Storm Witch (Wolf Ridge Chaos Witch Book 1)

by Jayne Hawke

  “You think they were trying to take you two?” Ryan asked.

  “Aye. Maybe we’re getting a bit too close and they want us out of the way,” Gideon said.

  “Shame they couldn’t be saved for interrogation,” Greyson said as he typed.

  “It was like someone flipped a switch. They went from trying to take us alive, to trying to kill us brutally. There was no in between there,” I said.

  “Do you think they were being used like puppets?” Greyson asked.

  Gideon and I looked at each other.

  “Perhaps. Their movements seemed fluid, but I don’t know how puppets work in this sense,” I said.

  A shiver ran through me. If they were being used as puppets, were they alive in there somewhere? Or were they just corrupted meat suits?

  “Did you get anything that would help us figure out who’s behind them?” Greyson asked.

  “Not that I saw,” I said.

  I’d been a bit too busy trying to kill them to really notice the little details. Maybe a better merc would have noted they all wore the same brand of boots or something.

  “No, I didn’t see anything either. Did we get a trace on the magic?” Gideon asked.

  “They’re working on it. Some people sleep,” Ryan said.

  “Why are they doing this?” I asked.

  “Power?” Greyson asked.

  “Where? How? No, that doesn’t make sense. They’ve done nothing but wander around and kill some people.” Gideon said.

  “They haven’t seemed to target any particular group either,” Ryan mused.

  “Could be one of those groups who wants to bring supernaturals out to the world,” I said.

  The guys all looked at each other with tight jaws before Gideon nodded.

  “That’s not a bad theory,” Gideon said.

  “I really hate those groups,” Greyson said.

  “They’re a damn pain. They cause so much trouble, and it’s not even a good war. They’re always too disorganised for that. No, it’s nuisances and irritations,” Ryan rumbled.

  “The council will use it as an excuse to clamp down on witches if we don’t get it under control,” Greyson said.

  I wanted to argue, to say that Rosalyn and Cole wouldn’t allow it, but they would. And they’d be right to. We had exploding witches, and potentially possession from the creatures of the between. Something needed to stop this from happening again.

  Each faction took pride in handling their own messes, but the council existed for a reason. Sometimes the messes were too big, or too complicated.

  “Then we’d best get it under control,” Ryan said.

  I took a big gulp of my hot chocolate and smiled at the warmth. It was beautifully balanced between soft spice and rich sweet chocolate.

  “What we need to figure out is who has the power to bring through the creatures,” Gideon said.

  “Agreed,” Ryan said.

  Greyson pursed his lips and looked into space.

  “It’d have to be someone arrogant. Someone with an ulterior motive. Who do we know who’d be arrogant enough to think they could bind the creatures of the between and use them?” Greyson asked.

  I didn’t know anyone who fit that. Every witch I’d met was far too scared of those creatures to even consider trying such a thing. It would require someone with a very big ego, someone with a lot of power. That made it more likely to be one of the big leader gods. Zeus struck me as a good candidate. Zeus preferred to stand back on his mountain and command others to do his work for him. That, and screwing everything that caught his eye.

  “Any Zeus witches around that have been acting weirdly?” I asked.

  “No, I can’t think of any within a three-hour radius. It’d be weird for them to screw around with a territory this far out,” Greyson said.

  A comfortable silence descended as we all tried to think of who could possibly be capable and foolish enough to pull off a stunt like this. I knew a lot of egotistical people, but none quite that stupid.

  33

  Gideon had tried to carry me up to my room for the night. I swatted his hands away and pointed out I could walk just fine. The healing potions and salves were doing a fine job. Admittedly, I had to grit my teeth when I put weight on that leg, but I wasn’t going to let him see that. I’d be just fine in the morning.

  The second floor was as beautifully lived in as the first floor. Rugs lined the long corridor. Deep reds and golds showed vivid battle scenes that slowly became times of peace and prosperity as we walked further along. Heavy pale wooden doors lined the corridor and Gideon pointed to them as we walked past.

