Hunter's Moon (The Witch Who Sang with Wolves Book 1)

by Kat Bostick

  “Will you please tell me why you’re keeping that thing in your house now?” Aubrey begged as they passed through the front door of their favorite pizza place.

  As teenagers, Mari and her best friend walked to Davito’s after school at least once a week. The crowd changed after they remodeled the bar half of the restaurant a few years back but as far as bars went, it wasn’t terrible. The atmosphere was usually relaxed if there wasn’t a major sports game playing and the music wasn’t so loud that Mari felt it thumping in her chest.

  Much to Aubrey’s dismay, Mari wasn’t fond of bar hopping, clubbing, or anything that involved dealing with an excess of people. For the most part, she was a homebody. She loved to dance but the few times a month that Aubrey convinced her to go out, Mari quickly became overwhelmed by the swelling crowds. She didn’t like how dulled her senses were under flashing lights with deafening music playing and she didn’t like how often strangers touched her.

  Davito’s was their compromise when they wanted to hang out but Aubrey was sick of sitting in Mari’s living room.

  Apparently Aubrey had already been pregaming when she came over to pregame, as was her friend’s style. Halfway into her glass of wine she was talking a little too loudly and snorting at Mari’s terrible lie. “A familiar? Like a demon?”

  She gave Aubrey the only story she could think up on the spot; Jasper was her familiar and that was why he saved her. Aubrey was the only person outside of Mari’s family that knew about her witchcraft. She’d always seemed fascinated by the prospect of magic but she was being decidedly skeptical now that Mari was trying to tell her there was definitive proof that it was real. Of course, her “definitive” proof was simply Mari stating that she knew Jasper was magical because she could sense it.

  “No, as in a magical companion.”

  Aubrey arched a perfectly plucked brown brow. “Familiars are demons.”

  “That’s only what the books say.”

  “Whatever you think it—he—is, you can’t keep him. Don’t tell me you were just going to hide a bear-sized creature in your house forever.” Aubrey kept talking but Mari was struggling to pay attention.

  It wasn’t that she didn’t want to hang out with her best friend. Mari missed Aubrey, but she didn’t have time for this right now. There was a werewolf pack to find, a mysterious werewolf ailment to cure, and new powers to be explored. A precious hour was already ticking by and all Aubrey had done was ridicule her for hiding from the world and chastise her for keeping an animal in her house.

  “You don’t understand, Aubs.” Mari fidgeted with her untouched glass of wine, hoping she could hide her irritation if she didn’t look at Aubrey.

  “Bitch, please.”

  “What’s your problem?” Her temper flared. “Why are you treating me like some helpless child who doesn’t know how to take care of herself? I know what I’m doing, Aubrey!”

  Thankfully the bar was crowded enough that only the neighboring table noticed Aubrey slam her fist down beside her glass. “I’m treating you like my best friend who I am totally worried about. Ever since your—“

  “Don’t say it.”

  “Not saying it doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.” Aubrey said gently.

  “Do you think I’m not painfully aware of what happened?”

  She sighed sadly. “Calm down, Mar. I didn’t mean to criticize you. I just want to know that you’re okay.”

  “Well I’m not okay! I’m never going to be okay so stop asking, stop talking about it, and stop acting like you know what’s best for me.” She snaked her arms over her chest. This was going so well.

  “Fine.” Aubrey’s face hardened. “I’m sorry for bothering you by caring.”

  “Where are you going?” Mari called as Aubrey slipped from her chair and stomped off.

  She rolled her eyes. “To the bathroom!”

  Mari eyed her wine glass, trying to decide if she wanted to chug the whole thing or leave before Aubrey came back so she could cry her frustrated tears in peace. A flurry of activity at the door dragged her attention to a rowdy crowd. When she turned her gaze back to the table Aubrey’s seat was occupied by a very different blonde.

  “Thomas Fuller said ‘a wise man turns chance into good fortune.’” Henrick beamed a winning smile. That strange buzzing around him was stronger tonight and Mari tasted something deliciously sweet on her tongue.

