Black Magic (Howl #4)

by Morse, Jayme

  “It is a smart idea for you to wear it,” Samara agreed. “I keep mine on all the time. Plus, you might need it sometime soon. Jason . . . or one of the other Vyka . . . broke into my house tonight.”

  “What?” Colby asked, a look of anger crossing over his face. “How dare they?!”

  Samara watched as an angry cloud of smoke enveloped Colby, blowing wildly around his body. Once all of the smoke was gone, Colby stared back at her with his wolf eyes, which were still filled with anger.

  Emma was the next to transform, the blue cloud wrapping around her delicate frame. Once the smoke evaporated into the air, Emma sat on the ground next to Colby. In her wolf form, Emma wasn’t as tall as Colby, and her shoulders much narrower than his were, but somehow, they looked alike. It reminded Samara of the theory she’d once learned in psychology—that human couples who were together for a really long time eventually started to look like one another. Emma and Colby had only been mated for a few weeks, but they were already starting to resemble each other.

  Following their lead, Samara and Luke both transformed into their wolf forms, too, just as Steve and Josh approached them. They both had already changed into their wolf forms and were wide-eyed with curiosity over what the meeting could possibly be over.

  What’s going on? Steve asked. It sounded like it was really urgent when you called us together.

  One of the Vyka was at Samara’s house, Emma explained. Her icy blue eyes darted over to each of the members of the pack who were seated around her. That’s so weird. Did anyone else ever notice that their pack name is sort of like Viking? Like those people who were like warriors or something in Scandinavia?

  Colby chuckled. I’m surprised you know about Vikings. I didn’t think you’d ever open a history book.

  Shut up, Colby Jack, Emma snapped at him. I’m getting an ‘A’ in history right now, so you can kiss my furry werewolf butt. Actually, don’t go getting any ideas. I take that back. I don’t want that dirty snout of yours anywhere near my butt!

  Emma, Samara scolded, meeting her best friend’s eyes with a glare. You are right, though. Vyka does sound a lot like Vyking. I wonder if their pack members descended from Scandinavia.

  I’m not sure if they did or not, Colby replied. Their ancient ancestors may have. I do know that the pack was named after the Vykasuta family, which later became the Vyka. Vyka from the surname Vika, which means conqueror.

  Samara snorted. How ironic. Jason wants to conquer everyone around. Where does our pack name come from? The Imachanta family, right? She recalled from the conversation she’d had with Jason about the two different packs when he wanted her to become a Vyka.

  Actually, the Imachanta family was named after the Ima pack. There’s a lot of confusion about that in the werewolf world. Some people seem to think the pack was named after the family, but the pack was named first and then the family was named. The origin of our pack name is rather interesting, considering, Colby replied, glancing over at Emma. Our pack was given the name Ima because the man who started this pack was in love with a girl named Ima. Ima is actually a variation of the name Emma. It means universal.

  Our pack is named after me? Emma asked excitedly. That’s so cool!

  Oh, boy, Colby muttered. It’s not named after you, per se. It was named after Ima Crofton, the girl who Edwin Crofton, the founder of the original Ima pack, later went on to marry.

  Emma glared at him. Whatever, Colby Jack. It’s no coincidence that my name is Emma, and I’m on a pack called the Ima, AKA Emma. This pack was practically made for me.

  Samara tried not to laugh at her best friend. Only she would think an ancient werewolf pack was named for her. Out of the corner of her eye, Samara spotted Kyana and Chris walking towards them, hand in hand. Kyana met Samara’s gaze nervously before she swiftly changed into a werewolf, followed by Chris.

  Once they were seated at the circle with the rest of the pack, Kyana lowered her eyes to the ground. I know this meeting is because of me, but I just want to tell you the truth. I don’t know what decision I’m going to make. This is a really hard choice for me.

  What do you mean you don’t know what decision you’re going to make? Chris asked, standing up and glaring at her. How could you even consider going back to Alaska if I’m not allowed to go with you?

