumped and I clenched my fists. "There are cases we can't take as agents. I'm damn good at what I do. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go."

  He nodded. "Be careful. I don't want you hurt."

  The concern in his voice touched me. "I will. Thank you. I'll call you if I happen to see Tomes."

  "Let me know if you need back up, off the record of course."

  I smiled. "Of course. Thank you."

  I climbed into the Hummer and headed towards the mountains, speeding the whole way.

  I pulled up to the dirt parking area and jumped out of the Hummer. Grabbing my bag, I ran down the path I knew would lead to the cabin on pack ground. Black magic pounded against me and slimed over my aura. I felt like molasses crawled down my skin and into my throat and mouth. I skid to a halt, trying to relearn how to breathe. I shoved my hand into the front pocket of my bag and pulled out my pentagram, the one my mom had left me.

  I rarely wore it because it interfered with what I felt at crime scenes, but at times like now, I needed it to help protect me from the black magic someone had performed here.

  "Abby?" Simon came running over to me. "What's wrong?"

  I pulled the necklace over my head and took a deep breath. "So much black magic. What the hell happened here?"

  "I don't know, I was hoping you could tell me." He put a hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay?"

  "I will be." I closed my eyes and took another deep breath. "You're going to need to get another witch in here to cleanse this place." I continued to the clearing with Simon by side.

  "Two pups dead, Rachel gone."

  We reached the tree line and I smelled something odd in the air. Blood. Two bodies were pinned to the ground with silver spikes. Red coated their shoulders and legs where they were pinned. I felt my mind pull back and kick into observatory mode. I couldn't let the sight bother me or I wasn't going to be able to focus on the details.

  I walked closer and stopped outside the circle of blood. There were only a few drops every couple inches, but the magic that had held the circle together was still lingering. The circle wasn't active, but black magic took a while to fade.

  Stepping over it, I waited for it to close around me, but nothing happened. Comforting to know I wasn't walking into a trap. I knelt down next to the first victim.

  His clothes had been removed and someone had sliced him from stomach to collar bone. The tool they used had been sharp enough to go through the ribs and the heart was gone. Nothing but a mass of blood and tissue was in its place.

  "Where were you when this happened?" I kept my voice carefully even. I didn't want him to think I was accusing him of being involved.

  He toed the dirt and wouldn't look at me. "I was unconscious."

  "I'm sorry, what? You're an alpha werewolf and you were unconscious?" I couldn't keep the disbelief out of my voice.

  "I was drugged, Abby. Someone spiked my drink and I'm betting it was Rachel." He growled.

  So was I. I moved to the other pup and saw he was also male and missing his heart. My day had started off so well and now I was looking at two dead bodies. "It's a sacrifice spell, black magic, normally used to increase the power of another black magic spell."

  "Which means what?" He asked.

  I looked around at the mess. "My guess is that Witch was trying her hand at the anti-lycanthrope spell."

  "Do you think she managed to cure it?"

  He sounded hopeful. I stood and walked over to him. "If there was a magic fix, would you do it?"

  "Not if it meant killing two people. But I always wondered what life would be like without a wolf inside." He met my gaze. "Don't you wonder what it would be like without being a witch?"

  I shrugged. "Occasionally, but let's face it, being human is boring." I touched his shoulder. "There's no magical cure out there that doesn't come at a cost."

  "I know." He looked towards the body. "Greg doesn't know yet. He's going to kill me the moment he finds out. I let the pack down, I let two of our members get slaughtered."

  I couldn't soothe his ego, but there was no way I
was going to let Greg kill him. "Let's go find Rachel and then we'll deal with Greg."

  "Find Rachel? She doesn't want to be found." A female voice floated through the clearing. I knew the voice, but I couldn't place it. It rubbed me all the wrong ways.

  I drew my gun and gaze scanned the surrounding area. "You must be Witch. You're good, I'll give you that."

  Simon stepped up to my back, but remained silent.

  "I know what the price you asked of Rachel and Martha was. What I don't know is your goal in all this. What is your connection with both packs?"

  Silence.

  The buzz of magic filled the area and I put my circle up before it could touch Simon or I. "What do you want, Witch?"