  He’s using magic. She wasn’t positive that was it. Before now she’d never sensed the use of magic on anyone. The few times Gran cast in front of her, it was mild magic, too weak to feel. If Mari really had completed her rites during the solstice then her ability to detect magic should have increased tenfold.

  Any snarky remark she thought to make was lost in the distracting buzz. “Are you following me?”

  His charming demeanor didn’t change. “By chance we have walked into the same establishment, hence the quote.”

  “I don’t believe in coincidence. What do you want?”

  “You’ve changed since the last time we spoke.” He stroked his chin, where blonde stubble was quickly becoming the start of a beard. “You’re glowing.”

  As if in answer to his statement, the vibrating power inside of Mari came to life, coursing over her skin until she had goosebumps. “Are you a wizard?”

  “That depends.” He reached across the table for her wine glass and took a slow slip. “Would it please you if I was?”

  “It would please me if you gave me a straight answer.”

  A strange expression crossed his face, the charming façade gone under his concentration. With his silence, the air around him became even more electrified. The hint of sweetness Mari detected earlier became so overpowering it was almost nauseating. Then a familiar effervescent feeling started to fill her veins. It reminded her of the pleasant high she felt during the full moon, when Jasper changed.

  Jasper. Father Above, he was so pretty. Mari was suddenly overcome with the urge to run home and wrap her arms around him. Not the wolf him, though. She wanted the man. She wanted to feel the heat of his skin and run her fingers through that fiery hair.

  Henrick said something to her but she didn’t immediately understand. It didn’t seem to matter because his words were like tender fingers, tickling up her neck, caressing her cheek, and gently drawing her toward him until she was leaning heavily on the table to get closer. He was pretty too. His eyes were the perfect shade of blue and his firm lips were masculine but soft enough to kiss.

  Mari wondered how it would feel to kiss him.

  She must have said that out loud because he smirked and subtly inclined his face in her direction. “Why don’t we go somewhere more private? Somewhere we can get to know each other better.”

  Alarm bells were going off in her brain but she nodded her head yes anyway. Yet, as soon as she did some invisible thread wound tightly around her heart tugged her back into her seat. She thought of Jasper again and her mind cleared long enough for uncertainty to settle in her belly.

  What was wrong with her? Why was she getting aroused in the middle of a crowded restaurant without having taken a single sip of wine? And what possessed her to trust a complete stranger—a stranger that was casting magic—to take her anywhere?

  “You’re like them.” She whipped her head up and glared at Henrick. “You’re trying to use me too.”

  His gaze softened and he reached across the table. Mari quickly dropped her hands to her lap, out of his grasp. “Don’t be afraid of your own kind. We would never hurt you.” Despite her bewilderment, she leaned forward again, captivated by every word. “You’re a rare gift, Mariella. Young witches are scarce. Many covens would consider you a prize. I know my coven does. My luminary looks forward to meeting you.”

  Luminary? That was the leader of a coven, right? She’d always thought that wizards and witches generally stuck to their own groups. A wizard in a coven was giving up his chance of gaining rank, something Gran said wizards were practically obsessed with.

&nb
sp; “How do you know my name?” The words came out wrong, too slow and a little slurred. “What are you doing to me?”

  He gave her another one of his disarming smiles and cupped her chin. When his skin made contact the thread around her heart tightened almost painfully, burning hot inside of her chest. A surge of revulsion made her jerk away fast.

  Consternation marred his features. “What’s wrong, little bird?”

  “What did you do to me?”

  “I was only hoping to give ease to this exchange. I’ve never seen a negative reaction to that type of magic before.” Henrick sounded disconcerted. “My luminary is so eager to meet you and her time is limited. My approach usually has more finesse.”

  “You belong to a coven?” Her curiosity got the better of her. “There aren’t any other covens in Klein.”

  “We have yet to set roots. Lyse is seeking new witches to bolster her ranks. She wants to make a better world for our kind. She wants us to be powerful again.”

