The Witch's Brew (The Witch's Brew 1)

by Brenda Cothern

  Mikael finally released Adam’s wrist and had to force himself not to grasp Adam’s large, strong biceps. He desperately desired to run his hands across Adam’s arms and over Adam’s muscular chest, but he reined in his urge to do so. Instead, he forced himself to step back and ignored the feeling of Adam’s hand caressing his hip while he moved away.

  Adam didn’t stop his boss from moving away from him. He wasn’t sure if he was relieved or disappointed when Mikael put some space between them. Regardless, Adam was sure it was for the best since he was still trying to comprehend everything he’d learned about Mikael’s kind. Aroused by the man or not… Hell, not a man, but a vampire, he needed time to come to terms with the world he never even fathomed existed.

  Taking a deep breath, Mikael tried to rein in his raging arousal. All he wanted to do was kiss the fuck out of Adam as he had earlier, but knew that wasn’t an option if he wanted the norm to believe the lust they felt for one another wasn’t something Mikael was compelling Adam to feel. Vampire compulsion was a Hollywood fiction, but until Mikael could prove otherwise, Adam would question the attraction they felt toward one another.

  “I should go.”

  Adam was surprised when Mikael stepped away, but even more so when the vampire offered to leave. They were both turned on, but Mikael’s offering to leave reassured Adam that his desire for the vampire was of his own making and not something Mikael compelled him to feel.

  “Will you be coming to work tonight?”

  Mikael’s question was warranted, considering everything Adam had experienced and learned in the last twelve hours. Adam still wasn’t sure, so he answered honestly.

  “I don’t know.”

  “I hope you will,” Mikael countered and met Adam’s green eyed gaze.

  “And if I don’t?” Adam couldn’t resist asking since he doubted anyone who learned about Mikael’s world would be left in peace if they didn’t remain a part of it.

  “Then you will be missed.”

  “That is all? Missed?” Adam asked incredulously.

  “Yes. That should be enough.”

  Mikael passed by him and Adam wasn’t sure what to make of his boss’ words when he finally closed the door behind the vampire.

  ***

  Chapter Eleven

  Mikael went to Cat’s after he left Adam’s apartment. George had called him to let him know she was awake, but refused to discuss the night before with him. She may not be willing to talk to George about her loss of control where her leopard was concerned, but Mikael had no doubt she would talk to him.

  George greeted him at the door of Cat’s townhouse. His head of security was still wearing the same clothes from the previous night and Mikael wasn’t surprised. He may have only known George for forty-two years, but he knew the loyalty the bear garoul had toward their family. George’s comfort was the furthest thing from the garoul’s mind and Mikael knew it when George answered Cat’s door with nothing but concern on his face.

  “She won’t talk to me,” George informed Mikael again and the hurt in his voice was evident.

  “Has she said anything at all?” Mikael asked as he stepped inside.

  “Aside from saying she is fine? No.”

  It was clear George was distraught over what happened to Cat. The bear garoul had known her for over thirty years and it was obvious he felt helpless toward his friend and a woman he considered family.

  “Let me talk to her, George.” Mikael rested a hand on George’s shoulder and gave his head of security a reassuring squeeze. “Go home and get some rest.”

  When George hesitated, Mikael gave him another reassuring squeeze and nudged him through Cat’s still open door. The moment his head of security’s hesitation passed, George gave him a nod before he stepped down the stairs that led up to Cat’s townhouse. Mikael closed the door behind George and only spared a second to listen in order to detect Cat’s location. His longtime friend and employee was in her living room. Mikael had been to Cat’s townhouse before, so he knew exactly where to go in order to find her.

  Cat was seated on her gray couch under a blanket when Mikael entered the room. Her platinum blonde hair was in disarray and her normally shining green eyes didn’t even turn to look at him. Unfortunately, Mikael had experienced Cat in this state before and it broke his heart to see her this way again.

