The Dark War: The Dark War, Book 1

by Angela Addams

  “Yes, yes, my hero.” I rolled my eyes. “I said thank you, didn’t I?”

  “Actually, no, you didn’t. I’ll take a kiss though, in payment.” Wyatt was smirking. “What? You can’t blame me for trying, right, Billy?”

  Billy’s cheeks grew pink, his freckles darkening.

  “Enough, Wyatt,” I growled. “The issue isn’t that I was at a vampire den, it’s that she was! A witch housing in a den is weird enough but for them to be protecting her? That’s a total what the fuck scenario.”

  Billy sat back, arms crossed, head shaking. “I have no experience with vampires. Didn’t even know they existed until I met you.”

  “Oh come on!” Wyatt snorted. “You believed in witches but not vampires? You do know that werewolves exist too right?”

  “Listen, I don’t know what crawled up your ass and died but—”

  There was some fucked up pissing contest going on here and I didn’t like it. “Shut up, Wyatt! Billy.” I touched Billy’s hand, the one curled into a fist resting on the table. “You think you can get your people on it? See if anyone has heard anything?”

  Billy snapped his eyes from Wyatt to me, softening his glare at once. “Yeah, sure, like I said, anything you need. It’ll take some time though—”

  I was shaking my head before he could finish the thought. “Nah uh, we don’t have any time on this. A little less than seventy-two hours until the solar flare, that’s how much time we have…no, scratch that, even less than that actually because I need this shit wrapped up with the witch preferably alive so I can transport her to my clients for disposal.”

  Billy frowned. “Seventy-two hours, no way.”

  “It’s got to happen, Billy. Please, I can’t let this family down.”

  “What’s the deal with the solar flare? Why is that the deadline?”

  I sucked on my bottom lip for a few seconds, wondering just how crazy I was going to sound. “My mom, you remember I told you that she used to be able to predict events?”

  “Yeah, isn’t she in a coma?”

  “She was catatonic, but not anymore. She came out of it a few days ago and she thinks that this solar flare is going to be the catalyst for some kind of war. She said that they are organizing…I don’t know who they are, but she wants me home with her.”

  Billy took in what I told him without even blinking. He might be human, but he’d seen enough supernatural shit to make him a believer. He thought it was all evil and should burn, but still, he didn’t question the existence. “Okay, that’s good to know. I’ll spread the word through the Union on that account too. If shit is going down, we’ll be ready for it. Anything else?”

  I shook my head. Nope, that was it.

  Billy pushed himself out from the table. “You still using the same cell number?”

  I nodded as I stood, suddenly feeling beyond exhausted. I needed to crash something awful. Probably more than I needed food at this point. I swayed on my legs. Wyatt stood up, his hand out to brace me.

  “We’re gonna go to bed for a few hours. Kali needs to rest.”

  Billy’s eyes trailed from Wyatt to me, a question there that I badly wanted to reject but was too tired to tackle. No, there was nothing going on between Wyatt and me. Ancient history. Never again. Ever.

  “I’ll keep in touch. Don’t think I’ll be able to keep Clive and Sam out of it though.”

  I nodded. “You do what you have to do. I just wanted you to make that choice.”

  “I appreciate that.” He swooped in and gave me another hug, his breath hot against my ear. “You need anything else, Kali, you call me, okay? I’m there in a heartbeat.”

  As he pulled away, setting me right on my feet. I nodded and smiled. My big bear, always looking out for me. If only… I sighed.

  “Talk soon,” he said as he walked out of the shop, not even bothering to glance at Wyatt as he did.

  Chapter Nine

  I wasn’t too worried about the crazy witch tracking me for a little while. She’d used up a lot of magic with those power blasts. She’d need to recoup somehow. Every witch did it differently. For me, it was sun. For Wyatt, pleasure. So who knew what would replenish my bounty’s magic. Could be just about anything from sleeping to riding roller coasters.

  In any case, I was fairly confident that I could get some sleep, for a little while anyway.