  Whatever magic he was using, it hadn’t faded. Another heady cloud hovered around her, making everything he said sound that much more appealing. The idea was appealing to Mari to begin with as, from the sound of it, they were offering exactly what she’d wanted from a coven. Still, her gut instinct was to be circumspect. Not all witches were white witches and she’d learned the hard way that no one was to be trusted.

  “Hello handsome!” Aubrey’s flirtatious drawl startled them both. By the glazed look in her eyes, Henrick’s magic—some kind of charming spell, no doubt—was working on Aubrey as well. Perhaps it had a proximity effect. “Who’s your friend, Mar?”

  The unexpected interruption caused Henrick’s focus to falter and the bubbly attraction hissed away like mist carried off by a breeze. Mari propelled herself out of her seat and staggered backward, swiftly putting space between her and the wizard before he could cast again. A quiet rage whispered through her as the full reality of what he’d been doing hit hard. Anything he said about his coven could be a lie. Who knew what Henrick’s true motivation was or why he was trying to charm her out of here.

  Mari fisted her hands and tried to take a calming breath. Her exhale came out as a growl. “Give me your keys, Aubrey.”

  She blinked stupidly at Mari and continued tracing Henrick’s bicep with her pointer finger. “But we just got here. I want to get to know your friend. What’s your name?” Aubrey asked him.

  “We’re leaving. Now.”

  “Please, forgive me. I understand why you’re upset but I can explain. Lyse can explain. Come listen to what she has to say.” Henrick stood, shrugging Aubrey off and taking a step toward Mari. “I know your hunger for knowledge. I can see it. I suffered that same gnawing appetite. It was Lyse who sated it. She is powerful and she is wise. She wants to take the best of the old ways and bring them into the new world.”

  Mari took a step back. By now several patrons had casually twisted to observe the exchange. “I want nothing to do with a luminary that finds it acceptable to steal the will of others.”

  “Mariella—“

  “How dare you.” She whispered in a dangerous tone. Magic tingled in her fingertips and toes without being consciously drawn into her body. Mari needed to get out of here right now or she risked casting in front of the mundane. She hadn’t done it since she was a young teen, newly a witch, but she felt power beyond what she’d ever used before building beneath her skin.

  Aubrey squawked when Mari gripped her forearm and dragged her across the bar. She continued to resist, staring over her shoulder at Henrick like a lovesick puppy. Thankfully, he didn’t pursue them. Mari could feel his gaze as well as the eyes of every patron in the restaurant burning holes in the back of her head. She picked up her pace until she and Aubrey were outside, rapidly approaching the car.

  “What the hell, Mari?” Aubrey pulled her arm back, still intoxicated but only by alcohol now rather than magic. “First I find out you have a wild animal in your house, then some random hottie is chatting you up and you flip your pancakes at the guy. Every second with you has been total craziness.”

  “You’re drunk, Aubs.” At least that worked to Mari’s advantage.

  “I’m not so drunk that I couldn’t see you obviously know that guy. Who is he? He seems to like you. And hey, if you’re not interested…”

  “No!” She shouted, wrenching the passenger door open and practically shoving Aubrey in. “That guy is bad news, Aubrey. If you see him again, you run the other way. Do you hear me? He’s dangerous. Don’t let him near you.”

  Aubrey gawked at her as she buckled into the driver’s seat and started her best friend’s Prius. Stupid thing was more complicated than a spaceship. “Don’t tell me someone that hot is a creeper.” She clapped a hand over her mouth. “Oh my God! That one serial killer was hot too. Is he a serial killer? A stalker? Should we call the police?”

  “No.” Mari shot her the softest look she could muster. “I didn’t mean to freak you out. It’s not a big deal.”

  “Seriously, Mar-Mar? You need a reality check.” Aubrey fiddled with her cell phone. “Or professional help. I’m texting you the number to Angie’s therapist. I want you to call her as soon as you get home.”

  “I don’t need therapy.”

  “You need help! I am not going to sit by and watch you ride the train all the way to crazy town.”

