by LJ Rivers
A white pickup came up the dirt road and parked next to Leon’s Volkswagen. Wolfgang exited, leaving the door open, and padded toward the house, then came to sit on the garden swing next to me.
“You don’t look half bad. From what Leon told me, you cut it pretty close.”
“So he says. Dunstan was a lifesaver, though.”
“And the empath?”
I curled my feet underneath me and sipped my coffee.
“Don’t be too hard on him, Buttercup. He only did what he thought he had to. We all did.”
My lips curved up. “Oh, we’re good. Us too.” I nudged his shoulder. “I can’t say I’m thrilled you allowed those monsters to snack on me, but I get it. Especially after our little skirmish with Jermaine over there.”
Wolfgang gave a raspy chuckle and gestured at the funeral pyre. “Little?”
I snuggled against him and wrapped my arm in his. “How’s Christelle doing?”
He put his rough hand on mine. “She’ll be fine. One good thing about being a shifter is we can heal ourselves. Not entirely, and it’s not always possible.” He raised his knee and gave the prosthesis a pat. “But for the most part. I’ve put her on bed rest for the day, though. She said to give you her love.”
“Tell her thank you from me.”
“Can do.” He rubbed his hand through his fluffy beard. “What will you do now? Are you moving in here or going back to Berlin?”
“I’ve given it some thought. It doesn’t seem right living here without Edwin, and I just found out about this whole new world that I’m a part of. I need to find out what I can do and how to control it.”
He nodded as if he understood. “And this Saga, she’ll help?”
“I hope so.”
“Well, good. Let me know if you decide to sell this place, would you? Christelle and I have talked about possibly moving to Denmark on a more permanent basis.”
I entertained the thought for a second, then shook my head. “I’m not sure I have the heart to sell it. Not yet. But if you guys want to live here, at least for a while, I’m all for it. For now, though, my place is in Berlin.”
His bushy eyebrows shaded his eyes. “With that empath?”
“There’s another guy. A human,” I admitted. “Leon and I, we’re friends.”
“Uh-huh. Does he know that’s all you are?”
The topic was making me uncomfortable, so I decided to change it. “If you move here, does that mean you’re leaving your pack?”
He huffed. “Christelle is my pack. I had one, many years ago, before I knew you. Now, we’re what you call rogues. It’s not the best position to be in for an old wolf like myself, but my pack days ended the day I lost my leg.”
There was a story I hadn’t heard. The few times I had asked, he had avoided the answer by claiming it was a hunting accident. Now that I knew what he was, there had to be more to the tale. I almost asked, but decided against it. I would hear the tale one day when he was ready to tell it. “I don’t know what to say.”
“It’s fine, Cam. As long as I have you, and Christelle and I have each other, my life is complete. I’m happy.”
“In that case, I’m happy for you. Let me know about the house. I’ll even allow you to play on Edwin’s beloved piano.”
“Now, isn’t that a treat?” He kissed the top of my head.
I wrung my hands. “Can I ask you something”
“Of course, Buttercup.”
“It’s about that. Buttercup. Or rather, the name Edwin used to call me sometimes.”
“Oh, that.” Wolfgang chuckled. “Skat? Not like him to be so affectionate, I suppose, but I know how much he treasured you.”
“No. I mean, I thought he said Skat, too. But I don’t think that was it. I believe he called me Sciath.”
“You know, you’re right, he did call you Sciath in the beginning, but I told him it was too risky. You’d figure it out, and even if it was just the tiniest of hints to what you are, he agreed it wasn’t worth it.”
I nodded. All my life, I had thought my guardian had called me Skat, the Danish word for treasure. But instead, at least in the beginning, he had meant to use the Celtic word Sciath.
“Shield,” I whispered.
“Shield,” Wolfgang said, giving me a gentle squeeze.
Rosamund strode outside, stretching on the tips of her toes. “Good, you’re here. Are you aware I had to find my way here on my own after your wolf ditched me?”
Wolfgang guffawed. “Your cat scratched my nose.”