  She was shattered, just like she had been when he had rescued her from the Hunters. It was that rescue that caused him to miss his brother’s wedding, but seeing her in such a state again made his memories threaten to overwhelm him.

  Mikael shook his head and reminded himself that Hunters hadn’t taken her again. He crossed the room slowly and just as slowly sat on the edge of the couch next to her. He didn’t expect her to attack him, but instead didn’t want to jostle her out of her comfort.

  “Cat,” Mikael whispered quietly in an effort to get her attention.

  Mikael startled when Cat’s hand shot out and grabbed his forearm. Her eyes met his and what Mikael saw in her gaze made chills run down his spine.

  “Tell me you are really okay,” Cat demanded on a whisper.

  “I am okay, Cat,” Mikael reassured his longtime friend.

  “I couldn’t stop myself,” Cat practically whimpered. “I had no control. It was as if I wasn’t there even though I remember everything.”

  Cat finished with a sob and Mikael scooped her into his arms. She shook as she cried and Mikael held her tightly. The sense of déjà vu at holding Cat this way again caused nausea to flood Mikael’s stomach.

  “I am fine, Cat,” Mikael reassured her again while he held her close to his chest.

  Only he and Cat knew what had happened to her a few years ago which resulted in Mikael rescuing her from the clutches of the Hunters. It was that rescue that had caused him to miss Alec’s wedding, but Mikael would trade retrieving Cat over being at Alec’s wedding any day. However, seeing Cat in the same state now as she had been back then made Mikael’s blood run just as cold as his nausea was strong.

  “Tell me what you remember, Cat.”

  Mikael was aware that his request was the same one he’d made after rescuing Cat a few years ago. She shivered in his arms and Mikael had no doubt she was reliving the past when he requested the same information.

  Cat took a shuddering breath before she spoke. “I was walking through the club heading back to Jules’ bar when I felt a sharp stab in my thigh,” Cat paused and sucked in another breath. “It was the same feeling as when the Hunters came for me before. Except whatever was injected into me didn’t totally paralyze me.”

  Mikael hugged Cat closer to offer comfort before he prompted, “Go on.”

  “I fell to the floor and tried to get up. I could feel my leopard coming to the surface, so I concentrated on not shifting instead of getting up. Rita found me and took me to the employee lounge. I was aware of her helping me, but could only focus on not shifting.” Cat breathed again deeply before she pulled back from Mikael’s shoulder to look at him.

  “It took everything I had not to shift before you came into the room,” Cat admitted and began to sob again. “Oh God. What if I’d shifted and hurt Rita?”

  Mikael still held Cat’s shaking body. “That didn’t happen. Rita is fine,” he told Cat in an effort to calm her and reassure her that the human woman they considered family was not harmed.

  “I fought my shift. I did.” Cat cried.

  “I know you did. I could see you fighting it,” Mikael told her while he held her tight.

  “I lost control.” Cat clutched him tighter. “I’ve never lost control. Never felt anything like it even when the Hunters tried to trap me in my leopard form. I was so scared.” Cat continued to sob against his chest. “So scared I would hurt someone.”

  “But you didn’t.”

  Mikael attempted to comfort her even though his words were a partial lie. He was injured as a result of their encounter, but he didn’t want her to feel guilty over something that was totally out of he
r control. His attempt to prevent her guilt was for nothing.

  “I remember attacking you,” Cat whispered between gulps of air. “I couldn’t stop myself. My leopard was protecting me and didn’t know you weren’t a threat. I tried to exert control over her, but was helpless to make her listen.”

  “I am fine now, Cat.” Mikael reassured as he squeezed Cat closer to his chest again. “I am more concerned about you right now.”

  “I could’ve killed you,” Cat sobbed again and buried her face into Mikael’s chest.

  “But you didn’t,” Mikael repeated and held Cat’s shaking body until she cried herself out. “Try to get some rest, love.” Mikael kissed the top of her head before he leaned her back to rest on the couch.

