“How many?”
“At least five.”
Josh shook his head in disappointment. “Is that Marion?”
I scowled, gestured for him to back off. “Preferably today,” I said to her. “Use your key.”
“I’ll take care of it,” she promised, ending the call. By the time I returned from Virginia, Marion and her team would have patched and painted the holes in my walls and replaced my broken furniture with like or similar pieces. I didn’t know exactly how Marion did her work, or anything else about her. She was a referral from Claudia.
Glancing out the window, I saw we were still rolling toward the runway. Impatient, I unhooked my belt and walked up to the flight cabin, where O’Dowd and his copilot were going through their preflight routine.
“Everything okay, Ethan?” he asked.
“Best possible time,” I said.
He nodded. “Already on it.”
Returning to my seat, I had nothing left to do but wait impatiently for takeoff while Josh absently bit at his nail beds next to me. A few minutes later, the jet was airborne. Once it leveled out, Josh and I joined Sebastian at the desk, sitting across from him.
“What does Sky have to do with the Clostra and why are we going to Virginia?” Josh asked.
Avoiding my brother’s gaze, I started at the beginning. “Last year, she hired a private detective to determine if she had any family that she wasn’t aware of.” I hesitated for just a moment. “He located six family members—an uncle, three aunts, and two cousins—living together in a house in Virginia.”
Josh smiled, surprised. “She never told me.”
I glanced down at my hands clasped together on the desk as I said, “She doesn’t know. Didn’t,” I corrected myself.
My brother’s smile faded, his expression an accusation. “What did you do?”
“I intercepted the information. After interviewing the family, I determined that a relationship between them and Sky wasn’t in her best interest.”
He slowly shook his head as if he’d never believed I could be so callous. I met and held his gaze. This is what caution looks like, I thought, but kept the rebuke to myself.
“The detective?” Josh asked coldly.
The image of Dennis and his blood-soaked suit flashed through my mind before I answered. “Dropped his existing cases to work exclusively on my retainer.”
“Of course.” Josh leaned back in his chair, splayed out his legs, and folded his hands in his lap. His ocean-blue eyes glared at me. “So why are we racing to Virginia to intercept her? Are you planning on prying her from her family’s arms?”
I sighed before continuing. “There are two possibilities. First, the family considers the Aufero to be their heritage. They believe Sky’s mother stole it from them.”
“Sky’s mother was the orb’s Moura,” Josh insisted. “Unless Sky has an older sister, the Aufero is her responsibility.”
“They were searching for the orb when I found them.”
Josh’s disappointment deepened. “They didn’t know she existed until you told them, did they?”
“Josh,” Sebastian said before I could answer, “allow Ethan to give his brief.”
My brother gave a reluctant nod and I continued, addressing him directly. “I made it clear to them that she was under the protection of the Midwest Pack, and that they were never to make contact with her, or to respond to any contact made by her.”
Josh shrugged. “She doesn’t have it. Let them deal with Marcia.” His expression quickly soured. “If they kill Sky, the next female in line becomes bonded to the Aufero.” That bond gave the Moura influence over the orb, which would make it easier to capture.
I nodded.
Sebastian sat back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. “What’s the second possibility?”
“They have two thirds of the Clostra and they think Sky has the third,” Josh answered for me, his gaze fixed on mine as he awaited the final confirmation.
I nodded once.
Sebastian asked, “How did they come by the Clostra?”
“I don’t know,” I said, “but while I was there, I saw two of the books in their possession. I didn’t know what they were at the time.”
“You’re sure they only have two of the three books?”
“I only saw two. They could have the third book, which means they’re after the Aufero, as well. Either way, we can’t leave the books in their possession.”
“The question is, how did the Nunes family become involved with two of the protected objects?” Sebastian turned to Josh. “Is it possible for one family to be the Moura for multiple objects?”
“No,” he answered, adamant. “If they have part of the Clostra in their possession, it’s been stolen.”
“Can they use it?”
