by India Kells
The witch turned her head and looked at him. She looked pale, her brown hair wild around her face, big golden eyes, so serene and calm. Her bottom lip trembled as she smiled wanly. When she spoke, her voice wheezed out.
“Isn’t this what you wanted all along?”
And she jumped.
CHAPTER SIX
How could she be so warm and so cold at the same time? It was the first thought that popped into Valeria’s mind when she woke up, shivering uncontrollably.
Too weak to open her eyes, or maybe she didn’t really care about opening them anymore, she wrapped the thick and scratchy woolen blanket more tightly around her. She was naked under it. Where did she lose her clothes? Her head hurt from searching for answers, but she remembered the golden man running after her. The same man she had seen years ago in the forest. The wounded werewolf.
She remembered how tight and painful her chest felt, as she was running through the streets… how tired her whole body felt. Images of the river came to mind. Had she imagined jumping into the water? She must have dreamed it as she was still breathing.
And she was dead, glad that the heavens provided the blanket and the soft pillow underneath her head. It smelled clean, making her think of her bedroom at home. Tears gathered behind her eyelids, and she willed them away. It wasn’t often her memories wandered to her past, to her home and family. She couldn’t survive or long for what was at the same time. And if she couldn’t protect her father, if she couldn’t stay hidden from the Enforcers, what was left?
Valeria remembered what led her to fleeing her home. It all started with the dark blonde stranger, wounded and alone in the forest. And her being hit on the head from behind.
When she saw him at the soup kitchen, Valeria thought fever made her hallucinate. After surprise, fear took over. If he recognized her, if he knew she was Valeria Lancaster and alerted the Enforcers, it would mean a death sentence for her and damage to her family’s reputation. It was the thought of protecting her father that pushed her to run, even if breathing was like inhaling fiery spikes and her legs turning into jelly at each stride. And it was that very thought that drove her to jump.
She remembered it now. The stillness of fall and the cold shocking her into oblivion, her body shutting down.
And now? To know the next step, Valeria finally opened her eyes. Bars. She was in some sort of cell, lying on a cot. The cell was covering about one-third of the space. It appeared to be the basement of a house. The ceiling wasn’t high enough, and the covered windows were of the usual height and size. Outside the cell, the walls and floors were concrete gray, with a cupboard in a corner, a table with two chairs. She was facing the only door. The room was dim, and there was no light coming from the windows. Was it night?
Valeria held that thought when she heard someone unlocking the door. She debated faking sleep but werewolves had keen senses, any one of them would realize she was awake. And she wanted to know who she was facing.
An older woman with beautifully coifed and curly short light blonde hair with streaks of white came into the room, carrying a tray. She was wearing a yellow kimono-style top floating around her.
She stopped in front of her cell and nodded. She didn’t seem pleased with what she saw, or maybe it was with the task of tending to a prisoner.
“Good, you’re awake.” She turned and put the tray on the table. “I brought you something to eat. But if you want my opinion, my nephew shouldn’t have fished you out of that river. You’re not worth the trouble.”
Valeria didn’t know what was on the tray the woman brought, but the smell made her want to heave. Her stomach rebelled against any type of food. The small movement made her start coughing. The more she coughed, the more it became difficult to stop. This time, Valeria thought she would pass out from lack of oxygen. Her lungs burned, and her throat was so raw, even gulping air was agony.
When she thought she would die, she finally had a reprieve and laid back down, tears streaming from her eyes and air wheezing in and out of her. She focused solely on her breathing until she could relax. Ignoring the traces of blood on the white sheets and the woman altogether, she closed her eyes.
“Good Lord, you’re not well. Drink this.”
Valeria heard the woman move around just outside her cell, coming closer to her, but her head hurt too much, and she didn’t had the energy to open her eyes. Whatever she wanted Valeria to drink, she knew it would come right back up, so it wasn’t worth the trouble or effort.
The woman insisted, but finally mumbled something incomprehensible before retreating. Valeria shivered as another bout of fever took over her body, sweat starting to bead all over her skin.
She wished for all of this to go away. And at the pace her cough and fever were taking over her, she supposed it wouldn’t be long.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Asher knew exactly when his aunt came into his office without knocking. What made him jump though was the tray she almost dropped on his desk.
“What the hell! What’s come over you!”
As ominous as she always was, Ellen folded her arms and arched a perfectly plucked eyebrow at him. He loved the woman to death, but she was treading a very fine line, between his immense affection and his alpha status. He would not be challenged. Especially not now.
Indulging her, Asher refrained from growling, but mimicked her posture, sitting back and crossing his arms. Robert must have sensed the growing storm as he stepped into the room and closed the door. One area where Asher hadn’t pinched pennies was in soundproofing his office. They were surrounded by people whose hearing could detect a pin drop a mile away, and although he liked the opinion of others, some things were not up for debate.
Robert sat on the worn leather sofa on the side and waited. Asher knew Robert loved his wife dearly, but when she was in that state, Ellen could chew nails. He wasn’t about to open his mouth and risk inserting his foot. Wise man.
