I heard Sky’s gasp as two of the hounds I’d left outside came into the house. The hound Sky had knocked from her leg rallied. Together the three remaining hounds growled and snarled as they encircled us. The orb glowed a dirty orange in her hand as she held it out at them in warning, but they remained determined. Crouching, wary of every movement, I slowly backed up to Sky. The moment she felt me against her, a strong protective field formed around us. Deprived of their prey, the hounds flung themselves against the field with ferocious abandon. It wavered beneath the weight of their rabid assault but held.
My relief quickly faded as I realized something was wrong with the magic. The field was dull gray in color, like a fog. Within it, the air was growing increasingly thin, as if the field was drawing out the oxygen. Already we were panting.
Soon, Sky would have to lower the field and we’d be forced to deal with the hounds. If necessary, I could occupy two of them, but that would still leave one for her to deal with. The orb might help her escape, but in a direct fight she was no match for an elven hound; few were. I scanned the entryway, looking for a path to escape.
Amid the snarling growls and barks of the hounds, a whimpering emerged. Their attacks seemed increasingly weak, as if each strike against the field weakened them. The animals refused to relent. Even after one of the hounds collapsed, apparently dead, the assault continued. A second hound quickly fell, leaving just one more, but my muscles were weak from oxygen deprivation.
Sky’s gaze was fixed on the hound. Her chest heaved, her lungs straining for oxygen. She was close to losing consciousness. She needed to lower the field and let me distract the hound. I could put up enough of a fight for her to escape. I tried to call her name to get her attention but failed to create more than a squeak.
The last hound finally whimpered and collapsed.
The field disappeared and oxygen rushed into our lungs. For a moment, we sat there catching our breath, but we weren’t safe. Samuel would come back. We were in no condition to take on a witch of his power.
Grabbing Sky’s hand, I led her outside toward the garage. When I saw the door had been torn open, I knew Samuel had disabled all five of the vehicles inside. The tires of my dark green Hummer were blown out. The same was true of my SUV, Mercedes-Benz S Class, and Jaguar XJ. I felt a rush of pure hatred as I saw my newest addition to the collection, a red 1967 Ferrari GTB, sitting on its rims. No doubt the engines had been rendered inoperable, as well.
Cursing under my breath, I pulled Sky after me to the backyard and through a narrow gap in the thicket there. With my free hand in front of me, I crashed through the overgrown brush until we entered the small clearing where I kept a Jeep Rubicon in case of emergencies. Finding the key fob underneath the front bumper, I unlocked the doors and gestured for Sky to get in.
She obeyed without question.
“Do you have your phone?” I asked, starting the engine.
“Not with me. I left it in my car.”
I reached across her and retrieved a flip phone from the glove box, then dialed the first number on the speed dial. Josh answered immediately, his voice tense.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, recognizing my emergency number.
“Samuel’s in town. He has the third book and wants the other two.” He unleashed a stream of obscenities. “You need to get out of there. Go to the cabin.”
“Okay.”
Through the phone, I heard a loud blast, followed by a crack and then something heavy hitting the floor.
“Josh!” I shouted.
I heard grunting, glass shattering, and then the line went dead. When I tried his number again, it went straight to voice mail. I sped as fast as I could to his house, carelessly weaving through traffic while Sky glanced anxiously behind us, as if the hounds were going to appear on our tail at any moment.
As Josh’s house came into view, I felt the air forced from my lungs. For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. The front door was open, hanging on a single hinge. I brought the Jeep to a sudden, screeching halt in the driveway, then leapt from the vehicle. Running inside, I discovered broken furniture and glass, but no bodies. Josh was gone, leaving behind the distinct feeling of his magic, freshly used. Samuel’s magic was there, as well.
Had Samuel taken him, or had he disposed of my brother’s body with the same ease Josh had practiced dozens of times for the pack? Frantically, I kicked through the debris for proof of life or death. Dread washed over me as I uncovered first a splatter of blood, then a nearby knife, wet blood dulling its sheen.