  Kyana looked down at the ground. I miss my family. I miss my pack. I miss my Papa.

  Chris gaped at her. So, you’re just going to leave me here . . . for them?

  I told you I haven’t actually made a decision yet, Chris. I need some time to think about this. Please don’t pressure me.

  How could you even think about giving up me for your family? Chris growled at her angrily.

  Wouldn’t you give me up for your family if you had to? Kyana questioned him.

  No, I wouldn’t. I would give my family up for you because that’s what you do when you’re mated like we are, Kyana.

  Guys, I’m sorry to interrupt this argument because I know it’s important to both of you, Samara began, but this meeting has nothing to do with Kyana and Orkos. It’s because we need to come up with a plan. The Vyka were in my room tonight while I was gone. Luckily, neither of my parents was home, but it was obviously that they were looking for something. I just don’t know what it was.

  Maybe they just wanted to throw you off course for some reason, Steve suggested. They wanted to make it seem like they were looking for something, but they were really just looking for you.

  I don’t think that’s what this was, Samara replied, firmly. I don’t know what Jason or anyone else from the Vyka wants, but they were definitely searching my room for something.

  Do you think they could be looking for wolfsbane? Colby questioned.

  Samara shook her head. I really don’t think they have any idea that wolfsbane can hide our scents. And even if they did, they’d probably try to buy it online or from a greenhouse or something. They wouldn’t try to steal it from me. They would want wolfsbane that was superior to ours.

  Maybe they need the wolfsbane immediately, though, Colby insisted. Maybe they’re planning some sort of attack against us, and they don’t want us to pick up on their scent. It would make a lot of sense.

  Colby, I’m pretty sure they weren’t looking for wolfsbane. I really don’t think the Vyka would even need wolfsbane because they’re powerful enough as it is because of black magic, Samara replied, letting out a sigh. She put her head on her paws and tried to think. I wish we could figure out what the Trusted Ones are.

  That would be helpful, Luke agreed. We’re going to need to try using the Ouija board again soon to see if Matthias or any other spirits can help us out. Once we learn what the Trusted Ones are, though, I have an idea.

  What? Samara questioned.

  I say we do the same thing to them that they’ve done to you, Luke replied. We have something we’re looking for . . . the talisman. We know Jason’s the one who would have it. He wouldn’t trust any of the other pack members to hold onto it.

  Are you suggesting that we break into Jason’s house to steal it? Colby asked.

  Luke nodded. Yes, let’s give him a taste of his own medicine.

  I think it’s a great idea, Samara replied with a smile. It’s a plan.

  *

  Lying in her bed that night with Luke, Samara felt her body tense every time she heard a noise outside. First it was the sound of a tree branch being flung to the ground by the roaring wind. Then, it was the sound of deer walking around the backyard, their hooves noisily stomping against the dirt beneath them.

  She stared around her room which they had tried to clean up to the best of their ability, considering the mess the Vyka had made. It made her feel sick to her stomach just thinking about the fact that one of them had been in her room earlier that evening.

  Luke wrapped his arm around her more tightly, and Samara smiled. “I’m so glad you stayed here with me tonight. I would have been freaking out if I was alone.”

  “I wish I never had
to leave,” Luke replied. She could feel his grin against her shoulder.

  “Me, too,” she murmured. “One day, you won’t have to.”

  “When?” Luke asked.

  Samara rolled over and glanced up into his eyes. “What do you mean?”

  “When do you want to move in together?”

  Samara hesitated. “I . . . I don’t know. I never really thought about it, I guess. I always figured that I would go away to college and dorm somewhere before I ever moved in with somebody. But I never thought I would meet my soul mate in high school, either.”

  Luke ran a hand through her hair. “Now that you know, do you still want to wait until after you go away to college?”

  She bit her lip and shook her head. Blurting the first thing that came to mind, she said, “No, I don’t want us to have to live in different states . . . or towns. I don’t want you to go to college where there will be other girls who will want to throw themselves at you.”