“Aunt Ellen.” He tried to keep his voice calm and reasonable, but the wolf was close behind.
Ellen gestured at the tray.
“Tell me what you see, nephew.”
He sighed. “You came to disturb me for a guessing game?”
“As you seem blind, I’ll tell you what I see. Here is a tray with a bowl of soup, some tea and a piece of bread. All is still untouched.”
“I have eaten, Aunt Ellen, but thank you.”
Ellen pinched her lips. “You’ve brought this woman here, this witch, from what I can smell underneath the stink and the sickness. Do you have any intention of taking care of her? She’s coughing her heart out, coughing up blood now. If your goal is to let her die from pneumonia, that shouldn’t take too long.”
Asher frowned and returned to the stack of papers on his desk. “Good.”
“So why did you fish her out of that river if your intention was to let her die?”
How could he explain what he did, when he didn’t understand it himself? Part of him wanted to tear the witch to pieces right there. Another…
“I don’t recognize you, Asher. It’s not like you to make impulsive decisions like that, maybe even choosing to endanger this Sanctuary. How can you?”
Asher reined in his temper and leaned back in his chair again. “I’m your Alpha, your leader, and the Sanctuary Master. Don’t you forget it.”
Annoyance and anger leaked in his voice.
Ellen sighed and sat in the chair in front of him. “You certainly are. And you’re also my beloved nephew. You were always so level-headed, so easy-going, but so stubborn. You’re still stubborn, but now, there’s a darkness in you. The man I knew wouldn’t have acted the way you did.”
“That man died two years ago. After that, I had to take care of what was left of my family.”
“And how is abducting a homeless woman, a suicidal witch, taking care of your family?”
Asher pushed away from his desk and walked to the window. The sanctuary was nestled deep in the forest, and the promise of endless runs an
d the woods alive with possible hunts typically made his heart soar. But not today, not when that woman was inside his home, not when he was about to reveal something he thought would be buried forever.
“That woman. She’s the one who killed Kelly two years ago.”
Asher didn’t turn at the shocked silence behind him. He heard Robert move to his wife’s side and take her hand. It seemed that his uncle had kept a secret from her after all.
“Are you sure, son?”
Asher went back to sit at his desk. “I am, Ellen.”
He started explaining what happened two years ago. When he woke up after being catapulted to the tree, the woman was gone. And in her place, lay his little sister, Kelly, looking peaceful, with her golden locks fanned around her beautiful face. He felt so disoriented, he was about to give her grief for not listening to him, for not dashing away as he ordered, when he realized how still she was. Her heart was no longer beating. He couldn’t hear it, anymore. His own heart hiccupped and broke the second he realized she was gone. Now, telling this story again brought fresh pain and grief back to the surface. He refrained from clearing his throat, fearing it would allow tears to escape.
“Since that night, I never knew the name of that woman. But I remember her face and how she smelled. It’s imprinted on me. Forever. So when I caught her scent in the city…”
His aunt came around the desk and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. He always liked Ellen, she was like his own mother. Fierce and loyal. And deeply soothing.
“I miss Kelly too. Every single day, every single minute. I miss her laughter and how she could make you laugh too, Asher.”
Robert combed his ginger beard pensively. “I understand, son. But again, are you sure that woman killed Kelly? I remember the story, how she knocked you out and you woke with Kelly at your side with witch smell all over her. You never actually saw the witch curse your sister to death.”
“We were miles away from the hunting party. And the only smell in the forest was that woman. And she was gone. It’s only logical that after I had fallen unconscious, she hunted Kelly and killed her.”
Robert looked at Ellen and then back at him again.
“If that’s the case, you need to turn her into the High Council. If she did kill Kelly, they will deal with her.”
Asher was tempted, but again, something held him back.
“Not yet. I want to have her admit it. I want her to tell me that she did it and why. After that, I’ll see.”
“Would that be the reason why she tried to jump? She recognized you and knew she killed your sister?”
Asher pondered his aunt’s questions and turned his gaze to the trees again. Silent.
“There may be more to this than meets the eye, Asher. Be careful. What if she played you in bringing her here? Or she may attempt to take her life while here. And you know that any death within Sanctuary can bring trouble.” Ellen’s voice rang with worry.
“Do you ask me to save her?”
“I’m asking you this. If you don’t intend to help her or turn her into the High Council, set her free. Let her die elsewhere, by other hands.”
Asher turned to his aunt and raised an eyebrow. “This is the first time I’ve ever heard you being so vindictive about someone. About killing someone.”
Ellen got to her feet, and Robert followed suit, taking her hand. They’d been together so long and their bond was strong. Asher envied what they had.