  Wyatt drove me to the other side of the city without saying much of anything. I felt the tension between us like an elastic band pulled taut. We needed to talk, that had always been our problem. Not for me, not when I was younger. I could unload my emotions, my feelings, without blinking. But him, sheesh, he was a vault. He would keep things bottled up forever and then, out of the blue, would hit you with the equivalent of a nuke. Raw, intense, overwhelming. He’d always leave me a shattered mess, whether what he was telling me was good or bad…usually bad though. I’d learned to toughen up, especially after the last time. I mean, I’d essentially run away but I preferred to think of it as walking out. On him. Closing the door, locking it, burying the key in a grave.

  “I’ve got a room here,” he said as he pulled the truck into a strip motel. He parked in front of room 21. “Don’t even argue about staying together. From this point on we don’t part, not until we get back to the Academy. Understood?”

  I breathed out a long sigh. “Fine.” Then I opened the door, snagged my weapons bag and shuffled behind him to the room. “I’m going to need new clothes.”

  He gave a nod as he opened the door and motioned me inside. “We’ll stop by a department store in the morning. For now, sleep.”

  I wasn’t going to argue with that. I brushed past him, my arm accidentally sliding against his chest, the brief contact enough to send a spark through me. Touching Wyatt, I groaned silently, had always been a mistake.

  He growled, low. In a flash he spun me around and I dropped the weapons bag to the floor. My back was pressed against the now closed door and his hard body pushed up against mine, his lips on the side of my neck where I’d been bitten. He nipped at the scar. “Maybe I should give you another dose.”

  I shivered, eyes sliding closed as his lips found my earlobe, sucking while he ran his hands up my sides. “Stop, Wyatt,” it came out a breathless moan, hardly intelligible.

  He cupped my breasts, squeezing almost to the point of pain. I was wet for him. It was taking everything in my power not to rub my pussy against his jean-clad cock, the friction probably enough to make me come.

  “I missed you, sweetheart,” he whispered into my ear, his breath making me shiver again, his words forcing something in my heart to tick back to life.

  No, no, no, no, no, no!

  He dropped his hands to the button of my jeans, his lips on mine at the same time, devouring me, tongue shoving into my mouth, possessing me as he liked to do.

  He got the button open, slipped his hand down into my panties, fingers finding my clit. He didn’t need a map. He knew what would get me screaming his name.

  My brain was fuzzy. I wanted him, would always want him. My body betraying me where Wyatt was concerned.

  “Did you fuck him, sweetheart?” His voice was low, menacing almost. Dangerous.

  I opened my eyes, frowning. “Huh?”

  “Billy,” he said, his eyes a storm of possession, jealousy. “Did you fuck him?”

  My brain snapped on line. I stiffened. Put my hands up on his chest, power flashing across my fingers. “Are you serious?”

  “Answer me!”

  “How’s. Ally?” I growled.

  He sneered then, shook his head, took a step back.

  I mourned the loss but didn’t chase him. I’d never chase him again.

  “Fuck you, Wyatt,” I grumbled and pushed past him to the bathroom. I needed a cold shower. I suddenly felt very dirty.

  * * * * *

  Although
there was no fire personnel around, someone was no doubt doing an investigation. There was yellow caution tape stretched around the perimeter of my place. Luckily, the firewalls had prevented any damage to more than just the one adjoining unit, but I was sure that the residents were still not allowed to enter their homes. So not only was I homeless, but some of my neighbors were too.

  “It would probably be a good idea for you to contact the fire department and police so that they know you’re okay. They might have a search party out looking for you.”

  I nodded as a wave of something brutal and desperate washed over me. I wanted to punch something. Someone.

  Get a reading, sniff her out, kill the witch.

  Revenge drove me now. It would take everything in my self-control to stop myself from killing the bitch when I found her.

  I marched toward my place, ignoring the caution tape, snapping it in two as I walked through. “We’re out of here once I get a reading.”

  Wyatt kept pace behind me not saying a word. In fact, we’d barely spoken since the night before. We’d shared a bed, him on top of the covers, me underneath, both of us taking extra caution not to touch one another. Eight years apart and we were still combustible…coming together like an explosion. But we both knew it could only ever end in the same way as it always had—anger, hate, demolition of everything around us.