  “What are you going to do?” Cat’s clogged nose and raspy voice asked on a whisper.

  “I’m going to find out who did this to you.” Mikael caressed a sweaty strand of Cat’s platinum blonde hair off her brow.

  “It’s the Hunters again, isn’t it? They are the only ones who could have made me lose control.”

  Mikael couldn’t counter Cat’s assumption. Hunters were the only people that he could think of that could cause a garoul to lose control to the extent Cat had. However, just that thought alone was concerning enough to Mikael. Hunters usually killed or abducted those who weren’t norms. This type of attack was unprecedented and he wasn’t sure what to make of it.

  “I don’t know, Cat, but I will find out.”

  He saw the trust Cat had in him shine from her pale green eyes and was reassured it was the trust that everyone in his family felt for him when it came to him keeping them safe. It was a trust he was starting to feel he didn’t deserve since he hadn’t protected Cat again. Still, it was a trust he wouldn’t break.

  “Get some rest, Cat.” Mikael stroked the side of her face. “Do you want me to stay?”

  “No, I am fine.” Cat leaned into his touch. “Go find who did this to me.”

  The hardness that came into Cat’s steady gaze reassured Mikael that she would survive this latest attack on her. Still, he was hesitant to leave her side.

  “I’ll stay until you fall asleep,” Mikael informed softly and caressed the side of Cat’s face again.

  “You don’t need to,” Cat countered, but leaned her head into Mikael’s palm just the same.

  “No, I don’t need to, but I will.” Mikael traced his thumb along Cat’s cheek. “Go to sleep now.”