“Your wolf should have kept his distance, then. Honestly, does it not know how to read body language?”
“Entirely his fault.” He chuckled. “It was an honor fighting by your side, Solis. Christelle sends her gratitude.”
“Yes, well, It’s been quite an adventure, I must say. And your wolf isn’t half bad in a fight.” Adjusting the wide-brimmed sun hat on her head, she angled for the door. “But I’m ready to go home now.”
“So am I,” I said.
“Perfect.” She grinned and jutted her hip out. “Leon. Time to leave,” she called.
Less than half an hour later, I waved goodbye to Wolfgang from the back seat in Leon’s car, and listened to Vader telling us our destiny lay with him.
Chapter Twenty-Six
My foot shook restlessly as I waited for Stefan to arrive. Klara had seated me at our usual table when I told her Stefan would be joining me. He was running late, and I was already nibbling on my second pretzel when he rounded the corner. As always, he took my breath away. His confident swagger gave him an air of importance, and his skin glowed with a delicious summer tan. It had been a week since we last saw each other, and I hadn’t realized how much I had missed him.
His lips tightened as he sat down across from me in the shade, crossing his muscled arms over his chest. When he didn’t speak, I reached over the table, inviting him to take my hand. He glanced at it for a moment, sighed, and reluctantly took it in his.
“Hey,” I said.
“Hey.”
I brushed my thumb over the back of his hand. “How was your week?”
“Oh, you know, the usual. Working, waiting to hear from a certain someone who never returned my calls. I even went for a run in Tiergarten earlier. By myself.”
“I’m really sorry, Stefan. I meant to call sooner.” I squeezed his hand as reassurance. “It’s been a crazy week. This new gig is taking a lot of my time, and it’s required some adjusting.”
He furrowed his brow. “You know, my work keeps me busy too. I still find time to send you a text or reply to messages. I’m sorry, Cam, but this thing between us, it’s not working for me.”
I lowered my head. “It is for me.”
“Come again?”
It really was. I had given it a lot of thought ever since my last conversation with Wolfgang. While Leon and I had some weird connection going on, and he was undeniably attractive, I didn’t really know him that well. And he certainly didn’t know me. We came from different worlds. Literally. Well, we did and we didn’t. On the other hand, Stefan and I had known each other for nearly two years, and though I was a witch, I had lived my entire life as a human. I needed normalcy in my life, and I wanted it with someone who could give me that sense of belonging. Someone who knew when to back off and when to dive in.
I couldn’t tell Stefan about the veiled world, but he would understand that there were things we couldn’t discuss because of my job. Right now, at this moment in time, Stefan was my haven away from the craziness. “I might not have texted you, but I’ve been thinking about you—about us—a lot.”
His lips twitched. “And?”
“I want you in my life, Stefan. I know it’s complicated and messy, and I’ll never be the perfect girlfriend you deserve.”
“Girlfriend.” He broke into his thousand-watt smile.
“If you want me to be. But before you answer, you should know this. You’ll sometimes have to wait for me to call, and I won’t be cooking
you dinner every night. I won’t be keeping the bed warm for you, and I’ll never be classy or sophisticated. I’m not a person your parents will adore. I’m just me.” I let out a breath and sucked it back in, anticipating his reply.
He lifted my chin with the crook of his finger. “I don’t need perfect, Camryn. I just need to know this is going somewhere, that you’re committed to this relationship. I can’t be some guy you only call on when you’re feeling rowdy.”
“I get it, trust me. I don’t want that either. You’re such a great guy, and I’d be an idiot to let you slip out of my hands. That said, this new job is top secret. I’m moving into my client’s house, and won’t be staying in my apartment, at least not for a while. So I can’t invite you over anytime I want. My work keeps me busy, and that’s part of the package. We haven’t talked about it, so I’m not sure where you stand on this, but I want to be clear. I don’t want to get married. Ever. And I don’t want kids. I might, one day, but I can’t make you that promise. This is what you’re signing up for.” I gestured at myself. “Can you live with that?”