  “Greyson’s room, Ella’s, Ryan’s, the big communal bathroom, don’t worry you have an en suite, and this is my room,” he said gesturing to the door with a small shield at head height.

  “And mine?” I said with a smirk.

  Gideon’s eyes sparked with mischief, but he gestured to the next door along the hallway.

  “You should find everything you need in there. Feel free to knock on my door at any time, for any reason.”

  Now there was an offer.

  I dipped my chin in thanks and walked over to my assigned room. Stepping inside, I immediately felt comfortable and at home. The huge bed was covered in simple white linen with a delicate lace trim. Set approved of the warm desert tones of the room, from the golden-coloured rug beneath the desk to the dark-gold feature wall. Paintings of stunning forests and sprawling plains were scattered over the pale white walls, which had a small shimmer of gold in there. I could make myself very comfortable there.

  The entire room was bigger than my living space back in my apartment. The walk-in closet was glorious and begging to be filled with practical jeans, stomping boots, and elegant dresses. Even in the darkness, I could see that the view from the window behind the desk was stunning. It looked out over manicured gardens, a generously sized pool, and the expanse of forest stretching out beyond that. I pulled the heavy copper curtains closed to keep the sunlight out. I was going to need a nice long night’s sleep.

  A quick look around the luxurious bathroom confirmed that the room had been plucked right out of my dreams. The clawfoot bath was big enough for two people, the wet room area in the far corner featured a huge pancake showerhead with fantastic water pressure. There was plenty of room for lots of fun to be had. Running my fingers over the towels, I found them to be soft and luxurious.

  Maybe I should take Gideon up on the offer to move into the coven home. It was an inevitability, after all. There’d be no choice in the matter once we were married; why suffer in my little apartment for longer than I had to?

  I WOKE UP TO A KNOCKING at the door. Groaning and pulling the blankets over my head, I slithered down a little further, enjoying everything about the bed. It was divinely soft and the perfect temperature thanks to a fantastic night’s sleep. Nothing would ever feel quite as good as the way that bed did in that moment.

  The knocking came back, more insistently this time.

  “Come in!”

  I poked my head out from under the blankets, expecting Gideon to greet me with a broad charming smile. Instead, it was the delicate little healer.

  “We couldn’t fix your clothes, so Gideon bought you these.” She held up shopping bags. “They’re all yours. Breakfast will be in the kitchen when you’re ready.”

  I was a little disappointed that Gideon hadn’t come to get me himself, but it was still very generous of him to buy me new clothes. Ella let herself out, and I shimmied out of the bed and looked through the numerous bags from very expensive stores.

  The first little white bag contained two sets of matching bra and panties, formed of silk and lace: the first in a delicate baby blue, the other in a deep rich black. Checking the labels revealed he had my size down; I wasn’t sure whether to be impressed or concerned by that.

  Setting the baby blue set down on the bed, I continued looking through the bag. There were three pairs of gorgeous jeans, four shirts, and a stunni
ng deep brown leather jacket. The final bag contained a pair of dark down knee-high boots made of hardy bespelled leather and laces up the front. I was in love. The soles were strong without being too heavy, the leather moulded around my leg as though they were custom made, and they felt like walking on clouds. Could the man do any wrong?

  34

  I headed down into the kitchen and found everyone but Gideon there.

  “She’s alive!” Greyson said with a laugh.

  Ryan and Ella turned to face me.

  “You need to be an arbiter of a long and difficult debate,” Ryan said gravely.

  I crossed my arms and bit my tongue.

  “Waffles or pancakes,” Ella asked.

  I laughed. Ryan’s face split into a huge grin.

  “You should have seen the look on your face!” Ryan said.

  “Waffles,” I said.

  Ryan’s jaw dropped in mock horror before he clutched at his chest. Ella howled with laughter and did a victory dance around the table while Greyson returned to mixing some batter.

  “I should have known you’d side with Gideon,” Ryan said with a shake of his head.

  “She just has good taste,” Ella said with a grin.

