"Those women deserved what they got. First they were flirty, then they couldn't wait to run away." Even as I said it, I knew it wasn't true, but I'd been so angry, and they were there. "As for these rules, they're nothing more than guidelines set down by a group of old farts trying to make sure none of us can have any fun."
"I'm sorry to hear you say that, son, but you still have to pay for your actions."
"And how will I be paying for them?"
"A challenge at the pack meeting on Friday. After which, you'll spend three days in silver chains."
"I won't be able to heal if I'm in silver."
"I'm aware. That is part of the punishment."
"No. I won't go, I won't do it."
He surged to his feet, leaning over the desk. "You don't have a choice. If you refuse to attend the meeting you will be forcibly retrieved, and you will face a more severe punishment."
"No!" I shouted. He had no right, no right at all. Father, Alpha, neither had the authority to tell me to show up for a pack sanctioned beating.
"One way or another, you'll be facing a punishment. Take the lesser one."
"I'm sorry father, but I can't."
I pulled a knife from the small of my back, and leapt over the desk to plunge it into his chest. He threw up an arm, trying to guard against the attack, but it was too late. The knife slid in. For a moment we stayed upright before he fell back and we ended up in a heap on the floor.
He gasped, choking for air. "This won't kill me."
"Yes, it will. The blade was poisoned." I tightened my grip on the hilt and pulled it out as Father screamed. "Don't worry. I was told it would be a fast death."
As he laid there wheezing and choking, I pulled a cloth out of my pocket and rubbed the blood off the blade. My friend had been right. The small twinge in my heart was nothing. I didn't have to justify my actions, or listen to another lecture about how I was tarnishing the family name.
Once my father was unconscious I used a silver pocket knife to make a shallow cut across both our wrist. Mashing them together, I surged power through the cuts. A burning sensation lanced across my arm. With a hiss, I pulled away to find the cut healed, and I was starting to feel the pack magic settle around me. Father wasn't even cold when I left. I had a friend to see and a pack to order. The rules were about to change.
Elron
I left Michelle with a smile on my face and spring in my step. In the past, even mentioning Sylvia had been enough to send me into hiding, where I tried to believe that she would return. I knew better now. My wife was gone. While I would never forget her, my guilt and grief were dissipating. As the past reformed into a coherent memory, my emotions awakened, and I was able to think again.
My love for Sylvia had been true, but it felt more like a passionate love run wild than the love of my life. My extended mourning was due to my inability to save her and my guilt infused relief that I didn't have to try to make both of us happy any more. I had spent decades trying to be everything to her, for her. There was no doubt in my mind that she had been happy, satisfied with our life, but in hindsight my efforts to please her were an attempt to fill the voids in my heart.
We were so blinded by love that we didn't see one another. We saw what we wanted to see; the love we wanted to have.
The modern world, Landa, Mander, and Michelle had changed me. I was learning about me; seeing past my upbringing, life in the woods.
Being near Michelle made me feel young and alive. Her presence had fascinating effects on the Call as well. It stopped pushing me when I was near her, and seldom bothered me while I was at the lodge.
The push irked me, as it wasn't mapping a clear path. It wanted me in this area, and close to Michelle. Past that, I couldn't determine what I should be accomplishing. It was maddening.
Beyond Michelle's effect on my calling, I was stumped as to what it wanted from me. It had urged me to this time and place, but Michelle's work was the most exciting thing around. Everything I had been taught about callings revolved around dangerous situations that had a significant impact on the world around them. Thus far, I was tending a garden and spending time with a witch, hardly world-altering actives.
However, something was after this witch, and I would do my part to ensure her safety. I had been honest about the bonsai's primary purpose, but I had left out a few of its abilities. Along with extending the protections of the forest, it would give me a way to sense what was occurring in her rooms. Unless I went into a trace to have a deep connection with the bonsai, I would only feel extreme emotional spikes. It should help me aid her during peril, and give her privacy the rest of the time.
