by Cecy Robson
“Left. Go left!” Liam hollers.
“You don’t get it,” Gemini explains. He keeps his cool, but Gem’s like that. “Whatever Mimi did twisted your neck twice in a row. You’re lucky your spine didn’t rupture through the skin.”
“Oh,” Liam says. “That makes more sense. Just hurry up. My wolf is ready to sink his fangs into your throats and spit out your larynxes.”
One crunch follows three snaps with a crack in between. It takes some doing on Gem’s part, until Liam’s head is square on his shoulders where it belongs. His neck is a little longer, but it’s not so bad. It was a decent attempt.
I lower myself to where Celia is sitting with her head between her knees. “See?” I tell Celia. “No problem. Now, all Gemini has to do is locate the extra bone, dig it out of his skin and we’re good to go.”
“Oh, gawd,” Celia groans.
She falls to her side, holding herself up with her arms. I lift her hair away from her face, thinking she’s going to throw-up and maybe die like Koda said. He’s right, these humanish things are fragile.
“Don’t die,” I tell her, shaking her shoulder.
She’s breathing hard. Why is she breathing so hard?
“Please,” I say. “You can’t die.”
Celia gulps several times. I shake her again, this time harder. “I like you, okay? I know we only just met, but I really like you.”
She stills, just not in a way that makes me feel better. “You’re pretty,” I tell her, averting my gaze. “But you probably already know that. You’re also nice and smart and good. The way you helped my friends and fought by my side, it meant a lot—” I mutter out a curse. “Just stay with me. I want you with me.”
I shake her when she gasps. “Don’t leave me, Celia. Not like this.”
“Aric,” she says through clenched teeth. “I’m not going to die. But I may puke if you keep shaking me.”
I yank my hand away. “Sorry. I wasn’t trying to kill you.”
Celia lifts her head. “Kill me?”
“Yeah,” I reply, like it’s obvious. “Koda says you’re fragile and that vomiting kills your kind.”
“My kind?”
“Uh, huh.” Folks, that’s all I have.
She makes this strangling sound. I think she’s getting sick, but then she starts laughing, really laughing, falling to the ground and holding her sides.
Her hair falls all over her face as she cracks up, tears rolling down her face. “Wolf,” she says, trying to gather her breath between words. “I sprout fangs and claws. Trust me when I say it’s going to take a lot more than puking to kill me.”
She pushes up into a sitting position, her laughter dissolving when she gets a good look at Liam. “His neck is longer.”
I crouch beside her. “It happens sometimes when your head gets pulled too far. His wolf grew him an extra vertebra.” I take another good look. “Or three. No worries. Liam will just have to wear more turtlenecks.”
Celia slowly turns to me. “That’s your advice? Wear more turtlenecks?”
I don’t really see the problem here, but she seems really put off by my suggestion. “His dad can break off the extra pieces when he gets home. He’s better with mending than we are.”
Celia starts to rise, her knees practically knocking together. “That’s great, Aric. Real great. Glad to hear poor Liam won’t be stuck wearing turtlenecks the rest of his life.”
Celia is almost to her feet when the sound of thunder roars from the sky and lightning strikes the earth, knocking us to the ground.
From the center of the garden, a hooded figure rises, her eyes glowing and her staff pointed at my heart. “Who dares to enter my domain?” her angry voice booms.
I grab Celia’s hand, yanking her to her feet.
Mimi has returned, and she is pissed.
Chapter Ten
Celia hisses low and deep, nails as sharp as daggers and as long as her hands protruding from her fingers. She’s ready to fight. I’m not ready to let her. I step in front of her, blocking her with my body.
“Don’t move,” I warn.
More lightning. More thunder. More blood-curdling screams. “Dare you threaten me in my domain?”
Mimi has her evil hag persona firmly in place and she’s not dropping it any time soon. I’m not sure what she’s up to, and I’m not convinced she won’t attack. I stalk forward, knowing that whatever she’s up to, I’ll fare better than Celia.
Mimi levitates a foot off the ground, tendrils of gray and white smoke twisting and streaming from the hem of her dress and branching toward us like tentacles. Her glowing eyes narrow at my approach. “I know you,” she croaks.
She’s being formal. Fair enough. I straighten to my full height, balling my hands into tight fists, letting her know I’ll retaliate if provoked.
I tilt my head as a sign of respect from one powerful being to another. “I’m Aric Connor. Son of Aidan and Eliza Connor, purebred and Leader, future Alpha and protector of this young woman.”
Mimi pulls back her hood. Whatever magic she used to light her eyes recedes as clumps of curly gray and white hair spill down her back. Her dark beady eyes blink back at me behind a long, crooked nose and a face that carries over a hundred years of wrinkles.
She smiles, her gray lips pulling back to reveal her crooked teeth and all the mischief she’s known for. Mimi was never afraid to embrace the stereotype of a hag. I admire her for it, in a way. My issue with Mimi is that she’s nuts and one hex shy of a public stoning.