Sky gasped.
I picked up the knife and sniffed the blood. “It isn’t his,” I said, relieved.
“But this is,” she whispered.
Following her gesture, I found a trail of blood that led to the bedroom. I ran down the hall and found the room in violent disarray. The bed had been turned and the mattress thrown from it. The dresser was half embedded in a wall, and every one of the windows had been blown out.
The fight had started in the living room. Josh had been wounded and made a last stand here. Tearing through the debris, I assured myself that there was no final pool of blood, no splatter on the walls from a mortal wound. He’d been taken or fled, but Samuel’s magic in the room was dominant. The chances Josh had escaped were low.
Even as I ran back to the Jeep, I knew I wouldn’t find my brother at the cabin, but I had to try. Sky jumped into the passenger seat just as I put the Jeep into reverse and sped back onto the road.
The cabin was a rural farmhouse that Josh and I maintained as a personal retreat of last resort. Its existence was a secret, even from the pack. My last hope was crushed as I turned into the empty driveway. The house was dark. Had Josh taken refuge inside and feared pursuit, there would be a subtle red LED light blinking in the corner of the front window.
I had to be sure.
After retrieving a flashlight from the glove compartment, I tested the front door, hoping it was locked. It swung open. The echo of Samuel’s magic washed over me, along with the scent of his hounds. Stepping inside, I found everything was in place. I realized with dread that Samuel hadn’t come to the house in pursuit of Josh. Samuel had come to make a point. I know your secrets.
Dreading what came next, I walked into the kitchen and found his note on the counter. Reading it, I cursed and growled and swore vengeance if he harmed my brother. If necessary, I’d abandon Sky and the pack and everything I’d built to spend my life hunting him down. At least, for the moment, I knew Josh was alive; Samuel wanted the Clostra.
Sky’s family had said they’d been working with a witch, and I’d been foolish not to investigate who. I’d never have guessed it would be Samuel.
She followed me back to the Jeep, watching me closely. She appeared shaken, as if she’d never believed Josh could be beaten.
Wherever Samuel held Josh, it was close. Magical transportation had a limited range, and I doubted Samuel would’ve taken the risk of trying to stuff my brother into a car. Besides, Samuel wasn’t going to leave the area until he obtained what he wanted.
He was smart enough to know I’d comb the city looking for him. I doubted he’d stash Josh in one of the properties he’d been known to use previously, but the obvious couldn’t be overlooked. One by one, I sped to the houses and ransacked them, looking for hidden rooms and anything Josh might’ve left behind to indicate he’d been there.
All I found was dust.
When the last house failed to yield even a clue, I tore it apart in a fit of frustration. Sky kept her distance, watching wide-eyed until the core of my rage was spent and I’d run out of furniture to destroy. The sick feeling in my gut remained.
“Ethan,” she said softly.
“He’s gone,” I whispered, unable to meet her gaze, then walked out of the house.
En route back to the retreat, I called Sebastian and filled him in. When I walked in the front door, he was in the entryway, waiting with Marko, Gavin, Winter, and a few other members of the pack.
; “It was definitely Samuel?” Sebastian asked.
I nodded, handing him the ransom note.
His jaw clenched as he read. “He thinks we are stupid enough to drop the books off at some disclosed location and trust that he will release Josh. How arrogant.”
“I don’t know how he knew we had the books,” I said, pacing in an attempt to control my rage. Time mattered. Throwing another tantrum would only waste time Josh didn’t have. “I am sure Samuel thought Josh had them in his possession. The house was trashed.” I knew exactly what was going through Sebastian’s mind as he watched me pace. If the spells against were-animals were used, we could be wiped out. We didn’t know why Samuel wanted the Clostra, but there was no chance Sebastian would allow the books to leave our hands.
He also knew I wouldn’t abandon my brother.
We could give up the books, then hunt Samuel down once Josh was returned. Every one of the packs could be called upon to help. Sebastian would resist, but he could be brought to reason. If not, I’d act on my own initiative. I could retrieve the books before any damage was done. Ask for forgiveness later.
