Which could only mean one thing.
The spell had worked.
Racing back down the stairs into the apartment, Savannah grabbed her wand and returned to the roof. She still clutched the necklace in her now sweaty palm as she centered her thoughts and waved the wand over the altar. “Spirits of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water,” she called out. “Show me my Familiar. Let it present itself to me, now.”
She waited. Looking around, she scanned the sky, wondering if it would come in the form of a bird – like a crow or a raven, or even a hawk. Then it occurred to her that the animal might be on the ground below. Eagerly, she hurried over to the edge of the roof and peered down, searching the alley below, the sidewalk, the parking area in back, and the street out front. No stray cats, no stray dogs…not even a rat appeared. She frowned. But it worked. The spell found my Familiar. She held out her arms and looked around in frustration. “So where is it?”
No sooner had those words left her lips when she heard a thump, and the scrape of footsteps on the roof behind her. Savannah turned and her eyes widened when she saw the mysterious stranger from last night. This time, he had come around the end of the potted shrubberies instead of crashing through them. “You’re back,” she said, and then chided herself inwardly for stating the obvious. “I thought you’d be long gone, by now.”
“So did I,” he muttered. In broad daylight she could see he looked rough, the shadow of a beard on his jaw and upper lip. His hazel eyes looked heavy and red-rimmed from exhaustion. “I was sound asleep a few minutes ago, and then all of a sudden I just woke up and felt like I had to come back here.”
Right after I called for my Familiar. Savannah frowned, her momentary confusion quickly shifting to suspicion. That’s weird… She jerked her chin at him. “What’s your name?”
“Justin,” he said. “What’s yours?”
“Savannah.” Remembering the medallion, she opened her hand and showed it to him. “I thought you might come back when you realized you were missing this.”
That seemed to light a fire under him. He gasped, one hand shooting up to his throat to feel around frantically. That told Savannah he had not even realized until now that he had lost the pendant. “I need that,” he said, and she could hear a hint of panic in his rough baritone voice. He licked his lips and moved toward her, forcing Savannah to retreat a step. He tried to approach again and she avoided him. He seemed to get the message because he stopped and held up his hands. “I’m not gonna hurt you, lady,” he croaked. “Just give me the necklace, and I’ll get out of your hair.”
“I’ll give it back,” Savannah assured him, “but you need to answer a few questions, first.” She eyed him. “Who was after you last night, and why were they chasing you?”
Justin sighed. “It’s complicated,” he said. He held out his hand. “Can I have the necklace, now, please?”
Ignoring his plea, Savannah stroked her thumb across the medallion’s etched surface. “I took Heraldry as an elective in college as part of my History major,” she said. “I know a family crest when I see one, but I don’t recognize this. I can’t even figure out the language written on it.” She looked up at him. “What does it say?”
He seemed to hesitate before replying, “It’s Welsh. It means ’Wolf and Man, Together.’”
“’Wolf and Man?’” Savannah’s brows knit together. He didn’t know the necklace was missing. She looked at the altar. But he said he suddenly felt compelled to return. Her gaze returned to the medallion, and the image of the wolf. Wolf…and Man. Her heart skipped a beat as a crazy thought crossed her mind, but she quickly dismissed it. No. It’s not possible – not in this day and age. Not here in Chicago, of all places. She peered up at Justin. Well, there’s only one way to find out…
“Here,” she said, dropping the pendant into his outstretched hand. In getting close enough to return the piece of jewelry, she caught a whiff of his clothes. “Whew!” She wrinkled her nose, recoiling. “Why do you smell like bird shit?”
“Because I spent the night in pigeon coop, thank you very much,” he snapped. He secured the chain around his neck again and tucked the pendant inside his shirt collar. “Well, it’s been great chatting with you but I’ve really gotta get going…”
Savannah nodded. “Sure.” She watched him head for the edge of the roof. Surreptitiously, she reached for her wand and tapped three times on the altar. “Bring my Familiar to me,” she whispered.