Unbeknownst to her, I had given the plant in her bathroom extra direction as well. It would now shield her if she was in the bathroom and needed protection. If an individual intending to harm Michelle went into the bathroom, the plant would detain or kill them. I hadn't been very specific on which was preferred. If the bad guy was alive we might be able to question him, but if he was dead, it was one less spot of evil on the earth.
Michelle
I blinked, trying to wake up enough to figure out what I was hearing. There was a grunt, growl, and then a yell.
"Michelle, help! Arrg, get off me!"
It was Tiffany's voice. What she was doing here, I didn't know, but the lions would be making short work of her. I rushed through the door, wand at the ready in case there was some trickery. Tiffany was lying in a defensive curl four feet from the door. One lion had a grip on her arm and the other was restraining an ankle.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, motioning the lions to release her, but stay on guard.
"Michelle? Is that you?" She scrubbed her eyes, and blinked a few times.
"Yes, it's me. Why are you in my apartment?" Tiffany looked terrible. Her normally perfect makeup was smeared, clothing torn, and she had a few scuffs on her arms. Even though it was flirting with freezing outside, she wasn't wearing a jacket.
"I need you to help me!" Tiffany demanded.
"I figured as much." Tears dripped down her cheeks.
"Don't you understand? He's taken her," she whimpered.
"Taken who, Tiffany?" I knelt down next to her. Even though she looked and sounded like my friend, I checked to see if she was wearing an illusion spell. Then, I checked to see if she had been spelled, and if magic had touched her lately. When I finished, it felt like a waste of energy; as far as I could tell, I was looking at a slightly crazy best friend.
"We have to get her back."
"Who? Tiffany, who was taken? Who did the taking?" I resisted the urge to shake her. She was one of my best friends, but I couldn't say she was at her best in an emergency.
Tiffany turned towards me, but her eyes were unfocused. "He could hurt her. Why won't you listen?"
"I am listening," I yelled. "You won't tell me the problem. Who needs help?"
"I didn't say?" For the first time her eyes were focused on me.
"No, you didn't. I want to help, but if you don't tell me what's wrong, I can't help you." If someone was in trouble they were going to be dead before I knew the problem. "Let me get you something to drink."
I got her to sit at the table, and watched her sip the water I'd given her. After the first sip she paused to catch her breath. Half a glass later she looked calm, but I could still see the pulse in her neck jumping. I sent the lions back to their post by the door, where they returned to looking like stone figurines.
"What did I tell you?" Tiffany asked.
I slowly counted to ten before answering, "Nothing helpful, so start at the beginning."
"Amber's been kidnapped. That's not the beginning, but you need to know. See, Amber asked me to tag along when she went to a meeting with the bird shifters. I don't know why, but she was edgy. Amber kept saying something might go wrong. I asked her what could go wrong, and she didn't answer. Everything seemed fine. The meeting lasted about an hour. I sat in the car reading a book. Anyway, she came out and was running for the car when a guy jumped her.
She tried to fight back, but couldn't get away. I rushed over to help her, but he shoved me down and I hit my head on the road. By the time I stopped seeing stars she was gone."
"Who took her?" I growled. As a werepeahen, Amber was considered a prey animal by most of the shifter community. As a person, Amber was sweet, and much more suited to her office job than facing down an abductor.
"Let me finish the story." Tiffany took a sip of water. "I went back in the house, hoping one of the shifters could tell me who he was, but they were all passed out. Some of them came around on their own, and I roused the rest of them. They said someone had come in after the meeting ended and jumped them. The bruises proved their story. They wouldn't call the police. They said it was shifter business and I shouldn't be involved.
"I called the police, but no one wanted to believe me. They wanted me to give a statement in the morning, and said they would send a car around. The person on the other end of the phone had the gall to suggest it was a game. I know Mark, and that wasn't him."
I was a second from killing Tiffany out of frustration. "That's great. Now, who took Amber?" My money was on her stalker.