  Luke laughed. “It wouldn’t matter if there were girls throwing themselves at me. I belong to you, and only you.”

  “I know that, but . . . I’ll still worry if we’re too far away from each other. It will make me jealous to think that other girls that you have class with or something will get to see you every day, and I won’t.”

  “So, you do get jealous, huh?” Luke asked, his eyes dancing with amusement.

  “Well, I don’t usually have a reason to get jealous, but I guess I would if I were put in that position,” Samara admitted.

  Luke wrapped his arms around her. Pulling her close to him, he nuzzled her forehead. “You have no reason to be, not now or ever.”

  She smiled, even though she knew it didn’t make a difference. If she were away at college, she would wonder if other girls were throwing themselves at Luke, and she was going to get jealous. It was out of her own control; not wanting any other girls—or werewolves, for that matter—near her mate just came along with being mated to someone.

  “Maybe we could go to the same college, then,” Luke suggested. “If you want to, that is.”

  Samara nodded. “Yeah, or maybe colleges that are really close to each other.” She hesitated. “And I also don’t need to dorm, either. We can get an apartment together once we’re old enough to do that.”

  “Or we can live in your house,” Luke replied. “Once Colby and his mom move out, that is.”

  “I don’t know. Sometimes, I think it would be nice to get away from here, you know? I mean, I don’t ever want to leave the pack, but who knows? Maybe they could all go with us eventually. It just feels like there are so many bad memories here . . . and so many things that I can never change. Like not being able to speak to my brother.” Or Declan, she thought to herself.

  Luke leaned on his elbow and stared at her, deep in thought. “I’m jealous of him.”

  “My brother?” Samara asked, raising an eyebrow at him. Seth wasn’t cool or popular by any means, especially not since he had turned into a wolf. The members of his pack were the only friends he seemed to have. His grades were probably bad enough to hold him back a year, he had a terrible Alpha, and, as far as she knew, he hadn’t mated with anyone yet. It didn’t seem like there was much for Luke to be jealous of.

  “No, not of Seth . . . I’m jealous of Declan.” Luke lowered his eyes. “I heard your thoughts. Actually, it’s not the first time. I sometimes hear you think about him. I know you miss him.”

  “I do,” Samara admitted, quietly. Feeling guilty that she had thought about Declan without blocking Luke out of her mind, she glanced over at Luke. “It doesn’t matter, though. He’s a part of my past. You’re my present and my future. For eternity.”

  “I think that’s what makes me so jealous sometimes. He got to know you in the past . . . and pretty much the whole time you were growing up. I get to know you now . . . and I’m happy for that, but I sometimes wish I had been the one to live here nearby who got to know you my whole life. I feel like there are parts of you that he got to see that I have to miss out on.”

  Not saying anything, Samara rested her head on his shoulder. She didn’t say anything back because, the truth was, there wasn’t anything she could say. Part of her wished that Luke was the one who she had known her whole life, that he could be her past, present, and future.

  But she wasn’t sure if it was because she wanted him to know her as well as Declan had, or if it was because she hated the idea of facing the future without Declan.

  Chapter 13

  The next morning, Samara and Luke walked into Grandview High together, holding hands. After their discussion about moving in together and Declan, she’d slept really awful. She knew that Luke could sense that something was bothering her, but she didn’t bother to talk about it . . . and she was careful to keep her thoughts to herself this time. The last thing she needed was Luke to know that thinking about the fact that Declan was no longer in her life upset her.

  “So, I was thinking that we could go on a real date tomorrow night,” Luke said, as he walked her to his locker. “Since our last date night didn’t really work out the way we wanted it to.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” Samara smiled at him. At that moment, she spotted Emma and Colby walking down the hall together; Emma’s head was thrown back in laughter, and Colby was smirking over something that they were talking about.

  “Hey, guys!” Luke called to them.