  I focused my attention back on my condo, my gaze riveted to the destruction and debris. With a deep sigh, I moved forward, needing to get as close as I could to pick up my bounty’s trail.

  Once I was in position, standing a few feet away from where my front door used to be, I closed my eyes and focused on tracking. I’d need to spend some time building a strong tracking spell because even though the initial blast had been powerful, too much time had passed and some spell signatures degrade quickly. As I moved my lips in a silent chant and my body began to sway, I felt the creep of my own magic slowly enveloping me, filling me with a sense of wholeness. I was sure Wyatt could feel the spell radiating from me, around me. I was piling it on pretty thick.

  The power rolling through me was invigorating, my heart thumped with renewed purpose. Yes, revenge. I could almost taste its bitter tang. There was a trail, a signature still there after all of this time. It was faint, barely even a whisper, but it was there and I clung to it. I fluttered my eyelids open once again.

  “I’ve got a trail, but it’s weak and possibly unreliable. I’m practically going to have to stick my head out the window to keep a hold of it while we’re driving.”

  Wyatt crossed his arms and surveyed the area. “She’s powerful, Kali.”

  I nodded. “Um, yeah, I think we’ve established that already.” Powerful and probably insane. I mean, who does that? Destroys a building to get to a lone target?

  He turned his head, his gaze fixed on me. “Maybe we should call in the Council on this one.”

  “No fucking way!” Anger surged, my heart ramping up, power popping over my skin. “This is my bounty, this is my job. The Council is not invited.”

  “We both could end up dead.”

  “Chicken shit,” I mumbled, then turned toward his truck, ready to drive myself along the trail if I had to.

  He grabbed my arm, spun me to face him, his eyes flashing with fury.

  Uh oh…Wyatt explosion in three…two…

  “You stubborn, stupid girl!” he bellowed. “You think that’s going to work? Goading me into this?”

  I smiled. It wasn’t a nice smile. “I don’t give a fuck, Wyatt. Not one bit. You don’t like it, go home. I told you I’d meet you there didn’t I? Besides, I’ve got the Union hunters. Billy, he’ll help me. I don’t need you here. I don’t want you here. Take the fucking hint already.”

  I did need him though. I did. I did. He was a powerful witch. He knew spells I didn’t. He was fearless. He really was. I didn’t want him to go.

  Fuck me.

  Wyatt dropped his hand, his eyes losing some of their flare. “It’s been eight years, Kali. Do you really hate me so much even after all this time?”

  I blinked. What? “Um…”

  He raised his fingers to my face, brushing a stray hair from my cheek, lingering there. “I’ve never stopped thinking of you. I’ve never stopped caring for you.”

  I swallowed hard, my heart apparently in my throat. He’d never said I love you. Ever. It wasn’t in his vocabulary where I was concerned. For other women sure. Ally? Oh yeah, he’d shout it from rooftops, practically had. But for me, no, it had always been this.

  I care about you Kali, a lot.

  “I made a promise to your mom that I would bring you home to her. I want you home too.”

  I ignored his words. I had to. “I’m not giving up on this bounty and I’m not including the Council.”

  He was fucking with me. This was a side of him that I always craved, the tender Wyatt. It was more powerful than sex… Well, almost as powerful anyway.

  Stop. Stop. Stop.

  I wanted to rip my heart out of my chest. Kill it again. If I felt anything for Wyatt, it had to be hate. It had to be, because my heart couldn’t take another beating from him.

  He ran his fingers through my hair, down my arm, clasping my hand before letting go. “Okay, fine, but we’re cautious. No unnecessary risks. And if the opportunity comes to blast the bitch, she goes down, no matter what you promised your clients.”

  “Deal.” I nodded as I tried to reel in my emotions. Damn him. He knew my triggers, he knew me, even after all this time.

  “Let’s go. We’ll follow the trail as far as we can and then we’ll figure it out from there.” He opened the door to his truck and motioned for me to get in.

