Werewolves Be Damned

by Stacey Kennedy

  Maybe the father-daughter relationship was new, considering she’d never met him until he’d swept in to save her life, but there in the depths of his warm eyes, concern held strong. That touched her. His question, however, merely stumped her. “Isn’t this what I should be doing?”

  Darkness seeped over his face. “I didn’t want this life for you.”

  That she knew well enough. He’d done the unthinkable, or so Haven had told her. Drake had requested the Council to block her magical powers so she would live and die as a human. He desired to protect her from the danger of the supernatural world after he’d lost the witch—her birth mother—he loved.

  The Council had asked her if she wanted to know the truth about her past, she’d said yes, and with that—regardless of Drake’s reservations—the block was removed. Now there was no going back, since the spell to block supernatural abilities could only be cast before a child was six months old. “But I am a guardian now,” she gently reminded him.

  “You’re right.” His brows drew together, pain filling his features. “But that doesn’t mean you have to join the Council’s Guard. Most of our kind lives in the Earthworld, and you could still have a simple life.”

  “Um…” Again, she stated the obvious problem with a wave over herself. “Now that Zia removed the block and awakened my magic, if you haven’t noticed, I’ll never die.” She pointed to her chest. “Immortal, remember? I’d imagine humans might find a woman who never ages to be a bit odd.”

  He shook his head. “Magic can hide the true identity of a supernatural.” His chin lowered, eyes in line with hers. “If you join the Guard, your immortality is not so stable. This life is violent.”

  She could’ve responded brashly, voicing yet again her need to avenge her parents, but this was something too important not to consider. One of those no-going-back-moments. Drake had sent her away from the Otherworld for this very reason.

  After she’d pondered all viewpoints of her decision, she discovered only one thing mattered. “By choosing this life, you’ll stay off my back and let me hunt the wolf that killed my family?”

  Drake hesitated, then said with a bite in his voice, “Once you’re in the Council’s Guard, my say in the matter is gone.”

  “’Nuff said,” she retorted. “I’m staying.”

  Drake frowned, possibly at her quick response, then he turned to the Council. “I’m not an appropriate mentor for her. I cannot…” He glanced at her again, and his eyelids lowered. “I’m unable to fight against you in a way to train you properly.”

  Before Nexi could ask what in the hell that meant, Kyden interjected, “I’ll train her.”

  “Wait. What?” Nexi gaped at him, stunned he had offered. Somehow, the idea of spending time with him made her belly flutter, which was of course silly, since the only time she’d spent with the caveman so far had sucked.

  One sleek eyebrow arched. “Will that be a problem for you?”

  He brushed up against her arm and a discouragingly hot shiver bolted through her veins, which had been the exact reaction she had experienced for weeks now. Whenever he touched her or turned his entire focus onto her, her body took notice, even if her mind told her to run, run, run.

  Controlling all the heat whipping around her body, she cleared her throat. “Nope. No problem here.”

  Looking away from Kyden, Nexi noticed that Drake studied her intently. At whatever he saw in her expression—and she hoped it wasn’t that whole reaction to Kyden’s touch—his features tightened. “Kyden’s the elite guardian—there isn’t anyone better to train you. You’ll do fine.”

  The tenderness he exuded pulled at her heartstrings. While the relationship was still a work in progress, she found herself becoming closer to him. “I know you’re worried about me. I appreciate that. But really, how can anything happen to me?” She gestured toward the guardian next to her, who’d been looking out for her since that very first night. “I apparently have this Neanderthal guarding me.”

  Kyden leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Ah, but the time to guard you is over, isn’t it, Álainn?”

  Before she had the chance to figure out why he continued to call her that odd name, Talon said, “Good, that’s settled.” To Kyden, he added, “There’s been a death in Salt Lake City. Go to 285 West Broadway.” Turning to Nexi, he said, “Consider this your first lesson.”

  “Whoa. Hold up there.” Her heart skipped a beat. “You’re not seriously suggesting that I go see a dead body?” At Talon’s nod, she added, “Shouldn’t I—I don’t know—train first, and then see dead things?”