Suddenly, Justin jerked away from the ledge, as though pulled by some invisible force. He turned around, looking like he expected to see Savannah right behind him, only to blink in surprise when he saw her standing several feet away. “What’s going on, here?” he demanded. “Did you just yank me back?”
“I was nowhere near you,” she replied honestly.
“Bullshit. I felt you pull me.”
“Uh, you want to watch your tone,” Savannah warned him. “I said I didn’t touch you, so you can just cool your temper, right now.”
His frustration showed no sign of receding, however. “Well, if you didn’t pull me back, what the hell just happened?”
“You tell me,” she murmured. Stepping out from behind the altar, wand still in hand, Savannah began to circle him slowly. “Last night, I was in the middle of a ceremony to summon a Familiar – an animal companion – when you showed up. A few minutes ago, I called for the Familiar to come to me…and you showed up, again.” She pointed to the ritual space. “Just now, when I issued another summons, suddenly you couldn’t leave.” She looked up into his eyes. “’Wolf and Man, Together,’ huh?”
Justin glanced away, and she could see the uncertainty playing across his haggard features. At last, he snorted and shook his head. “Okay, you got me,” he replied. He met her gaze again. “I’m a werewolf.”
Chapter Eight
Whenever Justin had envisioned the moment he would reveal himself to someone outside his race – namely, a Human – he could think of various ways as to how it would play out. First, and probably because of his father, he expected shock, fear, and rejection – after all, Werewolves were the stuff of horror stories, monsters in the eyes of Humans. But as he told his dad, the times they were a-changing, and now they could see their kind depicted as heroes in books, television shows, and feature films. Humans had begun to view Werewolves in a positive light, at least as fictional characters, so maybe they might be a little more receptive to embracing them as a real species.
But in all the scenarios he could have imagined, having to come out to a Human who had somehow managed to bind him to her with Magic had never crossed his mind. “Let me get this straight,” he said, pinching the bridge of his nose as he struggled to keep his frustration under control. “You’re telling me you cast a spell on me?”
“I didn’t cast it on you,” Savannah said, sounding equally irritated by this unexpected revelation. “I was expecting a bird or a cat. Not a ga’damn werewolf.” She shook her head, springy black curls bouncing against her shoulders. “The spell must have latched onto your animal half. That’s all I can figure.”
“Well, can’t you undo it?” he demanded.
“Magic isn’t like a word processor,” she said, rolling her eyes. “You can’t just punch in a command to ‘undo’ something. I don’t even know if there is a way to dismiss a Familiar after bonding.”
“Whoa,” Justin said, holding up both hands. He gestured between them. “There was no ‘bonding.’ We didn’t ‘bond.’”
She gave him a look of fast-waning patience. “The spell linked us to each other automatically,” she said, as though trying to explain to a child why water is wet. Her full lips turned down at the corners and her pale green eyes seemed to darken. “Look, I’m not happy about this, either. Some strange guy shows up on my roof late at night, being chased by some dudes in a car – and I don’t know if you’re running from the cops, or the Mob – but now that I know you’re a werewolf, for all I know you could be trying to escape some top secret government
organization that keeps tabs on aliens.”
“Uh, I am not an alien.” Justin stopped pacing and looked at her, his frown now one of confusion. “Is that why you’re not freaked out that I’m a werewolf? Are you one of those weird conspiracy theorist people?”
Savannah huffed out a sigh. “I’m a witch,” she said. “Historically, my kind has always had dealings with shape-changers, Faerie Folk, and beings from the Underworld. I’ve always known Werewolves existed – I just never actually met one, until now.”
“Ah.” Justin rolled his hand. “But seriously…you’re cool with this?”
“With the fact that you exist?” she asked. “Or the fact that I now have a werewolf for a Familiar – and a fugitive one, at that.” She planted one hand on the generous swell of her hip. “Now, how about you tell me the reason why those guys were chasing you? I don’t care how ‘complicated’ it is; I need to know.”