Tears resumed dripping down her face. "One of the birds said it sounded like Adder, the rest would only say it smelled like werewolves. I don't know why Adder would take Amber. His father is still the alpha and would kill him for this."
"The crazy werewolf everyone is afraid of has Amber?" I started rubbing my temples.
"I think so." She buried her head in her hands and resumed crying.
"Tiffany, focus on me for a second." She looked at me, chest heaving, tears running down her face. "Did she mention anything about a man or a specific car?" Tiffany shook her head. "What kind of car did her abductors' use?"
"A dark van."
"What kind of van? Was it a cargo van or a minivan? Did you get the plate?" I held my breath. Please, let her have a solid lead.
"I didn't get the plate." Tiffany chewed on her lip. "I think it was a minivan. There were a lot of cars parked on the street when we arrived so I ended up parking down the street. One of the spaces close to the house was empty when I went in to check on the shifters."
I took her by the shoulders, and turned her so she was looking at me. "That was good, Tiffany. You need to remember every detail when we talk to the police. I promise, I'll find an officer who will believe you."
A knock sounded at the door. "Great," I mumbled. "Exactly what I needed, more problems."
"Who is it?" I called out, not bothering to get up from the table.
"Elron."
"Can I help you?" I asked.
"The commotion woke me. Are you hurt?"
"Do I sound hurt?"
"No, but given recent events I'd feel better if I could see for myself. Landa would never forgive me if I let something happen to you."
"Fine. Come on in." Tiffany hadn't locked the door behind her.
He came in, and immediately flipped on the light, blinding me but having no effect on Tiffany, who was still sobbing. Unlike when he'd come barging in yesterday, he was fully clothed.
"Took the time to dress? Hardly in a hurry to check on me."
"This didn't sound as serious, and none of the alarms sounded."
I shrugged. My wand was still at hand because I wasn't sure why Adder, if the identity was correct, had left Tiffany behind.
"What's going on?" Elron asked.
"This is Tiffany. She's a private investigator. Amber, a good friend of ours, was abducted a few hours ago. She thinks Adder did it," I answered.
"What would he want with your friend? And why would he do it. His father won't let him get away with kidnaping." Elron said.
"I don't know why he wants Amber, or how he'll get around his father."
"Is there anything special about this girl?" he asked.
"She's a werepeacock, and my friend," I said.
"Really? In all my years, I've never heard of a female shifting into a peacock," Elron quipped.
"Quit being dense. I can see the smile on your face. She is technically a werepeahen, but you know as well as I do that no one makes the distinction."
"True." He stared at the woman slumped in the chair. "Did she go to the police?"
"Yes, but she said they didn't take her seriously."
"Don't you have contacts at the station?"
"Again, yes, but they normally work day shift. I'm planning on calling them in the morning."
"What are you planning on doing now?"
"Tucking her in on the sofa, and trying to figure out who I can call in the middle of the night that will know what's going on with a werewolf pack."
"I'm afraid I may not be of much help. While I know several nocturnal individuals, none of them would know the latest information about werewolves."
"Don't worry about it. Could you put her on the sofa? I don't think she's moving under her own power at this point." Tiffany was passed out at the table.
"Not a problem." With an ease I was happy to admire, Elron scooped up Tiffany. He carried her the few steps to the sofa before carefully placing her on the cushions and covering her with a blanket.
I knew the first few hours after an abduction were critical, but it was two-thirty in the morning, and those first few hours had already passed. What I needed now was good information, but most of the police I was on a first name basis with didn't start work until eight in the morning. Off hand, I could only think of one person who'd be up and might know something.
"Could you watch her for a few minutes?"
"Yes, why?"
"I need to step out for about fifteen minutes and I don't think she should be alone."
Elron nodded his agreement, and I sped out before he could change his mind. The first stop on my list was in the basement. Paxton was the resident vampire. He'd arrived back in town two nights ago. Even if he didn't know anything, I wouldn't be disturbing his sleep.