  Holten, Master of Weres, said, “It’ll help you understand things that would be hard to explain with words.”

  Was that supposed to soothe her?

  It didn’t.

  Zia nodded. “This is best.”

  She jerked her head toward Drake in hopes he’d disapprove. While the training bit sounded great to give her the skills she needed to hunt that lone wolf responsible for her parents’ murder, the idea of seeing anything dead didn’t appeal to her in the least. “You can’t possibly think this is a smart idea…”

  Drake hesitated, examined her for a long moment, then he shrugged. “It’s not an ideal situation for you. But I’m not sure even after training, the scene would be easy for you to accept.”

  Nexi groaned, facing resolved expressions. No matter how insane it all sounded, complete and total nonsense, she did want her freedom. That meant her choices were limited. To the Council, she muttered, “Shoving me in head first?”

  Zade, grinned, showing fangs. “No better way to do it.”

  She didn’t agree, but at the sudden rush of warm happy tingles lacing her veins, which had nothing to do with her own feelings, she didn’t care to comment. Glancing over her shoulder, she found Haven standing at the entrance to the Council’s Hall.

  The first time Nexi had sensed Haven’s emotions, she had screamed bloody murder. Maybe the soul-sister bond had been odd to come to terms with when Nexi couldn’t feel her strongest, most private emotions without Haven butting in. But in the mess of her life, the peculiar emotional bond had been a blessing.

  In those first few weeks after her life-changing night, Haven was a piece of sunshine in Nexi’s dark world. Even if Nexi hadn’t gotten used to—or gotten to like—Haven sharing emotions that she’d rather keep private, she loved Haven.

  She needed her.

  Best part, Haven needed her back.

  Haven skipped forward, smiling from ear to ear. “We’re going out together, then?”

  Nexi gaped in horror. While she appreciated the bond at the beginning and it could be a tad annoying at times, since nothing remained private any longer, Haven was the glue holding her together. The thought of Haven in a dangerous situation terrified her. “You’re not coming with us, are you?”

  “Of course I am.” Haven glared, which looked ridiculously harmless, even if irritation flickered through the bond. “I always help the guardians, which means we get to be a team.” She waggled her eyebrows. “Isn’t that exciting?”

  Hell to the no. Little, sweet Haven… “You’re not fighting, are you?”

  Haven’s eyes went huge. “Me, fighting, are you crazy?” Her lids lowered, and her familiar happy expression returned, sparkling eyes and all. “I’m going to recreate the scene.”

  Nexi blinked. “Say again?”

  Haven’s lips parted, but Zia interjected, “It’ll be much easier for you to understand by seeing it, rather than having it explained to you.”

  She couldn’t argue with that. “Probably won’t believe it even after I see it.”

  Zia smiled. “Probably not.”

  Chapter Three

  A small picnic area rested between two small apartment buildings, and a man was spread out on the grass, drained of his blood. The night was dark and eerily quiet, and the only sound came from a few cars on the far side of the park.

  At four o’clock in the morning, Nexi wasn’t surprised at
the lack of traffic in Salt Lake City, but the murder scene in front of her made no sense. Where were the police, crime scene investigators, and the crowd of people behind the crime scene tape she’d expect at a murder?

  Turning to the dead body at her feet, she clamped her lips tight as the stew she’d eaten earlier at Briggs’s cabin threatened to make an appearance. The way the victim’s skin hung off his bones was enough to make her sick. The pungent scent of decomposed flesh almost guaranteed that outcome.

  Kyden nudged her arm. “All right?”

  Before she could say “hell no,” Haven interjected, “Far from it. She’s on the verge of being sick.”

  Nexi rolled her eyes at Haven for sharing that bit of private information. More than ready to get the focus off her, she shifted the attention onto the dead body again. “Why would someone murder him?”

  “Because they were thirsty.”

  Nexi startled at the soft voice behind her and turned, discovering a lean, female vampire with dark eyes and pixie-cut black hair. She grasped her chest, her heart nearly bursting out of her ribcage. “For cripe’s sakes, don’t sneak up like that.”