“My family always comes first, above anything and anyone else. If she killed our Kelly, this witch must die. If she didn’t, she could be allowed sanctuary. Be careful with your decision, my nephew. That’s all I ask of you. Lancaster and the Enforcers are only waiting for another excuse to attack us. They won’t bypass the council again, but that doesn’t make them less dangerous. For my part, I won’t lose sleep over a living or a dead witch, especially if she has anything to do with Kelly’s murder.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
After another bout of coughing, Valeria laid her head on her pillow, feeling so dizzy that it took a long moment to open her eyes again. Time passed, only bringing her more coughing and exhaustion. Her energy level was dropping fast, she could barely move anymore. Was this what death really felt like? She surely hoped so. Apart from the fire in her chest and throat, she didn’t feel pain anymore, only regrets.
Deep down inside, she didn’t want to die, but what were her choices? She had been discovered. If that werewolf, or anyone in his pack, knew who she really was, her father would be in danger. Family was the only important thing, despite the conflict with her father. She did not want to risk him being accused of going rogue, just like her. It had been her choice, her willing sacrifice, when she fled two years ago. It was the reason she decided to jump off that bridge. Unfortunately, she miscalculated that he would jump after her and fish her out.
Now what? She could only wait. It was weird that, for two years now, she had been powerless on so many levels, first betrayed by her powers, and now by her body. She closed her eyes and remembered who she had been before that fatal night and wasn’t sure if she liked her. Valeria Lancaster had been the puppet of her father, training and studying to become an Enforcer, to make her father proud of her despite the son she could never be. Valeria would have laughed if she had had the strength. Every step she took had not been her own, always put in the perspective of what her father would say. Well, now she was sad that she would never know what kind of woman, what kind of witch she could have become had she not been smothered by another man’s wishes.
The door lock turned. The noise familiar now. Each and every time it turned, the blonde woman appeared. She came, frowning, pushing that tray near her, and glaring some more when Valeria didn’t touch it. Several times a day, she came into the basement, never opening the door of her cell. At first, she threatened, but after a while, she tried to cajole her, almost begging her to eat what was on her tray. She was probably a good woman. Maybe she even cared a little, but it wasn’t important anymore. And even to please this female, Valeria was incapable of bringing herself to stand up and eat.
So when the door opened this time again, she didn’t move and left her eyes closed. Why bother?
However, the rhythm was different somehow. No mumbling, no shuffling, no rattling of the silverware on the tray. She could smell food though, and it turned her stomach, same as before. Only silence now. Was she gone already? Valeria opened her eyes to see the blonde werewolf standing outside her cell, with a tray of food in his hands. He remained there, frowning. For a moment, she examined his face. He looked larger than in her memory. When she recognized him at the soup kitchen, she didn’t take the time to detail his expression, but now… He looked sterner, with deeper lines around his eyes. He was as gold as in her memory in the forest, all clad in black, making him appear even more dangerous. Did men do that? Choose their clothing for that effect?
“Glad to see you’ve awakened, witch.”
His tone was sharp as glass. He could have changed the W to a B, and it would have been the same in her ears. But a strange pun to his. Amusement stirred inside her.
“You need to eat. I’ve brought you food.”
Valeria wanted to tell him to shove off, but when she opened her mouth, air irritated her throat some more, and she started coughing again. She tried to push herself up a little, but her body was trembling and shaking with each spasm. Her vision blurred and she began to feel panic as it became more and more difficult to draw air into her lungs. She focused hard on regaining her breath and controlling her cough. Valeria didn’t know for how long, but when she finally succeeded, it took a moment for her head to stop hurting. When she could open her eyes again, she was alone. The door was closed and golden man with the tray was nowhere to be seen.
And honestly, she didn’t care where he went. She curled up on her cot and tried to relax and steady her breathing. The bouts were coming closer together, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to survive them.
When
the wheezing lowered in her ears, she noticed the front door being unlocked again. The golden man came in, followed by another man, older. His reddish hair was thinning on the top, and there was more salt than pepper in his beard. The man that accompanied the golden wolf into the soup kitchen, she remembered now. He carried a small case in his hand.
Fear surged in Valeria, like nothing she had experienced before. She knew there was good in the golden man’s soul, she had touched it before. But she couldn’t bring herself to trust the other. He looked at her with a mix of contempt and caution that didn’t sit well with her. In her feverish mind, she only saw herself being trapped with him, abused or tortured. Anxiety invaded every logical and sensible cell of her brain. Adrenaline surged and she used what was left of the energy in her to push herself up on her cot, wrap her blanket more tightly around her naked form and huddle against the wall. That way, she would use the wall to stand and hopefully propel herself against the intruders.
Her movements stopped the two men in their tracks. Valeria couldn’t detect if the other man was a shifter too. He was still too far away, and her senses were in a jumble. They made another step in her direction and she jerked.
They turned their back for a moment to discuss, and the older man exited the room quickly.
Valeria braced herself when the golden man came and unlocked her cell door. She felt her power hum in her fingertips and she worked hard at getting it back under control. Even if she wanted to defend herself, she didn’t want to kill him. And that’s exactly what would happen if she let her magic out.
She’d been strung out for so long, her body started to shake. Valeria held on as her eyes never left the man at the entrance of her cell. Then, she began shaking so hard, it was difficult to remain standing. And her increased heart rate and blood pressure inflamed her lungs once again as coughing took over.