  “Taste? This from the woman who puts strawberries and cream on her pancakes!”

  “You haven’t even tried it! It’s heaven on a plate,” Ella said.

  Greyson slipped around the other two and placed a plate full of waffles down on the table.

  “We have fresh fruit, whipped cream, fancy fruit preserves, and some syrups,” Greyson said to me.

  My mouth watered as I pulled up a chair in front of those waffles. They were light, fluffy, and cooked to perfection. This place was going to spoil me. I slathered them in chocolate syrup and added a handful of chopped strawberries on top.

  Ryan shook his head as he watched me.

  “What have waffles ever done to you?”

  I laughed.

  “Ignore him, he’s just being melodramatic. The truth is he can’t boil an egg, he just likes to think he’s a foodie,” Ella said as she sat down next to me.

  “Don’t worry about Gideon. He got called away to deal with some business, he’ll be back to your side as soon as possible,” Greyson said as he placed a plate full of waffles down in front of Ella.

  The healer proceeded to cover her waffles in raspberry preserve, which she topped with chocolate syrup and finished with fresh blueberries. It was an abomination. I watched on in morbid fascination as she took a big bite and her face transformed into one of bliss. I was beginning to see Ryan’s point.

  The guys sat down opposite us, Greyson with pancakes, maple syrup, and heaps of crispy bacon. Ryan had chosen a plate full of pancakes and sausages. Ella nudged with her elbow and nodded towards Greyson’s bacon. It was perfectly done, and I could definitely fit some more food in my stomach.

  “Is that a new flock of crows out on the lawn?” Ella asked.

  Greyson and Ryan both turned to look out of the window. She reached across lightning fast and grabbed two pieces of Greyson’s bacon, one of which she handed to me. We were just stuffing them in our mouths when the guys turned back to face us.

  Greyson gave Ella a very disapproving look right before his hand shot across the table and he stole an entire pancake, complete with toppings. He carefully placed it next to his own food and guarded it with a knife and fork. Ryan sighed heavily and shook his head wearily, but anyone could see the laughter dancing in his eyes.

  “Has Gideon told you of his grand victories yet?” Ella asked.

  I laughed.

  “He hasn’t.”

  “Ah, well, you’re in luck. We tell them better than him,” Ryan said.

  I made myself more comfortable in the chair and waited while Ryan allowed the dramatic air to build.

  “He came here from Scotland aged eighteen, without a penny to his name. As a new Mars witch, he wasn’t all that welcome, but he had ambition and determination. Cue a big swell of music here. His second day in the country, he stepped in to help a young Apollo witch. As he tells it, this Apollo witch was barely in his teens, a waif of a boy. Humans were picking on him, taunting him for his appearance. Of course, the Apollo boy couldn’t do much about that; they’re not really the combat edition. You know Apollo makes his witches gentle healers without a scrap of fight in them. Gideon stepped in and took them all down. A group of five, or eight, depending on how many drinks Gideon’s had when he tells the story. And so he went on through challenges and difficulties to become the man you know,” Ryan said giving a little bow.

  Ella reached across the table and slapped him on the forearm.

  “You missed most of the good stuff out! You should have told her how he wrestled with a crazed bear shifter, or the time where he saved Savannah from the horde of maenads!”

  Maenads were Dionysus witches that had gone too far and embraced the dark side of their god. They were savage witches with incredible blood lust, a complete lack of pain, and far more strength than any witch should have. When they did occur, the entire coven turned within a few hours and they became a hunting pack that would devour any alcohol or drugs they could get their hands on. That was right before they started stripping the flesh from the bones of any nearby people.

  Dionysus was a god of hedonism and pleasure, but he had an incredible darkness to him. Mostly his witches ran nightclubs, drug operations, distilleries, and the like. Sometimes, though, they slipped up and turned. There was a risk to being a witch for any god, but some were more prone to early and bloody deaths than others.

  The maenads were a warning to us all, of the risks we took and the precautions we needed to take. As a chaos god, Set fell into the category of higher risk, but it was one I was coming to realise was worth it.