  "What I want is pack business and has nothing to do with you, little Abigail Collins."

  I didn't like the way she said my name. My paranoia was high and I wanted to know where she was. Unseen enemies were often the most dangerous.

  "Then take it up with the pack." Simon snapped. "We'll meet you here tomorrow night."

  I'd ask why he wanted to wait one more night later. "Is Rachel unharmed?"

  "She came to us willingly. She is not hurt. We'll see you tomorrow."

  The magic faded from the area and I let my circle down. "Why tomorrow?"

  "It gives us time to bury our dead and make a plan. Assuming Greg doesn't kill me."

  I shook my head. "This sounds like it was all preplanned. Very well, I might add. I don't think Greg can fault you for this."

  "I'll talk to him, but I have to do it alone."

  I knew that. "I want to be here tomorrow night."

  "I think that would be a wise idea." He kissed my head. "None of us know how to deal with a witch."

  I wasn't sure if I knew how to deal with this particular one. I thought for a moment. "And I want my guns, none of this blade only shit this time around."

  He laughed. "Since I doubt you'll be going against our pack I think Greg will agree."

  That was good, because I was going to need guns to go against a crazed witch. "I have to go to my uncle’s tonight. Promised family dinner and all. I'll be out of reach."

  Simon nodded. "I think I will be tonight too. After we deal with Witch, why don't we go somewhere together? A vacation or something."

  "I think that would be amazing." And welcomed. I looked at the bodies. "Do you want me to stay with you until Greg gets here?

  "Please?" He gave me sad eyes.

  I wondered if he was thinking that today would be his last day alive. If Greg would really kill him because of this. I hated werewolf politics. "Of course."

  Greg walked into the clearing a couple hours later. Simon and I were sitting on the porch drinking coffee. Neither one of us wanted to move the bodies and thought Greg needed to see it.

  "What the fuck happened?" He snarled and went straight for Simon. Simon stood and held his hands up. "Rachel went with Witch. She drugged me with something and this is what I woke up to."

  "Two of our pups are dead because you let a woman drug you?" He snarled. "Did you get any information out of her about Witch?"

  I sipped my coffee and waited for an answer. I had assumed that if Simon had gotten any information he would have shared.

  "No, she denied it all." Simon shook his head. "I had to have been out for hours."

  Which explained why no one had called me with information. "She could have used a potion and not a regular drug."

  "You stay out of this." Greg snarled and I held my hands up, one still holding my mug.

  Simon took a deep breath. "I know I messed up, but Witch will be meeting us here tomorrow night."

  Greg paced, his eyes flashing to yellow and then back. "Abigail will be here to help us face the witch."

  "That's what we figured." I nodded. "I don't know how much use I'll be against her, but Simon assured me that I could keep my guns for that meeting."

  Greg turned to me. "How many guns?"

  "Two, and my blade, and maybe a couple throwing knives." I tried to go for an innocent tone, but the look on Greg's face told me he wasn't buying it. "I'll explain it this way. I'm terrified of Witch and if it comes down to it, the only way I'm going to be able to defeat her is to shoot her."

  He glanced at Simon and then back to me. "Then you may have your weapons."

  "Then I'll see you here tomorrow night. Now, please excuse me. I need to go as I have another appointment tonight. Please don't kill Simon, keep in mind that you're up against a witch who has managed to manipulate two of your wolves and kill two others. She's determined and I can promise you that you would have fallen to the same trick."

  Greg growled and threw a punch at me.

  I blocked it and swiped his feet out from under him. He was just trying to scare me I knew he moved much faster than I did. Had Oliver not healed my rib, I would have been hit.

  "Do not doubt me and make such assumptions." Greg snarled. "Get out of here."

  I glanced at Simon who nodded. I took myself back to the path and followed it to my car.

  Magic flooded over me, touching my aura, testing me. I shivered and moved on. It felt familiar, but I couldn't place if it was Witch's or not. Tomorrow night, I might have been signing my death warrant, but my desire to take out Witch was stronger than my current need to protect myself.

  I got into the Hummer and took off down the road. From here to Oliver's would be about a three-hour drive. That gave me three hours to reflect on what was happening in my life. Three hours for paranoia to try and take root in my brain. Fuck that. I turned on the radio and cranked the volume.