“I know you,” Mimi repeats, eyeing Celia without fear. “You’re the one they want.”
Every muscle in my frame clenches. “They can’t have her.”
I don’t know who they are, but no one is hurting Celia. Not while I’m around.
Mimi descends to the ground, the tendrils beneath her dress disappearing in a cloud as her small feet hit the battered soil. She shuffles toward Celia. I growl a warning, as do Koda and Gemini, who are suddenly there, urging Celia behind them.
Mimi waves her hand dismissively, as if we’re mere pests and not werewolves capable of tearing her apart.
“Hey, Aunt Mimi,” Liam says.
“Liam,” she says. She lifts her head, cackling when she gets a good look at his neck. “You’re looking taller, boy.”
Liam gives us a wink. “Told you I was her favorite.”
From one blink to the next, I’m at Celia’s side. Celia is small, but she’s a good head above Mimi’s bent frame. Celia tilts her head, something she sees in Mimi dissolving her long nails so that only her short human nails remain.
“You went hunting,” Mimi tells her, any semblance of humor long forgotten. She gingerly shakes her head when Celia falls perfectly still. “If you don’t learn to control your beast as you should, you will die as the dark ones intend.”
“The dark ones?” I ask. My teeth grind, making it hard to speak. “Who are they, Mimi?”
Mimi’s attention is lost on Celia. “So young,” Mimi says. “Too young to be cursed by so much evil.”
Celia’s chest rises and falls in pained intakes and exhales of breath. “You made the earth to shake and signaled the bad winds to form,” Mimi tells her. “The dark ones whisper your name and beg creatures bred of sin and malice to spill your blood.”
The cold scent of shock fills my nose. My friends withdraw, exchanging glances. I stay put, waiting for Celia to explain, despite sensing the truth to Mimi’s claims.
Celia’s voice trembles. “I didn’t do any of this. You have to believe me.” She’s no longer speaking to Mimi. She’s talking to me. “Please, Aric. I didn’t cause the storms or earthquakes. I don’t conjure magic. The only magic I possess stays within me.”
Mimi watches Celia closely. There’s no fear or malice glinting in her dark eyes, but there is enough to guess Mimi understands what’s happening and that we came to the right place.
“You can’t wield it, girl,”
Mimi agrees. “But you and your sisters bathe in it.” She cackles when Celia’s eyes widen. “Yes, you do, precious. Yes, you do.”
Mimi cackles again, this time with enough crazy to stand the hairs on the back of my neck at attention. “Celia can change,” I begin.
“I don’t speak of the tiger lurking inside of her,” Mimi says. “The same beast who compels her to torture and maim.”
The growl that escapes my chest is primal, my wild side begging to sink our fangs into Mimi’s flesh for the insult. I’m no fool. I know Celia is capable of killing—especially if she has no choice. She has the weapons, the ability, and the strength. But torture? No. Not this sweet, pretty thing who touches me like I can break—who blushes as easily as she breathes and who won’t be seen without clothes.
“Celia wouldn’t do that,” I snarl.
Mimi grins with all the crazy she’s famous for. “Are you sure, young wolf, son of our most cherished Aidan and Eliza?”
Celia bows her head, glaring at the ground even as humiliation shrinks her small form inward.
I hate the way Mimi is talking to her, saying things about Celia that don’t make sense. I’m ready to draw first blood and demand an apology. Except Celia isn’t denying Mimi’s allegations. Her lips purse tight, as terror and shame overtake her.
Terror and shame that I now know her secrets.
“Celia?” I say, my tone more wolf than man. “What did you do?”
She lifts her chin, her resolve seconds from crumbling, while her voice remains firm as stone. “I did what I had to.”
She addresses Mimi, her features softening. “I may have done some of those things you claim, but I didn’t cause those storms and I sure as anything didn’t summon those skinwalkers.”
Mimi straightens up and howls with laughter. “No. But if you wonder why they came, I can show you. Or do you prefer to remain in the dark with your pretty eyes closed?” Again, Mimi laughs, the animated and shrilled pitch scraping down my spine. “If knowledge is what you seek, come with me and I will give it.”
Mimi stretches out her long, twisted fingers. I half expect a red shiny apple to form in her palm. I snag Celia’s hand, no longer willing for her to have a bite of anything Mimi is offering.
Celia looks at me then back at Mimi, appearing torn.
“Come, child,” Mimi says, motioning Celia toward her mess of a home. “Come and seek what you came for.”
I pull Celia away from Mimi’s reach. Mimi slaps my arm. “Stop it, Aric Connor. No harm will come to her by me.” She turns around, shuffling toward her cave and what remains of the splintered door. “Here, kitty, kitty,” she sings. “There is much to discuss, much to see, much to smoke.”
“Smoke?” we say.
“Nice,” Liam adds.