He grimaced and looked away. “It’s a long story,” he muttered. “Suffice to say, I’ve got too many things I’m dealing with right now, so I can’t be stuck hanging around here where they can find me. This is kind of a life-or-death situation.”
“They want to kill you?”
“Pretty much.”
She frowned. “What did you do?”
“Nothing!” He started to pace again. He hated being out in the open, even if he did smell like pigeon shit. He knew Gerard would never just let him get away, it was just a matter of time before he would be back, trying to pick up the trail again. Justin dragged both hands through his hair and locked his fingers at the back of his neck. “But they seem to think I did, which is why they’re hunting me.”
“Okay,” Savannah said, waving a hand. “Let’s go through this step by step. First, who are ‘they?’”
“Pack members,” Justin replied. “Betas. They serve the Alpha – who, up until two days ago, was my dad.” He dropped his arms to his sides. “And as for what they want with me – they think I killed someone, and they were going to put me down without even giving me time to prove my innocence.”
“Who do they think you killed?”
He looked down and sighed, and when he answered the words sounded rough to his own ears. “My father.”
Savannah’s breath caught. “Shit,” she whispered.
“Yeah,” he muttered, nodding. “But like I said, I didn’t do it. I couldn’t. The more I think about it, I’m positive someone’s trying to set me up – and I think it’s because they didn’t want me taking my dad’s place as Alpha. I have to believe that’s what’s going on, because they didn’t hesitate to give the position to my cousin, Warren. He’s mousy, easy to manipulate…” He shook his head again. “I just don’t know who could be behind the whole thing. Could be anyone on the Clan Council – they all hate me – but I’m willing to bet it was this one guy, Thompson. He’s always had it in for me.” He looked out over the rooftops, squinting as the sun rose higher in the sky. “Enough to want me dead.”
“Well, you’re safe as long as you stay here,” Savannah said. “This building is warded, and now that you’re my Familiar – for what it’s worth – you’re in the circle of my personal protection.” She smiled. “And just in case, I can add a little something extra.” He watched as she dipped her brown fingers into a small cast iron cauldron standing on the altar and came up with black dust. “Come here,” she said, reaching up for his face.
Justin jerked back, eyeing her warily. “What are you doing?” he asked.
“Relax,” she chided him. “It’s just the ash from some cedar and frankincense I had burning last night during the ritual. Now, hold still.”
“Fine,” Justin grumbled. He closed his eyes and felt her use her fingers to draw on his forehead. It felt like a cross enclosed by a circle. He could hear her speaking under her breath and it wasn’t English. He frowned and opened his eyes, looking down at her. Her hair and facial features, even the lighter brown skin, said ‘African-American.’ But her pale green eyes spoke of something else, especially when he recognized the language she used. “Italian?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she said. “Mom’s side.” She finished and pulled back. “There. I just marked you with a blessing for extra protection. You’re now invisible to anyone following you with intent to do you harm.” At Justin’s dubious look, she raised an eyebrow. “Don’t have much faith in Magic, I take it?”
“Actually, one of my father’s oldest friends is a witch.” He snorted. “It’s funny – she was the only Human he trusted to tell about us. Otherwise, he didn’t want anyone to know about our existence. I’ve seen proof of her powers, though, so yeah – I know witches are just as real as werewolves.”
“Well, thanks for that vote of confidence.” She smiled as she continued pulling together the items from her altar, stacking bowls and folding up the white cloth. “Given your situation, I can see where it would be hard for you to trust. Your nerves are on edge. I get that.” She finished packing up her ritual items in a small case and closed the lid. “But you can relax, now, and come inside. I’ll see if I can look for the counter-spell later; right now, I’ve got a restaurant to open.”
Justin blinked. “You own a restaurant?”
“Co-own,” she corrected. “This whole building, in fact. The restaurant’s on the main floor – but then, you probably didn’t see it while cutting across the rooftops last night.” She picked up her case and started for the stairs. “Anyway, I’ve got to start prepping for lunch.” When they reached the door, she stopped suddenly and turned to face him. “The first thing you’re going to do is hit the shower. No offense, but you really do reek, and if you spent the night in a pigeon coop I don’t want you bringing any lice or other diseases into my home. I’ll give you a plastic bag to put your clothes in until I can get them into the wash.”