  I pulled up to the mansion on the east side of town. It fit with the rest of them in the area, even though there was at least two miles between each property. I got out and started up to the door. Before I could knock Oliver opened the door.

  "You're early." He moved so I could walk in.

  "I came from the mountains, it took me three hours." I walked in and slipped off my shoes. "It's been a long day."

  He smiled. "I'm sure it has been. Let's get started."

  We skipped the small talk as usual. Besides, after coffee this morning there wasn't much that I wanted to discuss with him.

  He led me to one of the many living rooms in the house. The furniture had been cleared and the shelves were empty. The hardwood floor was cold against my feet. It was the usual room that we worked in, but there was one addition.

  Tomes stood in the middle of the room in front of the fireplace. I took a sharp breath and pulled out my gun.

  "Brian Tomes you are under arrest for--"

  Oliver pushed my gun down. "There will be none of that here."

  "Like hell there won't." I stepped away, but Oliver grabbed my wrist and twisted. The gun fell to the floor and I slammed my other hand into his wrist.

  Oliver backhanded me, still gripping my wrist with his other hand. I kneed him and he threw me toward Tomes.

  Strong arms wrapped around me and I had a moment of panic. What the hell was going on? I slammed my head back into Tomes jaw and his grip loosened. My heel crushed into the arch of his foot and I jammed an elbow to his rib.

  My body hit the floor and the air rushed out of my lungs. My face sat against the cold hard wood floor with his knee in my back and one arm twisted behind me.

  "Stand down, Abigail." Oliver grounded out. "Or you're going to get hurt."

  Clearly he didn't remember the man had tried to kill me once. "When I get off this floor, I'm putting a bullet in both of you." I snarled and tried to pull away.

  Tomes jerked my arm and the pain shot through my shoulder. My anger was right on the surface, but there was no way I was going to get out of this hold. There was a lot to be said for a pure strength and size difference. I reached out with my magic for the fire, but found the fireplace dead.

  Oliver had planned this. He knew I'd go for the fire.

  "We simply want to talk to you." Tomes' voice was gentle, soothing almost.

  I tried to find some sense of c
alm. "Let me up and we'll talk." I ground out.

  "Tie her up." Tomes snarled at Oliver.

  Nothing like ending up tied up at your uncle's house, again. "Is that really necessary?"

  "Yes." They both said at the same time. I was starting to think they both actually feared me. Good, because when I got out of there, I was thinking of making good with my threat. Maybe I'd shoot them both in the foot. Or the knee.

  My anger was back to welling in me. Oliver left my view and returned with rope. Tomes jerked me up from the ground and grabbed my other arm. He shoved me towards the chair and kicked my feet out from underneath me so I'd sit.

  I looked up at him. "Levi trusted you."

  "He should learn not to take people's word on things. Just like you shouldn't blindly trust someone he does."

  That second part was probably an important lesson for me and I'd keep that in mind. I clenched my teeth as Oliver tied the rope around my wrist and then my legs to the chair. I tensed, my muscles testing the rope, but nothing budged. Lovely. My anger was starting to turn into fear.

  "Now we can talk." Tomes stepped away. "Oliver here neglected to mention that you were his niece, until I took his daughter."

  My eyes shot to Oliver as he moved back into my view. I had no idea that he had a kid. He didn't wear a wedding ring, maybe it was out of wedlock or he had an ex-wife. Nothing had shown up when I ran his name when I first met him. "Nice to know I have a cousin."

  "I wasn't in contact with her."

  Wasn't, past tense. I looked at Tomes. "What do you want? Why did you take his daughter if you didn't know we had a connection?”

  "Oh no, I knew you had a connection, just not that you were related. I saw him at the scene of the car accident." Tomes paced in front of the dead fireplace. "I saw the small amount of healing he performed there to get you to breathe again."

  I clenched my fists, but kept my face blank. “So you have something against me and you forced my uncle to lure me here. Awesome. Why?"

  "You're a conquest. I plan on putting you through a slow death at the hands of my blood-starved vampires. Witch blood delights them and they wouldn't be able to stop." He stepped forward and ran a hand down my cheek.