by Aileen Erin
Matt shook his head slowly. “The only kind that I know. Somewhere in the gray area between white and black.” He studied me for a second and I itched to move, but didn’t. I couldn’t show him any weakness. “If you really think that there are covens that practice only one kind of magic, then you’re even more naive than I thought.”
I took the insult with a grain of salt. If he wanted to lash out at me because I’d ignored him yesterday, I could deal. I’d surely dealt with worse. “Maybe so.”
“Well, this all-male sect is the only one practicing any sort of magic in this part of South America. Period. So, if you’re looking for a coven, this would be them.”
I took a moment to brace myself. I hate that I have to do this… “If your offer is still on the table, I’d like your help. I need to talk to them about something.”
His answering grin definitely made me suspicious. Whatever he was going to say, I probably wasn’t going to like it. “What am I getting out of this?”
He was such a douchebag. “Do you only think in terms of what’s good for you?”
“Yes. I’m the most important person to me. No one else will put me first if I don’t.”
Even though I wasn’t surprised by that statement, it made me want to hit him. “That comes off as pretty self-centered.”
He crossed his arms as he glared at me. “Call it what you like. If you were honest with yourself, you’d realize you’re the same way. You’re here asking me to do you a favor without thinking about me at all. So, my point is proven. If I’m not getting something out of this, then why would I do it? You’ll blow me off as soon as I give you what you want.”
He had a point. I was going to blow him off the second I had what I wanted. But the key difference was that I wasn’t doing this for myself. I was doing this for my brother. For what was left of my coven.
But we’d gone way off topic, and I was officially wasting time. “Fine. What do you want?”
“For you to finally stop fighting what’s already been agreed. You should’ve come to New York last year.”
Even if I’d wanted to, which I didn’t, Luciana never would’ve let me go last year. “How was I supposed to know that you wanted me there? I haven’t heard from you in months.”
“I told Luciana,” he said it like it should mean something to me.
I nearly smiled. He was giving me a piece of information that could carve a wedge between Luciana and the New York coven. “You’ll have to take your complaints to her, because she didn’t say a thing to me.”
His mouth dropped open. “Really?”
I studied him for a minute. All this time truly I’d thought Matt was working with Luciana, but maybe he wasn’t. If Luciana had lied to him about one thing, it stood to reason that she’d lied to him about other things as well. “Honestly. Do I look like I’m lying?”
He narrowed his gaze at me. “I don’t know.”
I shrugged. “Here’s the thing. Luciana wants to keep me around. I know you know what I specialize in—”
“Enhancing others’ energies.”
I nodded. “Right. Well, I do that for Luciana. And—as far as I know—the only thing Luciana wants is more power. By losing me, she loses power. So, why would she ever follow through with whatever bargain you two concocted?”
He leaned back in his chair, not saying a word.
“Why do you want me? Really?”
He looked at the ceiling, before apparently coming to some decision. “The same reason Luciana wants you.”
My jaw clenched as I took in his words. This was infuriating. Did everyone just want me for what I could do for them? “Well, I’m not marrying you. Even if you decide to help me today, I can’t promise that. Luciana has been controlling me for long enough. I really don’t think I can go back to coven life. Anywhere.” While I had him opening it up, I figured now was a great time to find out what Luciana was getting out of pretending to marry me off. Knowing that could mean the difference between defeating her or dying.
I leaned in, trying to make it seem like I was conspiring with him. “So, what did she get out of the deal? Did she just want your coven as allies?” That was my best guess so far, but my instincts said there was more to it than that.
He scoffed. “No. She could care less about being allies. We had an item she wanted. I didn’t think too much about it. My coven… Things aren’t easy over there. I needed your help, so I traded. You for it. And, one way or another, I need you there.”
One way or another? My nails dug into my palms as I fisted my hands. I wasn’t an object to be traded. I was a human being. “At least tell me what you traded me for.”
“Doesn’t matter. She can’t use it.”
He was so unbelievably wrong. When she wanted something that badly, she’d find a way to make it work. “If you really believe that, then you’re more naive than I thought.”
“You’re really not going back with me?”
Should I lie? Maybe. But I couldn’t. “No. I’m not.”
Matt stood and started for the door.
Where was he going? Panic tightened my chest.
No. I needed his help.
Damn it. Why had I pushed him so much?
I sat there watching him leave, wondering what I could say to get him back. What was I willing to agree to?
He paused in the exit. “You coming?”
That had been so much easier than I’d expected. And I hadn’t actually agreed to do anything for him. Why would he take me there?
I knew he’d ask for something later. He wasn’t the type to let me forget a favor, but I’d deal with that when the time came. I scrambled to put a tip on the table, and caught up with him. “We’re going now?”
“The sooner we get this taken care of, the sooner I can get home. I have to get back to New York. My coven is falling apart.”
I almost felt bad for him. Then I remembered that he’d tried to trade me for some magical object. He was going to push me to marry him just so I could fix whatever messed-up situation his coven was in.
Not your problem, Claudia. You can’t fix everything that’s wrong in this world. You can barely protect your own family.