  Mari couldn’t say anything nice in response so she chose to ignore Aubrey for the remainder of the drive back to her apartment. She climbed out of the Prius without a word and sorted through Aubrey’s keys until she found the one belonging to her front door.

  “Can you get up the stairs by yourself?”

  “I’m not drunk!” Aubrey said indignantly. “Just because I’m a little tipsy doesn’t mean I’m not right. You. Need. Help.” She annunciated every word as if Mari was dense.

  “Please don’t tell anyone about Jasper. I’m finding somewhere for him to go where he won’t be around humans.” That was the most truth she’d given Aubrey all night.

  “I hate this, Mar-Mar. Why are you fighting with me?”

  “We’re not fighting.”

  Aubrey’s bottom lip stuck out like a sad child. “Am I still your best friend?”

  Yup, totally drunk.

  “Of course you are.” Mari gave her a brief but slightly awkward hug. “I’m going through something right now, Aubs. I can’t really explain it yet. I need some space to figure it out for myself. Okay?”

  “That is almost word for word what Rob said when he broke up with me on New Year’s Eve.”

  She heaved a sigh and guided Aubrey to the stairwell leading to her apartment. “I’ll call you this week. We’ll give girl’s night a do-over. Wine coolers and reality housewives at your place.”

  “Promise?”

  “I promise.” Mari reluctantly answered, praying it was a promise she could actually keep.

  “I love you, bitch.”

  “I love you more.” She blew her best friend a kiss before plucking her phone out of her pocket to call an Uber. “I’m sorry, Aubs.” She said quietly enough that she wasn’t sure she was heard over the clink of heels on metal stairs.

  The ride home was quick and quiet but Mari didn’t exhale until she was safely on the other side of her front door. Jasper pounced the moment she was inside. She welcomed his attention, sliding to the floor with her back against the door and wrapping her arms around his neck. The absolute terror that had only been held back by rage and indignation rushed forward and her entire body began to tremble.

  Gran told her stories of charming magic once when she was a child. As romantic as love potions and spells to win affection sounded, they were actually nasty business. Many covens banned them, considering any spell that stole the will of another to border on black magic. They had positive uses—charming a person into a tranquil state while receiving medical care or as a form of therapy—but most witches didn’t think it worth the risk of abuse.

  Henrick wasn’t practicing bl
ack magic but it was close enough. And if not for the strange magic that countered his, tugging at her chest and making thoughts of Jasper surface in her mind, Henrick probably would have convinced her to walk out that door with him.

  A fresh shudder ran down her spine. Jasper’s lethal growl shook the both of them. He stepped back to search for the source of her fear, ready to destroy it.

  “We need to start looking for your pack as soon as possible.” She choked out. “I don’t think Klein is safe anymore.”

  Chapter 17

  Mari

  Mari followed her standard route through the living room, circling the end of the couch and pivoting to go another round. Why was she this nervous to talk to her own grandmother? Gran always listened with an open mind and a kind heart. That wasn’t going to suddenly shift simply because Mari—accidentally—performed her rites.

  Jasper watched with avid curiosity from his perch on the couch. His carefree lounging gave him an air of relaxation but Mari knew her agitation was disturbing him. She could almost feel him worrying. It might merely be due to the fact that she knew Jasper was a person now but, Mari was much more aware of his feelings than she used to be. It was almost like she could sense them, which, as far as she knew, wasn’t one of her talents.

  Add it to the list of questions to ask her grandmother.

  The worst of her problems was the shame festering inside of her. Mari was fervently discouraged from using magic by her family. Her impromptu ritual during the full moon was reckless and Mari was terrified she made some unforgiveable mistake by practicing. Were there rules for witches that dictated when and where she could cast that she had unknowingly broken?

  This whole situation would be a lot easier if she could recall the happenings of that night. There were bits and pieces, more coming back in dreams, but Mari couldn’t shake the feeling there were important details that evaded her recollection. Like, say, how she gained the knowledge to perform rites without a coven. According to Gran, most witches had forgotten their sacred words and, without the proper family legacy to guide them, were prevented from performing rites forever.