Josh’s expression grew sober. “If they can read it, maybe. Are any of them witches?”
“I didn’t feel magic from them, but there were plenty of charms around their home, and a handful of books on their bookshelves that are similar in appearance to what we have in the pack library.”
“The books would be worth a great deal of money, especially with the complete set.”
Sebastian was quiet for a moment. His lips bent into a determined frown. “Our objectives are to rescue Skylar and retrieve the Clostra. The family was previously warned. If they choose more than a token resistance, they will have to be eliminated.”
I proceeded to describe first the surroundings of the family property, then the exterior of the house, including entry points, followed by a detailed description of the house’s interior. “Our aim should be to overwhelm the family before they can put up a defense.”
Josh looked doubtful. “If they know we’re coming for Sky, they could take her somewhere else.”
I debated whether to reveal that I was able to track the location of Sky’s phone, then decided against it. “The family will bring her to their home.”
“You seem pretty confident about their location,” he said with a speculative look. “If we’re wrong, we won’t get a second chance to find Sky before they kill her.”
“It’s the logical place to start,” I explained. “They’ll want her in a secluded location. From my previous research of the family, they own only the one property.” While Josh accepted my logic, he held on to his suspicions. If Sebastian cared how I obtained my information, he didn’t ask.
The discussion came down to specifics. Once the plan was decided, there was nothing to do but wait.
Shortly after six o’clock, we landed at the small airport in Virginia. As O’Dowd steered the jet toward a hangar, I saw our rental SUV waiting. I drew out my phone and checked Sky’s location; she was still at the Nuneses’ family home. Josh watched me with a curious, suspicious look as I returned the phone to my pocket. Ignoring him, I cracked my knuckles in anticipation as the jet rolled to a stop next to the SUV.
The drive to the house was tense. I sped as much as I dared, but the pack had no influence with the local police. I couldn’t risk a traffic stop. Assuming Sky was still alive, she couldn’t afford the delay. I found myself repeatedly pulling back on the accelerator as I caught myself unconsciously racing toward her. The drive was agonizing. Regardless of her recklessness, if she were harmed, I’d have no one but myself to blame.
I watched the minutes tick by on the dashboard clock, the miles stack up on the odometer. By the time I saw the familiar white cottage in the distance, my fingers were white around the steering wheel and my jaw ached from clenching. I felt my brother’s eyes on me as I leaned forward in the driver’s seat, my eyes locked on our target.
The family lived in a pastoral neighborhood where the homes were separated from one another by several acres. As I approached the turnoff onto the Nuneses’ property, it took every ounce of control I could muster not to race up the long dirt driveway. I wanted to reach Sky as quickly as possible, but rushing up to the house was sure to draw the family’s attention. A stealthy
approach had its risks as well, but Sky’s best chance of survival depended on an element of surprise.
The tension in the cab thickened as I eased the SUV up the driveway, each of us watching the house closely for any revelation of exposure. Each of us prepared for the fight to come; Sebastian radiated a cool, unrelenting power, while Josh’s magic filled the cab with an electric charge.
I rolled the SUV to a stop behind a blue compact rental car. There were two cars next to it. From one, I smelled the oily heat of the engine still cooling, which gave me hope that we weren’t too late. Three of the SUV’s doors opened almost simultaneously as we emerged from the vehicle. Without a word, we followed the plan. Sebastian walked around the side of the house toward the back while I climbed the steps of the porch. Behind me, I felt the rise of Josh’s magic. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw him standing at the bottom of the steps, hands open and slightly held out from his hips and his eyes black as he called forth powerful magic.
I scowled as the screen door creaked, but the front door wasn’t locked. It opened easily and I strode inside, my eyes darting about. The house was exactly as I remembered, a cluttered space spotted with brass lamps and small talismans. Vintage art hung on pastel walls. Sky’s scent intermingled with the scents of the family that permeated every object and every piece of furniture, making it difficult to track.
I glanced into the kitchen and found it empty, which left three closed doors in the hall.