I followed him out of the hotel, trailing behind as he walked down the narrow street to a parked car. He opened the driver’s side door for himself. “Get in.”
I didn’t wait for him to ask twice. I opened the door to his little blue Honda rental, and slid into the passenger seat. “You know where you’re going? We don’t need directions?”
“No.” He started the engine and drove down the street. I buckled my seatbelt as he nearly sideswiped a car.
Lucas had made driving down the tiny roads look easy. I’d never felt anything but safe with him, except for being terrified when we went up that mountain road. Even then, he’d reassured me. But a few seconds into the drive with Matt I knew I was really putting my life in his hands.
“My cousin joined up with this sect a while back,” Matt said as he cut off a truck. “We all thought he was nuts, but he was always a little on the odd side. I’ve visited a few times over the years. Luciana has been known to stop in, too.”
I didn’t like that Luciana had been there. It definitely supported what Lucas said about those brujos being evil. I cracked my knuckles as I contemplated asking Matt to turn around, but kept my mouth shut. If there were another way, I’d take it. But there wasn’t.
As I sat there, I wondered if there was any way I could get Matt on our side. I knew I couldn’t trust him, but while we were stuck in the car together, I figured I might as well try to convince him to support us against Luciana. He’d definitely pass along anything I said to his mother—the leader of his coven. And she might pass that information along to Luciana. But she might not.
Worst he could do was say no and tell Luciana I’d asked. It wasn’t like she didn’t know I’d left the coven.
I blew out a breath as I thought about what to say. Keeping it simple was probably the best way to go.
“I know it’s asking a lot, but it would be amazing if I could get your support against Luciana. You said your coven was in trouble. Forming a little alliance right now could do both of us some good.”
“Why are you so set against her? What’s she done to you?”
That question was so absurd to me, I wanted to laugh. Or cry. What hadn’t she done? “She’s gone solid black. A few weeks ago, she attacked the pack, and tried to raise demons. She only stopped because Daniel was killed.”
“Demons?” The car swerved as he looked at me.
“Watch it!” I waved my hands at the road.
He jerked the steering wheel, bringing the car back onto the road. “Sorry. But demons?” He shouted. “I knew we shouldn’t have…” He paused, but I really wanted him to finish that thought.
They shouldn’t have what?
“Daniel’s dead? That’s a shame. He was always nice to me.”
A shame? That was much too tame a word for how I felt about it, but I merely nodded as I tried not to let the sadness take hold. “He was a nice guy,” I finally managed to say. “I miss him a lot.”
We were quiet for a little bit, before Matt spoke up. “Are you sure you know what you’re talking about?”
Could he be any more patronizing? I willed myself not to lose my temper. Allies. We need Allies. We’d have a better chance against Luciana and the others if we had more witches on our side. “I’m certain. And not only that, she called up a demon to raise Daniel from the dead. He… It wasn’t right. His skin was gray and starting to rot. She turned her own son into a monster. She’s has to be stopped.”
He scanned my face, most likely looking to see if I was lying.
“Watch the road!” I yelled as the tires skidded on gravel again. He faced frontward in time to swerve away from the oncoming traffic.
God. He was going to kill us. “Just watch the road,” I said it much softer the second time.
“Raising demons is really bad. That’s not gray magic, that’s black. Why isn’t your coven standing up to her?”
Where did I start? “The thing about Luciana is that she’s a good speaker. She’s convinced everyone that what she’s doing is what’s best for the coven and now they follow her like lemmings. And she’s got a massive hatred for the wolves. Any complaints that the coven had, she found a way to blame them on the pack.”
“Come on, Claudia.”
I ground my teeth together as he said my name. Clod-ia. With that one word, I knew douchebag Matt was back. All the hope that he might help us fled.
“You have to realize that the wolves aren’t our friends.”
No. I didn’t realize that. So far, they were the only ones willing to help. “Why not?”
“Because of a centuries-old feud. That friction isn’t going to end just because you made a few friends.”
“I know all about the feud. And I know it’s not going to end just because I want it to, but she’s evil. She’s willing to start a war with the Weres just because my cousin was bitten—”
“Sounds like reason enough—”
“But,” I spoke over him, “it’s just an excuse. She was even working with one of the wolves. She has a bigger plan to expose all supernaturals to humans. This affects everyone—even you. I know they’re going to find out about us. It’s only a matter of time. But if she does it her way, she’s going to make enemies not just of the pack, but of the humans, too.” He started to speak, but I kept on talking. I had to get this out. “And all this fighting with the pack isn’t necessary. They weren’t out to get us. All we had to do was reach out and they would’ve been friends. Allies. We’ll need a lot more of those once the world finds out about us. I mean, am I the only one who’s heard of the Salem Witch Trials? The humans have hunted us in the past, and they could again. So yeah, it’d be nice—for once—to have someone protect us—which is what the wolves have been doing all along. From vampires and fey gone bad and all other bad supers out there. Instead of thanking them, we try to kill them? Try to help an evil man get control of the pack? And,” I drew the word out. “She stripped Tessa of her power—”
“She managed to do it? Was it successful?”