  Cat nodded and closed her eyes. Mikael watched his employee, who has also been part of his family for the last seventy some odd years, until her breathing evened out, and he hoped the sleep she fell into was a peaceful rest.

  ~~~

  Mikael wasn’t surprised at all when he walked into his club and saw Randy, Travis, George, and Rita standing next to Travis’ bar. He didn’t stop when he approached his family, but instead ascended the stairs that would take him to his office. He knew they had questions. Questions that ranged from what had happened to Cat to why he dealt with Adam the way he had. They were questions he had no desire to address at the moment. At the moment, all Mikael wanted to focus on was the attack Cat suffered.

  The particulars of the attack were surely the result of Hunters targeting his family again. Even though he had moved them after Cat was captured, it seemed the Hunters had found them again. Usually, Hunters were more discrete and subtle when coming after them. So, the attack on Cat was out of the norm for the organization. Out of the norm or not, the Hunters had attacked one of Mikael’s own and he wouldn’t let it happen again.

  He was deep in thought about the Hunters and the threat they posed to his family when Rita knocked on his door. Mikael had known someone would follow up upstairs, but had expected one of his non-norm family members to seek him out first.

  “Rita, what can I do for you?”

  Rita stepped into his office and closed the door behind her. She didn’t appear nervous or any different from the multitude of times she had entered his office.

  “Is Cat okay?”

  Mikael wasn’t surprised that was Rita’s first question. He was sure she had asked the same of George, but knew the human wouldn’t believe an answer until he uttered it himself. Her loyalty to their family was undeniable, but her loyalty and belief in him trumped even that.

  “She is,” Mikael reassured his human family member.

  “Good,” Rita said before she seemed to fidget as if she had something else on her mind.

  “What is it, Rita?” Mikael prompted with a smile.

  “Well,” Rita began. “I was talking to George and thinking about the things that have happened over the last few months.”

  Mikael had a feeling where Rita’s train of thought was leading. They hadn’t had any problems before he had hired Adam. But, Mikael refused to believe that his newest employee had anything to do with the incidents that had occurred since he hired the man. If nothing else, Adam’s believable ignorance of their world was proof enough that he played no part in the attack on Cat.

  “And what have you come up with?” Mikael asked nonetheless.

  “After talking to George, Randy, and Travis, the shooting and you’re being stabbed could be related, but the attack on Cat isn’t.”

  “So, walk me through what you think,” Mikael requested while he leaned back in his chair and Rita seem to relax a bit.

  “The shooting in the club and whoever stabbed you happened within weeks of Adam pointing out the dealers and prostitutes working in the club,” Rita paused as if she expected Mikael to interrupt. When he didn’t, she continued, “Those were retaliations that could be expected from humans that were pissed off that you ruined their business.”

  Mikael couldn’t help but smile when Rita referred to the drug dealers and prostitutes as humans as if she wasn’t one herself. Rita truly considered herself to be a part of the supernatural family he’d created and Mikael knew it was a rare thing for a human to feel so. Mikael nodded for her to continue.

  “The attack on Cat couldn’t have been executed by a disgruntled human. A Hunter attacked Cat,” Rita said with surety and didn’t hide the anger she felt. “We have two different factions causing us problems,” Rita finished with conviction.

  Mikael hadn’t even given thought to the asshole that fired off shots in his club or whoever had stabbed him. In fact, he hadn’t even thought to connect the two, but now that Rita had presented them as related, it made sense that those he’d banned from the club might retaliate.

  It was also clear that the attack on Cat wasn’t of the same caliber. Drug dealers or whores wouldn’t know how to incapacitate a garoul. Still, that didn’t mean the humans that initiated the first incidents weren’t involved with the Hunters. However until now, those two incidents weren’t even a blip on his radar since he was focused on what had happened to Cat. Rita mentioning them reminded him that they’d had other trouble in the club before what Mikael was sure was a Hunter attack on one of his own.

  “I think your assessment of the shooting and the person who stabbed me being different from whoever attacked Cat is accurate,” Mikael agreed with Rita’s theory. “But what we need to consider is if the assholes’ we banned from the club have somehow crossed paths with Hunters.”

  “That is what we are thinking.” Rita frowned. “We don’t have any proof, but it is a possibility.”

  “It is,” Mikael agreed solemnly.

  “You still seem to be the target, though.” Rita broke the silence that had settled between them.

  “What do you mean?” Mikael couldn’t make the connection between the shooting and his stabbing to Cat shifting and losing control to the point of attacking him.

  “We could write off the shooting as a one off, but adding the stabbing against you, that’s something else, entirely. There’s a connection. Dropping Cat to the floor ensured you would check on her. So, Cat losing control and attacking you was another threat on your life.”

  What Rita said made sense even if Mikael would have n
ever thought to connect the dots in such a way. Whether Hunters were behind the shooting in his club or his being stabbed really didn’t matter when Mikael considered what Rita had proposed. The dots lined up almost too perfectly for Mikael to ignore.

  “You are a target now, boss,” Rita said with conviction. “The rest of us will be collateral damage until we find out who is gunning for you. Whether it’s one Hunter or several, you need protection until they are taken care of.”

  Mikael studied his human employee; the human who he had embraced and welcomed into his family almost five years ago. The worry and concern was evident on Rita’s face. She knew that he couldn’t be easily killed, but that still didn’t stop the concern Mikael witnessed displayed in her expression.

  “I don’t need to be protected, Rita,” Mikael gently reminded her.

  Rita didn’t look reassured although she didn’t reply to his comment. For several moments they stared at one another. Mikael seated behind his desk and Rita standing across from him. The look on her face was one of doubt laced with a boatload of concern, but she still didn’t argue against his claim.

  “I know you are concerned, Rita, but I will be fine. We all will be fine,” Mikael tried to reassure her. “I will keep us all safe.”

  “Who will keep you safe?”

  Rita’s body language expressed how tense she was when asking him the question. It moved Mikael that his human family member was so concerned over his safety. Still, the face that entered his mind in answer to her question was one he never would have considered before. Adam’s strong jaw and prominent brow flashed in his mind’s eye. His human employee’s beautiful green eyes seemed to stare into his soul at just the thought of the man. But, he bit his tongue to prevent uttering the man’s name.