  Kyden chuckled. “Good evening, Graycyn.”

  Graycyn, clad in leather from head to toe, grinned at him before she approached with a sensual strut. She gave Nexi an once-over, showing half-curiosity, half-hilarity before she finally gestured to the dead man. “Nothing unusual here—classic bloodlust killing.”

  No brainer, Nexi thought. The guy didn’t have a drop of blood left in him.

  Now even more ready to move past the obvious, she turned to Kyden, “Can you educate the newbie? Why are there no cops here? And who is this vampy Catwoman?”

  Kyden’s mouth curved. “The Council has infiltrated its Guard into the larger cities’ police departments to notify the Otherworld of any deaths. Graycyn is a detective with the Salt Lake City PD.”

  Nexi glanced around again, taking in the dark, silent night. It only confirmed her confusion. “That’s good and all, but where are the human police? I mean, shouldn’t this be a crime scene?”

  Graycyn said, “They were here, but the scene was cleansed.”

  “Which means what in human talk?” Nexi asked.

  The vampire stared at her as if she had three eyeballs, but Nexi turned to Kyden when he asked, “What talents do werewolves have?”

  She snorted at the reminder, and was quite content to forget the embarrassing event with Briggs. “Increased sense of smell.”

  “Right.” He inclined his head in approval. “And vampires?”

  She glanced up at the starry sky, pondering what she’d learned about the species. She finally looked to him again. “They drink blood and the Otherworld sticks to their night hours because they give the most trouble.”

  “They also hold the ability to glamour.” He hesitated, then asked with a curious arched brow, “Do you know what glamour means?”

  Why did supernatural talk have to be so confusing? “Um, no.”

  Haven giggled, probably at the sheer confusion coursing through Nexi’s veins before she said, “Vamps can capture a mortal’s mind and implant new memories.”

  “Weird or scary, one of the two.” Nexi shook her head in an attempt to allow that bit of information to process, then she waved Kyden on. “Continue.”

  “Those are the roles of the Council’s Guard.” He smiled softly. “Werewolves track the offenders or witnesses by scent. Vampires glamour mortals’ memories. Guardians hunt and destroy the offenders. Witches assist with their magic, including what you’ll see Haven do tonight, to mind reading and magically hiding murder scenes.” Clearly, the confusion had deepened on her face, since he added, “If a mortal walked by the scene now they wouldn’t see us.”

  She stared at him, doubtful. “Seriously?”

  His lips twitched. “Seriously.”

  She looked around at the quiet street, not believing what he had told her. Of course, after a minute she realized it wasn’t any less believable than the other craziness she’d already heard. “Got quite the set up.”

  “A system that works,” he said, drawing her focus to him, then he added, “Once we’re notified of a killing by a supernatural cop, a guardian, along with Haven, will arrive and take over the assignment.” He gestured toward Graycyn. “She’ll handle anyone back at the station, including the 911 dispatcher and all involved who weren’t at the scene. It’s the vampires’ responsibility to erase all memories of those on location, and the werewolves will track any witnesses, if need be.”

  While all of that seemed so unbelievable, even if incredibly organized, Nexi stuck on the one explanation that topped the list of implausible. “But how can a werewolf track every witness?”

  “As the lead detective, I typically know of any witnesses,” Graycyn answered with indifference. “Take tonight, one woman in that apartment building—” She jerked her chin to the right. “—called in the murder after she heard the man’s scream.” Her smile turned wicked, fangs gleaming against the light. “And after a visit with some friendly vampires, she thinks she watched a television show and went to bed.”

  Kyden added, “Besides, scents at a scene remain, and the wolves can easily track any witnesses who have left the location.”

  Nexi considered what she’d heard, and couldn’t push aside the obvious. “Ah, I get it. That’s how you track the killers, then. The werewolves pick up all the scents and follow them? You narrow down each scent until you find the one responsible, right?”