“Ethan,” Sebastian said, his voice deliberately soothing, but there was a tension there, a subtle warning. “We cannot give him the books for Josh. I can’t let that happen.”
I blanched, turning my anger on him, then returned to pacing. I need to be calm. Sebastian was just as worried as I was. He wouldn’t abandon Josh. He wasn’t going to risk the pack, either, but I would. I’d risk everything to get my brother back. I’d steal the Clostra if I had to, or challenge Sebastian for the pack’s leadership.
I felt his anger rising in the room, meeting mine. Before I could confront him, Winter stepped between us, an unusually casual gesture calculated to cut the tension rather than inflate it. Sky joined her, her expression anxious but defiant.
“I need Josh back,” I growled, pacing.
Sebastian nodded. “I know.”
“Samuel has elven hounds with him.”
Sky suggested, “Maybe we can track the animals. Their scent should still be in Ethan’s house. It is quite strong and very distinctive.”
“We can,” Sebastian acknowledged, “but that will take time; even with our best hunters that could take days. We may not have days. Samuel isn’t known for his patience.”
Winter spoke for the first time. “There is no way he’s in town and Marcia isn’t aware of it. She makes it her business to know where he is. Power like that can’t go undetected very long. They can find him.”
“Are you sure she will know?” he challenged. “Our surveillance lost him three months ago.”
Winter remained confident. “If anyone will know of his whereabouts, it’s her.”
Marcia will never help us!
“I’ll arrange a meeting,” Sebastian said, his gaze settling on me for a moment, then started toward his office.
We’re wasting time!
Sky called after him. “When you call her, tell her that if she helps us find Josh, she can have the Aufero.”
I stopped, taken aback. Sebastian was surprised as well. His wary gaze shifted from Sky to me as he debated whether to ask how and when we’d obtained the orb. My eyes remained locked on her, my mouth agape. The Aufero was her birthright, a magical object of immense power that creatures in our world would kill and die for. Yet she seemed unreserved in her offer, eager even. With a single act of extreme selflessness, she was giving Josh a chance.
“Sky,” Sebastian said carefully, “are you sure?”
She didn’t hesitate. “Positive, but I want to meet with her, too. I have some conditions.”
CHAPTER 15
I continued my pacing in Sebastian’s office.
“Is there anything I need to know about the Aufero?” he asked, his phone in hand.
He wanted to know if we’d killed anyone Marcia cared about. I shook my head. “Sky retrieved it on her own.” His eyes widened in surprise as I continued, “There’s no liability for the pack. Marcia will try to blame us, but she is now aware that Sky is a Moura. She can’t deny her right to the orb.”
He nodded and made the call. To say that Marcia was furious was an understatement. After several minutes of accusations and threats, he made our position clear; we recognized only the Moura’s right to possess the Aufero. Marcia had no inherent right to it, but if she was interested in obtaining the Aufero legitimately, the Moura was willing to trade. She agreed to meet us, but under specific and insulting conditions. Under the pressure of time, we had no choice but to agree.
A short time later, Sebastian, Sky, Winter, and I approached a windowless dark van in a shopping mall parking lot. I recognized the driver and his passenger, who had accompanied Bernard on his visit to the retreat. Once locked in the van, we were blind and trapped. Only Sky seemed comfortable with the situation.
Once the van was underway, I started the timer on my phone. Winter and I both made digital notes of the stops and turns and time taken between actions, until the van finally came to rest ten minutes later. After the meeting, we’d compare notes and attempt to plot Marcia’s secret location.
The van door opened and we emerged into a windowless garage. From there, we were led down a dark hallway, through an empty room toward an open door. Sebastian crossed the threshold first. Even before he gasped, I’d felt the powerful magic emanating from the room. As I entered behind him, I felt the weight of the oppressive magic engulf me, forcing my wolf into retreat. Glancing around the room, I saw the source of the magic, dozens of powerful runes painted onto the walls. The stench of henna, tannin, and metal hung in the stale air.