“As long as I know where you stand, I’m good, and if it means you’re mine, nothing else matters.” He planted a kiss on the inside of my wrist. “And seeing as I can’t come to you, you’ll come to me. When you can. Just, do me a favor and check in every now and again, so I know you’re thinking about me.”
“I will.”
He gave me a mischievous smile, and I knew what he was thinking. Hell, I had the same thought.
“I would love to.” I smirked. “But I have to get back to work. I’ll call you tonight, though. Promise.”
He clutched his heart and gasped mockingly.
I rolled my eyes dramatically and went to sit on his lap. Wrapping my arms around his neck made me feel safe. He gripped my waist and adjusted my position until I was straddling him. While kissing the tip of my nose, he stroked his hands over my hips.
“I want to take you right here, right now,” he growled low.
I couldn’t deny the temptation. As his fingers slipped under the waistband of my jeans, my toes curled and my breath caught. “Soon,” I whispered. Drawing in his familiar scent, I grazed his jaw with my lips. Our bodies fit together as if we were molded for one another, and I wanted to taste him. When his tongue licked the shell of my ear, I let out a moan.
“I know what you like,” he said seductively.
“I know you do.” As I glanced over his shoulder, Klara appeared in the doorway, one eyebrow raised to her hairline when she locked eyes with me. While Stefan and I were in the shadows, we weren’t exactly alone. “People are watching.”
“Let them watch. I want everyone to know whom you belong to.”
I slapped his chest, but let my palm rest against his firm muscles. “Don’t be absurd. I don’t belong to anyone.”
His arms went around my waist as his lips worked their way down my neck. He stopped abruptly and pulled his head back. “What’s that?”
“What’s what?”
“On your neck.” He gripped my shoulder, tilting his head for a better look. “Is this from last Friday, when you got attacked?”
“Uh, yeah, it’s nothing.”
“Sure looks like something to me.”
“Honestly, I don’t even remember how they got there. It doesn’t hurt anymore, and I can live with the scars.”
He stared at it a while longer, then shook his head. “You’re one hell of a woman, you know that? I can’t believe I belong to you.”
“Now you’re catching on.” I laughed. “But I really have to go now.”
“All right, Raven. See you soon.”
Our lips melted together in a deep, wanting kiss, until I finally broke away and got to my feet. “Soon.” I promised.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
My new home was unlike anywhere I had lived before, which was saying a lot. The mahogany furniture all had intricate carvings and matched the plaster decorations in the oval ceiling. A limestone fireplace had center stage between the doorways to the kitchen on the left and the bedrooms to the right. Though I was the only one staying here, the cabin—if one could call it that—had two bedrooms, one of which had a floor-to-ceiling window with a sliding door facing the fields and forest beyond. That’s the one I had picked as my own. Only a week ago, I would have gone the other route, choosing the bedroom with the smaller window. But even though Saga’s property was vast, there were guards lurking all around, many of them shifters. It was a far cry from the digital security I had in my apartment, but, as had become evident, the modern-day version couldn’t keep veiled world monsters out. From now on, I would choose the guards outside over a steel door any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Since Saga wanted no rent, I could afford to keep my apartment in Wedding. I hadn't told Stefan yet, but as soon as I had the chance, I would let him know that I might be able to have him over after all. Maybe. My life had gotten all kinds of complicated, and though I had decided to keep Stefan in it, I still had to keep him away from anything veiled world.
Saga’s people had finished moving all my stuff—which didn’t amount to much—while I was away in Denmark. They had even added brand-new towels and toiletries to my bathroom and stocked my cupboards for days to come. A mix of stone and mahogany shelves decorated several recesses in the walls, all filled with jars, baskets, and books, as well as my very own mortar. What I would use it for, I had no clue, but it seemed a witch had to have at least one of those. I giggled as the thought of a black-brimmed, curly hat came to mind. I might be a witch, but figured I would leave the hat and broom to the kids for Halloween. After unpacking the last of my clothes, I stepped outside and padded up the winding pathway to the back of Saga’s villa. The scent of roses tickled my nose, and a gust of wind played with my ponytail.