  Chapter Ten

  Wyatt was driving slower than the posted speed limit so I wouldn’t lose track. With the flimsy hold I had on my bounty’s signature, I was lucky to be tracking anything at all. And I certainly couldn’t risk losing it because I was distracted.

  Wyatt, you ass.

  I felt the tease of his emotions like an addict. It had always been an all-consuming search for me, to find out what Wyatt was thinking, feeling. I wanted to weep as I fought to keep the walls up. To keep him out of my heart. I didn’t want to go back there. The guessing, the uncertainty, the desperate need to know how he felt. It had been hell and had taken me a long time to move past.

  “I feel like dog.” I grumbled, then stuck my head farther out of the window.

  Wyatt chuckled but said nothing, all echoes from his explosion long gone. I shook my head to clear my thoughts.

  Focus, Kali, focus.

  The trail was weak, growing weaker by the minute. I cursed myself for leaving it so long. I should have started tracking immediately. Sudden anger toward Wyatt flared bright for a moment, but I knew it was misplaced. It fizzled quickly. It wasn’t his fault. He was right. I’d been too tired. Too weak. I would have made another mistake if I’d insisted on going out right after the blast. I’d probably have gotten us both killed. I’d made enough mistakes already. It was time to get things right.

  I opened my eyes and scanned the area. We hadn’t made it very far, only a couple of blocks from my building. “Stop.”

  Wyatt pulled into the parking lot of a supermarket. “What? She’s buying groceries?”

  I slammed my hand on the window’s edge, then popped open the door and slid out. I was pacing by the time he made it to me, a plan slowly filtering through my many thoughts.

  “She’s not grocery shopping?”

  I paused long enough to glare at him, then continued pacing. “No, she’s not grocery shopping.” I flexed my arms, clenching my fists at my side. “I’ve lost the trail, okay? I screwed up and lost the trail. I waited too long.”

  Wyatt’s big hands descended on my shoulders and halted my movement. I snapped my eyes up to his, my frown threatening to break into a growl.

>   “But I think I have a better plan.” I shook his hands from my shoulders and resumed pacing.

  His lips twitched. He leaned up against the side of his truck, crossing his arms. “Oh yeah? Let’s hear it.”

  “I was thinking we could go back to the vampire den.” When he opened his mouth to argue, I held my hand up and barreled through, rushing to make him hear me out. “I know that it sounds crazy, but I think that I could get a good reading there. Maybe she’s even gone back. We don’t even have to go in. I just need you to drive past so that I can try to pick up her trail.” I shrugged. A twinge of defeat settled over me. “The trail here is dead. I need another source.”

  Wyatt pursed his lips, studying me with the hardcore intensity I’d come to expect “Kali.” He sucked in a deep breath, then pushed himself away from the truck, and let the breath out in an explosive burst. “Fine.”

  I was startled by his response. More than startled. Floored. I’d fully expected an all-out war on this one. “What?”

  “Somehow I doubt this is going to be as simple as a drive by.” He raised his hand, motioning for me to get into the truck. “Let’s go before I change my mind.”

  * * * * *

  Once we arrived back at the vampire den, we both sat in awe of the destruction, momentarily speechless.

  I cringed as I shifted my gaze over the sight. I knew I’d done a lot of damage, but now the place looked like it had been sideswiped by a cyclone. Maybe I did deserve to have my house blown up. I’d left that old Dhampir guy’s home almost a complete ruin.

  The whole front window of the house was gaping open, shattered glass and bits of brick lay strewn all over the place. The house was dark and seemingly empty.

  “I guess we caused a little more damage than I thought.” I grimaced as I swung my gaze over to him.

  Wyatt pulled the truck up to the curb and put it in park. “Just for the record, I think that just being here is a really bad idea.” He leaned down slightly so that he could see out of my window better. “I want to go in there and take a look around.” He slipped his seat belt off, his eyes still scanning the area around the house. “It’s a wonder why this place isn’t crawling with police.” He waved his hand. “Maybe you should wait here.”