  “Nope,” Haven said. “I help with that.”

  Nexi put two and two together. “Let me guess: the weird thing Zia spoke of?” At Haven’s nod, Nexi didn’t press her further. Zia had warned her against it. “So…what happens next?”

  Kyden said, “Once the guardians are done with the investigation at the scene and before we go and hunt the killer, we use our swords on the body. The magic contained in the blade will alter the wound to human-inflicted.”

  Nexi didn’t like the sounds of this one bit. “Like a gunshot?”

  “That or a stab wound,” he said. “Then Graycyn will place an anonymous phone call tipping the cops off, and the humans will come and do their own investigation.”

  She hated where her thoughts took her. “But that means the murder won’t ever be solved. The human families won’t know what really happened.”

  Kyden gave her a long look. “Does it change the gravity of it? The mortal is gone either way, and our existence is a secret for the humans’ own protection. The less they know about us, the better.”

  As much as that bothered her—no wonder there were so many unsolved murders and cold cases—she understood, too. If the Council had to deal with some mob looking to rid the world of supernaturals, forcing them to protect themselves, this would no doubt get worse. Nevertheless, when she looked to the dead man, her heart clenched at the thought of this man’s family never knowing the truth. “It’s sad.”

  “It is,” Kyden murmured.

  Glancing to the guardian next to her, she did a double take at the pain in Kyden’s eyes. Wasn’t this an odd development? Did the tough guy have a soft side? Sure, for the most part, as annoyingly pushy as male supernaturals could be, they all seemed genuinely kind. She’d just seen more of the annoying pushy part from Kyden since meeting him.

  Graycyn sighed, exasperated. “If we’re done with the sad song, I have a lead for you that came from one of the trackers, Alazar.” She picked at her fingernails. “He tracked the only vampire scent here and it led him to the vamp club downtown, Crimson Rose.” To Kyden, her voice took on a seductive edge. “Need an extra set of hands?”

  He shook his head. “Nah, we’ve got it.”

  Nexi studied him, noting he seemed oblivious to Graycyn’s ogle of him, or he simply didn’t care. She figured with that body packed full of muscles and hot-as-hell face, he had to be used to that type of thing. Which was why she’d been trying not to give him the same ogle, and of course, she’d failed miserably.


  Hell, he was hot.

  Graycyn’s eyes swept over Kyden before she said, “Pity.” With a wink, she turned and headed toward a fancy sports car parked at the curb.

  Nexi snorted, watching the sway of Graycyn’s hips.

  Kyden chuckled, drawing her attention to him, and his eyes twinkled. “You ready to do this?”

  “Nope, she’s not,” Haven interjected, stepping around to the other side of the body and raising her hands to the sky. “But let’s get on with it.”

  Not a second later, energy formed in the air. Waves of heat rushed across Nexi’s skin and the hairs on the back of her neck stood straight up. “Let me guess: this is when it gets weird, right?”

  Kyden shrugged. “Depends on your definition of weird.”

  Before she had a chance to tell him, a bright flash interrupted her thoughts and like a damned horror movie, the man’s death unfolded. There, on the grass where the dead man lay was now the live version of him in a fancy suit, screaming and thrashing out, trying to free himself from the vampire drinking from his throat.

  The scene was so shocking Nexi didn’t know what bothered her more—the fact that Haven had magical abilities that recreated a past death, or the horrific nature of the murder. The vampire had him pinned with one arm around his middle and the other arm wrapped around his face. He groaned deeply, his eyes ablaze, as blood dripped from the corners of his mouth.

  Nexi’s stomach churned. “How is Haven doing that?”

  Kyden said in a quiet voice, “As an Earth Witch, Haven’s abilities allow her to access time.”

  The sight of the man crying out in pure agony trapped Nexi, but even worse was the scent of decomposed flesh reminding her he had already died. “Is this some sort of time travel?”

  “Not quite.” Kyden shifted on his feet, his arm brushing up against hers. “More like capturing a moment. Haven’s magic allows her to tap into that memory in time and bring the imprint back.”