  35

  Gideon strode into the kitchen as the others were tidying and removing all traces that breakfast had happened. I was on my third Mexican hot chocolate, and I was quite happy to drink three more.

  “All sorted, boss?” Ryan asked Gideon over his shoulder.

  Gideon settled in the seat next to me, removing his slate-grey suit jacket as he did so. The jacket was tossed onto the kitchen counter to his left before he rolled up his shirt sleeves, an act that I enjoyed watching far more than I should have.

  “Yes, they saw sense and signed the contract initially offered,” Gideon said.

  “Sky’s healed nicely,” Ella said.

  Gideon entwined his fingers with mine.

  “Did you sleep ok? Did they give you breakfast?”

  “Breakfast? No, it was awful...”

  Greyson looked at me with his arms crossed and an eyebrow raised.

  “She worked with Ella to steal half of my bacon,” Greyson said flatly.

  “Half!? Hardly...” I said.

  “I don’t know... we did take a good bit,” Ella said.

  “They’re ruining my good name,” I said to Gideon.

  Gideon didn’t believe it for a second and laughed.

  Greyson relaxed and grinned at us.

  “He makes extra bacon just to deal with Ella’s thieving,” Gideon explained.

  “I’ll have to make even more if Sky’s joining in,” Greyson said.

  “We have a problem, boss,” Ryan said gravely.

  Gideon stilled and looked at the Odin witch.

  “She voted waffles, and she ate them with more chocolate syrup and strawberries than actual waffle,” Ryan said with a sad shake of his head.

  “Chocolate? Oh, Sky...” Gideon said sadly.

  Ella giggled, and the moment was broken.

  “I take mine with honey. You’ll see the light. Don’t you worry,” Gideon said with a grin.

  “Honey!? Do they have no tastebuds in Scotland?” I said.

  “I’ll have you know we have plenty of tastebuds. We invented the deep-fried Mars bar, after all. And we have Irn Bru, which is damn fine with vodka. Or the morning after you’ve had too much vodka,” he said in a thick Scottish
accent.

  “You sound as though you think you’re making an argument for having tastebuds...” I said.

  “She has a point,” Greyson added.

  “What’s wrong with Scottish cuisine?” Gideon asked.

  “Calling it cuisine is generous,” Greyson said.

  Ella put her hand over her mouth and turned bright red where she was desperately holding back her laughter.

  “Traitors, the lot of you,” Gideon said with a laugh.

  “Just hope he doesn’t try and make you haggis,” Ryan said.

  “Haggis is a damn fine meal!” Gideon said.

  Ryan shook his head.

  “He’ll be telling you bagpipes are good music next,” Ryan said.

  “I’ll give you that one, bagpipes are maudlin. I’ll keep my rock,” Gideon said.

  Ryan nodded, satisfied that Gideon had seen some sense.

  “You have to admit, the Scots do know what they’re doing with whisky, though,” Ella said.

  Gideon grinned with deep pride at that comment.

  “Don’t let him show you his scotch collection, Sky, save yourself while you can. It’ll be a three-hour lecture on the origins of them all. Run, run for the hills,” Greyson said.

  “Scotch is a wonderful thing with a grand history, there’s a lot of layers and complexity there,” Gideon said in a mildly scolding tone.

  “I’ll stick to rum, thanks. That is a drink with history, taste, and depth. None of that salt, peat, and bite nonsense,” Gideon said.

  There was a familiarity to this discussion. The smiles in their eyes and the way their tongues wrapped around the words in response to each other.

  “No one respects a good vodka,” Ella said.

  “That’s because there’s no such thing,” Ryan said.

  Everyone laughed.

  “Gideon did tell you that your wedding dress will be in his clan’s tartan, right?” Ella said to me.

  I felt my stomach drop. She said it so seriously with a hint of caring, she had to be joking, right? They wouldn’t do that to me. They couldn’t. I was only going to get one wedding and the only shred of control I had over my big day was what my dress looked like.