  Emma stopped laughing and glanced over in their direction. She straightened her shirt and lowered her eyes. “Oh, I didn’t even see you there. Hi.”

  “We’re having a date night on Saturday,” Samara told her. “Why don’t the two of you come along?”

  But I just wanted it to be the two of us, Luke protested through mind-speak.

  She glanced over at him, apologetically. I’m sorry. We can do that next time. I think Emma and Colby need a little bit of encouragement to get to know each other. Maybe it will be less weird for them if they go out with us.

  Luke shrugged his shoulders, but he didn’t say anything, through mind-speak or otherwise.

  Since both Colby and Emma hadn’t said anything back, Samara went on. “We can make it a double date.”

  Colby seemed to consider the idea, but Emma shook her head forcefully, her blonde hair moving with it. “No, we’re not going on a date. Does it look like we’re dating to you?” she snapped.

  Samara rolled her eyes; she should have known this was the type of reaction she would get from her best friend. “Okay, I’m sorry,” she replied, throwing her hands up in the air, defeatedly. “I just wanted to be nice and ask in case you both didn’t have anything else to do tonight.” She was in the middle of her sentence when she saw a girl with long, red hair who she recognized as an underclassmen approach Colby.

  “Hey, you’re Colby Jack, right?” the girl asked, sweetly.

  Colby chewed on his bottom lip. “It’s Jackson, but yeah, that would be me.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” the girl replied, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment. “That’s what someone told me your name was. I’m Shannon.”

  Colby shrugged. “It’s cool, don’t worry about it.”

  “Anyway, I was wondering if you might want to come to my friend Kristen’s birthday party? She’s that girl over there,” Shannon whispered, pointing to a short-haired brunette girl, who was hovering in the corner, watching the conversation take place.

  When Colby glanced over at Kristen and gave her a small wave, she smiled, but Samara could tell that her face had whitened in nervousness.

  Colby glanced over his shoulder at Emma, who was watching him.

  “I-I don’t know,” Colby replied, turning back to Shannon. “I might be busy on the day of her birthday party. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to make it.”

  “Well, here’s an invitation. If you can come, just let us know.” Lowering her voice, she added, “It seems like all the girls in our class are crushing on you lately, but it would be really nice if you could give Kristen a chance. She�
�s a really shy girl, and she has a huge crush on you.”

  “I’ll keep it in mind,” Colby muttered under his breath. Once Shannon walked back over to Kristen, and they both walked away, he turned to Samara. “Did you hear that? Everyone thinks I’m cute now that I got my hair cut. I rock!”

  Rolling her eyes, Samara laughed. “Just don’t let all of this attention go to your head.” Although, deep down, she thought that the attention was just what Colby needed for a confidence boost. And maybe once he acted more confident, Emma would give him a chance.

  As Colby and Luke walked ahead of them and started talking about football, Samara glanced over her shoulder at Emma, who had fallen behind. Her best friend had a pained look in her eyes.

  “Is everything okay?” Samara asked, stepping into place beside her.

  Emma shrugged her shoulders. “I’m fine.” She glanced ahead to make sure Colby wasn’t looking before asking, “Do you think Colby’s going to go to that party?”

  Samara shook her head. “No, it didn’t sound like it to me. Why do you ask?” She was hoping that Emma would finally admit that she had feelings for Colby, but she just shrugged her shoulders.

  “Oh, you know. It would just make me feel really lame if Colby Jack had a better social life than me,” Emma replied offhandedly.

  As they rounded the corner, Samara felt someone’s eyes pouring into the back of her head. She glanced around, and that’s when she saw him: Seth, across the hall, glaring at her, his amber eyes full of hatred.

  *

  Later that afternoon when the bell rang, Samara walked out of her math class, and headed to her locker. She pulled the biology test that she had earned an ‘A’ on out of her locker, and stuffed it inside her tote bag, and strolled over to Luke’s locker. He had already packed up his backpack with the books that he needed for the weekend and was just slamming the locker door shut.