He snorted. “What am I supposed to wear, in the meantime?”
“I’ve still got some of my dad’s old clothes.” She looked Justin over. “He was a little taller than you but otherwise you’re pretty close in build so they should fit.”
Justin stared at her for a long moment. “Why are you helping me?” he asked. “Not that I don’t appreciate it, but…you don’t even know me.”
She treated him to another smile. “There’s something you’re going to learn about me,” she said. “Being a witch means I’m also a caregiver. I care for the planet and I use my gifts to help anyone in need.” She opened the door. “You’re also my Familiar. Until I can find a way to reverse the spell, we’re connected. What affects you, affects me.”
That made Justin smile. Sounds like something Mom would have said, he thought. “So, does taking care of me also mean feeding me? Because I’m starving.”
She glanced back at him. “You did hear me say I run a restaurant, right?”
“Just checking…” Grinning, Justin followed her inside.
Chapter Nine
I have a werewolf for a Familiar.
Savannah had to keep letting that thought roll around in her brain, like one of those games where you had to tilt the board until the ball bearings fell into a hole and stayed put. A werewolf. Who is also wanted for murder.
She remembered her gut feeling from the previous night, right after Justin had stumbled into her ritual area. She could tell he was in trouble and she had felt compelled to help him. That had been before he told her why he was on the run. It occurred to her that he could be lying, but with the Familiar bond she believed she would be able to tell. It’s so weird how I can feel his fear, she thought, as she went into Daddy’s former closet and rooted around for something Justin could wear when he got out of the shower. She found a pair of jeans and a brown Henley and returned to the bathroom where she could still hear the water running. She knocked. “I’ve got some clothes for you,” she called through the door. “Is it okay for me to come in?”
“Yeah, sure,” he replied.
Savannah opened the door. She saw the white plastic trash bag she had given him for his di
rty clothes, now filled and tied off. “I’ll leave these on the back of the toilet,” she said, setting down the loaned items before collecting the bag. “I’ll take your stuff down to the laundry and throw them in the wash right now.”
“Thanks,” he said from behind the drawn curtain. He poked his head out, his blond hair darker when wet and plastered against his skull. “You wouldn’t happen to have a razor anywhere, would you?” He gave her a charming smile and a bat of his water-spiked lashes.
“I’ve got Daddy’s old cordless one,” she said. “I can go get that for you, too.” She pulled a fresh towel down from the linen cupboard and placed it on top of the folded clothes. “Anything else you need, right now? Because I’ve got to get downstairs.”
“Naw, I’m fine.” He pulled the curtain shut again.
Savannah retrieved her father’s shaving kit. For a moment, she stood there with it in her hands, stroking the old leather case. Wonder what he would have said, she wondered, about me bringing a werewolf into his home. Daddy had always been open-minded – after all, he had married a witch – and while he had never elaborated, he did say he had “seen some crazy shit” while serving his country over in the Middle East. And by “crazy” she knew he had meant “supernatural.” He had always been a good judge of character, though, and could tell in an instant if someone was bullshitting him. Would he have believed Justin’s story about being falsely accused? Would he have trusted him?
Leaving the shaving kit on the edge of the bathroom sink, Savannah headed downstairs with the bag of dirty laundry. She wrinkled her nose again as she stuffed everything into the machine – with the exception of the leather jacket, which she hung on a metal rod next to a cluster of empty wire hangers. Something dropped out of one of the pockets and she looked down, seeing a roll of cash. She blinked. That looks like an awful lot of money to be carrying around. She bent and picked it up, gently thumbing back the edges and seeing a lot of twenties and a few tens. It’s none of your business where it came from, she told herself, and stuck it back into the jacket. Leaving the washer to run, she went back up to the restaurant to begin her daily prep work.
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