I gently rapped on his door, unsure of my welcome. The door flew open under my hand and I took an involuntary step back.
Paxton was on the shorter side, only five feet five inches tall, but stocky and dark. He was still, other than his eye running up and down my body and the fluttering of his nostrils as he examined me. "Michelle, what a surprise. I suspect this isn't a social visit."
Shaking my head, I answered, "It's not. Sorry for showing up unannounced; I was hoping you would know what's going on with the wolf pack."
Paxton leaned against the doorjamb. "It depends. What do you want to know?"
"Have there been any changes in pack structure?" I bit my tongue trying not to say too much.
"Not that I am aware of. How recent would this change be?"
"Recently enough, for a werewolf to go after another shifter a few hours ago."
"Ah." He froze, not even blinking while he pondered. Resuming more normal actions, he continued. "I'm afraid I don't have any information for you. I wish I had more to tell you, but I haven't talked to any of my shifter friends in nearly a week. Baden is usually better informed, and I know he's home tonight. In fact, I heard him come in a few minutes ago."
"You don't think he would mind?"
"Under the circumstances he would understand."
"Thank you, Paxton. If I can return this favor, let me know."
"Nonsense, you were merely asking a question, there is nothing to repay." He became solemn, "Best of luck with this…issue."
I bowed my head. "Thank you." When I looked up, Paxton was gently closing the door.
Baden's room was on the third floor and my tired body protested the climb. I hadn't gotten enough sleep before Tiffany showed up, and it didn't look like I was going back to bed anytime soon. The door opened shortly after I knocked. Baden was a large guy, nearly a foot taller than me and twice as wide. None of the width was fat, he was solid muscle.
"Michelle, how can I help you?" He rumbled.
"I'm sorry to bother you so late, but I had a few questions."
"I was up. Come in. I'
ll try to answer."
"Thanks." I perched on a bar stool while he held up the wall across from me. "Do you know if there's been any change in power in the werewolf pack?"
His eyes narrowed, changing to a golden color. "Why do you need to know?"
Baden's reaction was strange, since he wasn't a wolf and their politics shouldn't affect him. "Anything you can tell me about Adder and the wolves would be helpful. Adder may have abducted a friend of mine, a werepeahen."
He sighed, relaxing against the wall. "When was she taken?"
"Earlier this evening."
"I was at a meeting for large cats today," Baden said.
I nodded. He shifted into a Bengal tiger, and there weren't many of them around. It was common for shifter groups who didn't have larger numbers to band together with similar shifters.
"Simon missed several meetings today, and no one has been able to contact him. All of the inquiries were directed to Adder, who said his father was under the weather. Whatever is going on, the wolves are keeping quiet."
I frowned, "If Adder is taking calls for his father…"
"Then the slim margin of control Simon had over Adder is gone," Baden sighed. "Simon was in a bad position. He needed to get Adder to behave or kill him."
"Adder may be in charge now, but that doesn't explain why he'd want Amber." Simon had been the only one standing between the world and two-hundred pounds of crazy werewolf.
"Had he met her before?" Baden asked.
"I don't know. Do you know her?"
"Eh, I might. It's hard to keep track of every shifter in the area. What does she look like?"
I described her human and shifted forms, though I'd only seen her in feathery glory twice.
"I've met her. Cute, nice, but not powerful as shifters go. I don't know of them crossing paths." He shook his head. "Adder is bad news. I hope you can get your friend soon."
"Thank you for helping Amber, and me."
"What are you going to do?"
"Try to get the police to rescue her." Silently, I admitted that if that failed I'd go after her.
"In that case, let me give you a number." Baden scribbled a few lines on a mini legal pad sitting next to his phone before ripping the sheet off the pad and handing it to me. "I know it's not much, but that guy might know more about Adder, and if he doesn't, he'll know who does."
A Witch's Path Page 6