Sky’s primal scream cut through the quiet. From behind the door at the end of the hall, I heard voices chanting. As I raced toward the door, Josh’s magic flowed through the house, filling the empty spaces with his power.
The hall light flickered as I kicked in the door with the heel of my boot and stepped into the room to find Sky struggling supine on a bed, her wrists and ankles handcuffed to the bedposts. The stunned family rose from the floor where Josh’s magic had dumped them. I recognized Sky’s uncle William, her aunts Caitlyn, Beth, and Madalena, and cousins Suri and Senna. All of them appeared shocked and defeated, except for Senna, who eyed me with an intense hatred.
Assured that they had no intention of putting up a fight, I turned back to Sky. Her forearms were slashed crosswise, seeping blood. Her heart beat furiously, but she was safe, impatiently waiting for me to release her. Judging by the crystals that were placed at her head, sides, and feet, we’d stopped the family in the midst of a ritual that seemed surprisingly similar to the one Josh had used nearly two years ago to exorcise Maya. They must’ve figured if Sky wouldn’t help them, Maya would. Either they didn’t know the separation would kill Sky, or they didn’t care.
I leaned over the bed and swatted the crystals away from her. Shoving William aside, I knelt at the bed next to Sky and examined the handcuffs, careful not to touch them. Silver. Somehow, she was uniquely immune to the burning effect of silver, but I wasn’t.
“Unlock her,” I commanded. When no one moved to obey, I shouted, “Now!” I rose, glaring at each of the family members in turn as they steadfastly refused my order. My gaze locked on William’s as I gripped the nearest bedpost with both hands. The wood cracked and split before the post snapped off, and Sky pulled the cuff free. They watched as I snapped each post until she was able to sit up, frantically trying to break the cuffs that bound her ankles.
William barely held on to his bravado as I walked up to him, glaring down into his face, and growled. If I had to make a bloody example of him, I’d happily do so. “Unlock the damn handcuffs.”
I could smell the fear rising from him, but he was in control of himself, calculating. He only needed a moment to realize that even if they could somehow contain me, Josh was more powerful than all of them put together. His jaw twitched, then he cautiously drew a key from his pocket and reached over the bed to unlock the cuffs, ignoring Sky’s murderous glare. After the last cuff fell from her wrist, I growled to back him off, then knelt and gently lifted Sky’s arm to examine the cuts, which should’ve healed shut within seconds of the injury. A thick liquid was smeared over the wounds, seemingly interfering with her natural healing ability. When she winced at the pressure from my hand, I remembered just how dangerous my touch was and immediately released her.
“Sorry,” I said.
Josh entered the room, followed by Sebastian. While he took in the scene, staring the family down, I picked up the books from the nightstand and handed them to him.
“Where is the other one?” Sebastian asked the family.
Confused and angry, Sky scooted across the bed. As she did, her shirt shifted and I saw at least half a dozen small burn marks on her lower torso, the kind of marks left by Taser weapons. I barely suppressed a violent rage. Once on her feet, she rubbed at her raw wrists. Her attention was fixed on Sebastian as he towered over William.
“Where is it?”
William’s silent defiance lasted only for a moment before he submissively lowered his gaze. “All three were stolen from us by her mother,” he said, throwing a disgusted glance toward Sky. “We only managed to recover those two.”
“When were they taken?”
He took a quick breath. His lips spread into a plastic smile as he tried to ease into the folksy comfort of his well-practiced charm, but he couldn’t hide the rapid pace of his heartbeat, or his shallow breathing. “Thirty years ago?”
“And you are just now noticing?”
“Not at all. We’ve been looking for them all this time.”
“Why?” Sebastian demanded, his suspicion piqued. “Can you use them?”
Senna shifted slightly, her defiant stare suddenly softening as she self-consciously eased herself behind William.
“No,” he answered.
Sebastian detected the lie as easily as I did, but took a moment to scrutinize William, agitating him before pointing it out. “Lie.”