The clan leader sat on the steps as I approached, a butterfly resting in her palm. “Settling in?” she asked.
“It’s a gorgeous place,” I said.
“It’s usually reserved for guests, but I have a few more guest houses on my property, and I’m happy you decided to stay.”
“For now.”
She raised her cupped hands and blew on the butterfly. Its wings bristled before it took flight, hovering in the air for a moment until it flitted away. “Stay as long as you wish, my dear. I’m very pleased with your performance this last week. Leon speaks highly of you, and it seems you managed to find a couple of ways to work your shield magic to your advantage.”
“I think it was more luck than anything else.”
She stood, inviting me to follow, and we started down the left side of a fork in the path. “Perhaps, but you couldn’t have done any of it without your shield ability. I have considered your position in my clan, and I’m sorry to say I haven’t found a coven who can train you.”
Figures. “You mean you haven’t found anyone willing, right?” It was perhaps too direct, but she should know who she was dealing with.
She cocked an eyebrow. “Perceptive. At any rate, I’ll keep looking. You’re a part of the Berlin clan now, Camryn, and I want you to view my home as yours. You’ll keep working with Leon, and I’ll make sure you’re taught the essentials of witchcraft until we can find you a suitable doraculi—a witch mentor—if not a coven. I expect great things from you.”
“You forgot to ask,” I said bluntly. I appreciated her kindness, but she was assuming too much.
“I think I made myself perfectly clear. Of course, you’re free to leave my territory at any time, although I would hardly expect a warm welcome in another. Word about you has already spread, I’m afraid. This isn’t just about teaching you or giving you a job. Understand I’m offering you protection. As long as you stay under my wing, you’ll have my support. Should you decide to leave, I can no longer guarantee your safety.”
The path broadened as we moved into a clearing, where two ducks were bathing in a small pond. “We’ll need to discuss my contract, I suppose.”
Saga made
a cooing noise, and the ducks craned their heads, swimming closer to the edge. “Your word is your bond, Camryn. Written contracts do not exist in the veiled world. There are times when we bind words in other manners, but I hardly think this calls for that. I’ll pay you fairly, and you’ll be able to learn more about your magic.”
“What about time to myself? Do I have weekends off, and what about holidays?”
She let out a brief laugh. “I won’t be requiring your services around the clock. But a Sunday might be just as much a weekday as any other. There will be times when I won’t have much work for you, and you can certainly have a life outside of all this. Although, a word of advice, try sticking to your own kind.”
“You mean witches?” A bird squawked in the distance, and I spotted a man stirring between the trees, wearing all black. Her guards kept a respectable distance, and I liked the confirmation of their presence.
“I mean the veiled world kind. If you want to spend time with the cats, for instance, I’m all for it. That said, you can’t tell anyone outside of our world about us, and I don’t want humans in my affairs.”
My thoughts drifted to Stefan, a knot forming in my stomach. “I can hang out with whomever I please, though, right?”
She nodded, albeit only just. “There’s another issue I’d like us to discuss. I have avoided this conversation out of respect for your recent loss, but since you’ll be working for me, I need to keep you in the loop. I have your word I can trust you? Remember what I said about words.”
“Yes, you have it.”
A hint of a smile touched her thin lips, and a couple of lines gathered at the corners of her mouth, reminding me of how old she truly was. “Life as a clan leader is not without its challenges. The cats were all but ready to go to war on the vampires when they learned about Petra’s attacker. Of course, we now know the truth about that night, but we also don’t want to advertise how dhampirs are no longer a myth. Your father’s message troubles me a great deal, too. It leads me to believe there are more dhampirs out there. And at least one more shield witch, besides you. If there is indeed a war on the horizon, we must be ready. For now, though, the official story is that the attack on Petra came from a rogue vampire, not affiliated with the Berlin territory. Can I count on you to back that story?”