All five members of the Creed were present, seated at a long banquet table lit by muted gas lamps on the wall behind them. Marcia sat in the middle, glowering from her ornate, rune-carved wooden chair that was raised slightly higher than the others in a gross display of authority. Several servants were in the room as well, Bernard among them. At a nod from one of the Creed—a dark-haired Korean woman—Bernard walked to the heavy metal door, closed it, and locked it.
Marcia waved toward the rune-covered wall. “You will not be able to change, we’ve assured that. Perhaps that will ensure our safety and prevent us from being accosted by animals that do not respond to our magic.”
Sebastian maintained a calm demeanor, but I recognized the hard set of his jaw, the thick cords of muscle in his neck. He didn’t like being cut off from his animal any more than I did. Winter chafed as well, while Sky was unsurprisingly calm; she’d spent a great deal of her life trying to hide from her wolf.
Marcia extended her hand toward Sky. “You promised me the Aufero if I met with you.”
Sebastian answered the childish ploy with an exaggerated sigh. “You said that you wanted the Aufero in exchange for meeting with us. I applaud the confidence you have in your presence.” He made an overt gesture toward the runes. “However, I made it clear that it is yours if you help us. Are we going to have a discussion, or should we leave?”
Sky drew the orb from her pocket, displaying it in her open palm. Greed flashed in Marcia’s eyes, but she remained still, posturing. The lustful drum of her heart betrayed her. Like all witches, she craved power above all else. After a moment, she tore her gaze from the orb and clasped her hands in front of her.
When she spoke, her tone was rich with contempt and scorn. “What can we do for you?”
“I need your help,” Sebastian said.
“I figured that much. At some point, do you plan to offer specifics?”
A hint of a smile creased his lips. “Samuel is in town.”
I watched the Creed closely, gauging their reactions. None of them were surprised or even concerned. Odd, considering the resources they spent attempting to monitor him, as we did.
“Yes, we are aware of this,” she admitted with an unexpected smirk. “I am sure when he has acquired whatever he came to town to retrieve, he will leave as quietly as he arrived.”
Does she know that he has my brother? I te
nsed, clenching and releasing my fists to calm myself.
“He has Josh and is threatening to kill him.”
Marcia eased back into her chair, her expression smug. “Well, that hardly seems any concern of ours.”
“He is a witch. It is your concern. Do you not have a duty to protect your own?”
“Josh is no more a witch than you all are Homo sapiens. The world sees one face in the daylight, but when the moon is full, Mercury rises, or the world is eclipsed, your true being is exposed. He is not one of us. When I was being brutalized by that”—she glanced scornfully at Sky—“where was Josh to muzzle the rabid dog?”
Sky licked her lips, trying to let the insult slide. She seemed oblivious to the faint glow that arose from the orb in her hand, but the buildup of magic there wasn’t lost on the Creed. They rose from their chairs in alarm just as the banquet table slid into their stomachs, forcibly pressing them against the wall.
Sebastian and Winter turned agape to Sky, who stared at the glowing orb in equal surprise.
At a gesture from the Creed, the table flew across the room toward us. We just ducked beneath it, letting it clatter to the floor at the back of the room.
Marcia’s cheeks flushed as she roared, “That is unacceptable! You come here for favors and you allow one of your were-animals who is able to control magic to come here. Now you see what happens when an animal is given gifts that belong to those that have a civil nature.”
“I apologize,” Sky stammered, genuinely taken aback. “That was unintentional. Please do not let my poor manners be a death sentence for Josh. I am sorry.” She lowered her head in supplication, but I saw a slight smile tug at the corner of her lips.
Another time and place, I would’ve enjoyed her display of power, but there was too much at stake.
Marcia remained on her feet, fuming, while Bernard hurriedly picked up her chair and placed it behind her. The rest of the Creed picked up their chairs as well. After a long, violent glare at Sky, Marcia sat with regal finality as she declared, “This meeting is over.”
Midnight Shadows Page 27