“We know someone that can,” he admitted reluctantly, then folded his arms over his chest in a futile act of defiance. In a childish show of solidarity, the rest of his family mimicked the gesture. Each one of them pressed their lips together, communicating they had no intention of answering another question.
I know how to change their minds. I growled, drawing an anxious glance from Aunt Caitlyn.
Sebastian scrutinized the family, then spoke to Senna directly. “We are taking these”—he gestured with the books held together in one hand—“because you shouldn’t have them and aren’t in a position to keep them safe. However, if it is found out that you can read them, your family will not be able to protect you. You are welcome to call me.” He drew a card from his pocket, pinched between two fingers, and held it out to her. Her arms tightened around her chest as she stubbornly refused to look at the card.
“Take it,” he said. “I can assure you that one day you will need it.”
Reluctantly, she snapped it from his grip. “Thank you,” she muttered.
Sebastian nodded, then walked out of the room. Sky followed, then Josh, leaving me alone with the family. I glanced down at the broken bed, the posts and cuffs laid in the center, then turned a baleful glare to William.
“I warned you, and then I left you alone. You’re pack business now. Contact Skylar again, or interfere with the Clostra in any way”—I met every one of their bitter gazes—“and I’ll kill you all.”
I strode out of the room and caught up to the others just as they approached the vehicles. Sky fished in her pocket while Sebastian had his phone to his ear.
“Cole,” he said, then gave the address of the cottage and a description of Senna to the Alpha of the East Coast Pack. “Keep an eye on the girl, but let me know if the family does anything out of the ordinary.”
Sky’s visage was a dark cloud of anger, relief, and embarrassment as she unlocked the doors of her rental car with the key fob. I gently took the keys from her hand and gestured toward the backseat. She bit back a retort but obeyed. While Josh and Sebastian returned to the SUV, I crammed myself into the driver’s seat of the compact rental. Even after pushin
g the seat as far back as it could go, I was still hunched over the steering wheel.
I glanced over my shoulder toward the house, then followed the SUV back to the road.
Sky fumed in the backseat, arms folded over her chest. She caught my gaze in the mirror, then quickly turned away, her posture stiffening as if she expected me to scold her. She’d spent her entire life with only an adopted mother for family. When she’d finally discovered she had a biological family—aunts, cousins, an uncle—they’d tried to kill her. As much as I empathized with her, I couldn’t help being angry that she’d once again put herself and the pack in danger. In her need for a familial connection, she had run off without telling anyone, without researching who she was dealing with, and put herself in the hands of strangers. If we’d arrived a few minutes later, the family would’ve exorcised Maya and killed Sky in the process.
And I led them to her.
There was plenty of blame to go around. I focused my eyes on the SUV ahead of us, trying to calm my anger while we drove toward the airport where O’Dowd’s Gulfstream was waiting.
A short time later, Sky watched with a bemused expression as we drove through the gate of the private airport and parked on the tarmac outside the waiting jet. I gave the concierge the keys to both vehicles, along with a sizable tip to deliver Sky’s compact to the appropriate rental office, then motioned for her to follow me up the steps to the jet.
Once inside, she took a moment to absorb the unexpected surroundings, then chose an inconspicuous seat at the back of the cabin and proceeded to distract herself with the activities outside the window.
Sebastian sat at the desk, sliding the books to Josh, who sat across from him. He eagerly scooped up one of the books and began flipping through the pages. Ignoring his perplexed look for the moment, I retrieved the first aid kit from the flight attendant’s cabin and knelt in front of Sky.
“Let me look at your arms,” I said as softly as I could manage.
The flight attendant appeared to help, but I brushed his offer aside. Sky showed me her forearms with the enthusiasm of a rebuked child. The cuts were still seeping blood, which led me to wonder what the substance was that kept the wounds from healing. Fearful that I might once again hurt her with the dark elf magic, I considered calling the attendant back, then thought better of it. I took a slow, careful breath to check my temper, then reached out to gently brace one of her arms.
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