I narrowed my gaze at him. “Yes. It was. And it was horrible.”
He grinned for a second, and then a serious mask came over his face.
But that smile stuck with me. Chills broke over my skin.
He cleared his throat, as if nothing had happened. “That seems really far-fetched. I can’t believe she could do that. I’ve never heard of a witch being able to.”
I was quiet for a second, studying him. I didn’t need my intuition to tell me not to trust him when all the signs he was giving off were screaming it. “You don’t have to believe me, but Luciana is raising demons she can’t control. She’ll destroy us all and then anyone who survives will be running from the humans. All it’ll take is one photo leaking in the news and we’ll have another rash of witch-hunts. Guaranteed.” I took a breath. “It’d be good if you were willing to work with us and the pack.”
“I think you’re getting your wires crossed. Stripping witches? Conjuring demons? Black magic? It seems a little crazy…”
He yammered on, but I tuned him out. This was useless.
Good thing I didn’t need him to do anything but get me on the brujos’ land. Which he was doing. Once I was there, I’d get the magic I needed and leave.
I closed my eyes. It had been stupid to think that he’d want to be allies. Most witches hated the wolves. But those prejudices wouldn’t get us anywhere. Just in the short time I’d been at St. Ailbe’s I’d understood the truth. While we hid from the world behind our barriers, learning cleansing rituals and brewing potions, the wolves started training to fight from childhood. Their hunters had been clearing the world of evil for years, giving us the freedom to thrive.
If it got back to Luciana that I was trying to make allies, then so be it. She’d lost her leverage over me and I wasn’t letting her or anyone else push me around anymore.
I closed my eyes and tried to calm down. I hadn’t meant to get so riled up. I had to think clearly. Calmly.
Picture what you want and believe it will be so.
I was going to find a cure for my brother. I wasn’t leaving this evil sect’s lands until I had what I was looking for.
Chapter Fifteen
It felt like ages before we stopped, but it only took an hour. The closer we got, the more I had the urge to turn around. My gut was sending me all kinds of warning signals. The black aura ahead of us that grew bigger with every passing second only made that feeling worse.
Had I really seen that bright white aura in all this darkness?
The sect’s compound was small, with only one tiny, dead-end dirt road that ran between a cluster of old stone buildings. The only thing that identified it was the sign on the side of the road. It was a tiny rectangle, almost completely covered by moss and dirt, but I could just make out the name. Not that it helped me identify the place. The word was long and unpronounceable, with way too many consonants.
From what I could see, there were four bigger structures, although the word “big” was a bit much for what was there. They were small, one story, and probably one room inside. The two smaller buildings looked like little more than huts.
Matt got out of the car, and I followed suit. As soon as I did, chills ran down my arms. This place had a deadened feeling, and I didn’t think I was sensing that because the compound was warded. Peru was so vibrant. So full of life. It was like there was magic in every piece of grass. But not here. The quiet felt empty.
An old man stepped from one of the bigger buildings. He took careful steps toward us, his back hunched over from his age. But his aura…
Black as pitch, shot through with blood-red ribbons.
The sight of it had my legs tensing, urging me to run the other direction. I fought my instincts, hoping that Lucas hadn’t changed his mind. That he really was out there somewhere. Listening in case I ne
eded him.
Because I had a feeling I might need him very soon.
Another man came out of the building wearing the same outfit—black pants with a long black tunic. Coordinated clothes seemed normal for a secluded sect like this, but not coordinated auras.
The evil was there like Lucas has warned me. I’d expected that. But identical auras?
Auras were usually unique. Even the wolves, who had lots of similarities within their pack, varied in gold tones from white to orange to amber. Lucas’ was a very light yellow, almost white, while Dastien’s was a dark amber color. I couldn’t read my own aura, but I doubted mine was that close to Raphael’s and these two men weren’t twins by any means.
Matt stepped forward and talked quietly with the older man for a minute. The man nodded and turned to me, waving me over.
Swallowing my apprehension, I forced my feet to move. I had to do this. It was the only option. I repeated that in my head as a drop of sweat rolled between my shoulder blades.
“Hello, I’m Father Valentine. This is Father Alfred,” the old man said as I stood there, studying him. His tone was friendly enough, but I could see so much more. No matter how nice he pretended to be, this man wasn’t someone I should trust. “Don’t be shy. Come this way.”
I pushed all my fear aside, and gave him by best grin. “I’m Claudia de Santos.” My plan was to kill them with kindness, as my father always said. People usually underestimated what a kind person could do. “I’m sorry to come without calling first. I hope we’re not intruding on your day too much.”
He scoffed at that. “Not to worry, my dear. There’s no way to reach us without stopping by. We lack many of the amenities of the modern world—like running water and electricity. It’s nice to get an unexpected visitor or two.” He turned back toward the building. “Come to my house. We’ll have tea and see why you’ve traveled all this way.”
Father Alfred nodded, and led the way. From what I could tell, the older man, Father Valentine, ran the show around here.