Our response earns us another cackle. Liam shrugs and strolls after Mimi. “We came for answers. Mimi wants to give them. Worst case scenario we get something to eat and we go home.” He pauses and glances over his shoulder. “Or she mounts Celia’s head on her wall. Either way, Mimi always has plenty of snacks.”
I’m ready to break Liam’s neck all over again. Koda’s strong grasp on my shoulder keeps me in place, but it’s Gemini’s words that snag my attention. “Don’t be afraid, Celia,” he tells her. “I’ll never let anything happen to you.”
Shock drives a stake through my heart and maybe jealousy, too. I shouldn’t react like this. He means well, except . . .
“We’ll all keep her safe,” Koda interjects. He drops his hand away from my shoulder. “I don’t know what’s going on either, Aric. And believe me, I’m less excited about being here than I was this morning. But Celia helped us. We need to help her.” He motions Gemini forward. “Let’s go. We’ll take point in front.”
“Aric,” Celia says. “About what Mimi said. I . . . there’s a lot more you don’t know.”
She’s worried my opinion of her will change. “I’m not going to leave you,” I promise.
She doesn’t look convinced, even as we walk toward Mimi’s home.
We step inside the cave behind Gemini and Koda. The only light trickles in through the mouth of the cave.
Until the battered door reforms, swallowing us in darkness.
Chapter Eleven
My eyes adjust to the darkness almost immediately. The cave is nothing more than a large open space. There’s a cot in the corner and some dusty old books piled beside it to form a bedside table. An old beat-up Native American rug lies beside the bed and round, giant pillows circle a firepit made of river rocks.
Mutilated owls hang from the ceiling. There are no strings that I can see, but I do sense the power keeping them in place. I scan each one. None seem to have been hunted. It’s more like they were injured or died from disease or age.
Mimi lowers herself onto a pillow and immediately a fire erupts in the pit, casting shadows along her crooked nose and deep-set eyes. Liam plops down beside her. I exchange glances with Koda and Gemini, nodding once to give them the okay to sit. Koda lowers himself next to Liam, Gemini next to Mimi. I sit beside Gemini.
It’s a strategic move, leaving Celia positioned in front of Mimi with the fire between them. It’s the furthest from Mimi that I can place Celia, but it doesn’t seem far enough.
My attention hones on the wall behind Mimi where a human head is mounted. His brown hair is ruffled, his eyes are missing, and his skin is pulled taught against the skull.
Liam nudges Koda with his elbow and points to it. “That’s my Uncle Donald. He wasn’t a nice guy,” he whispers, oblivious to Koda’s slacking jaw.
Mimi grins, amused. She turns and lifts a large, flat wicker basket and places it just a few inches from the fire. Dry leaves, the size of platters are carefully stacked within the basket, some brown, others a deep yellow, and some so black they appear seconds from disintegrating.
The basket wasn’t there before. I’m sure of it. I place my hands in front of me, cautious of what else may appear and ready to act if it has fangs.
Mimi chuckles, taking pleasure in our unease. “May I offer you some tea?” she asks.
“No. Nope. No thank you. I’m good,” we say.
Except for Liam. “Got any chicken?”
“Tea and smoke, now, Liam,” Mimi says. “Food when we finish.”
“Sounds good, Aunt Mimi.” Liam does a double-take when Koda glares at him. “What?”
Mimi smiles, fixing her attention on Celia. “What did you see at the end of the alley?” she asks. “When you had that man who reeked of sweat and whisky by the throat?” She reaches into the sleeve of her cloak and pulls out a teacup and a saucer painted with big pink roses, the edges, once rimmed with gold, chipped and cracked. Steam rises from the cup and Mimi takes a sip. “Tell me, when you felt the small bones break beneath your hold and he begged for mercy, what came to seek your soul?”
I hate how Mimi is speaking to Celia. It’s not just what she says, it’s how Celia reacts. She resumes that pained breathing. Anyone can see Celia didn’t take pleasure in what she did, and that it came at the cost of her conscience.
“Be nice,” I tell Mimi, my words clipped.
Mimi loses her smile, but not all the crazy. “My dear boy, this is me being nice.”
I’m ready to leave and drag Celia with me, but the moment I reach for her hand, she shakes her head in a way that tells me she’s not going anywhere.
“I don’t remember much,” Celia says, appearing to lose all her strength in the memory. “I was in an alley. I looked up and there was someone there.”
Mimi takes another sip of tea, her motions dainty, her voice anything but. “Who?”
“I don’t know,” Celia answers. “She was more like a blur or an apparition. Dark. I have the feeling she was a woman, but I never saw her face. Behind her, something else appeared. She was also blurry.”
“She?” Mimi asks.
“They were both females. I don’t know how I know. I just do
,” Celia explains. “The one shrouded in white light was taller and very thin. Her hair was long and dark, past her shoulders.”
“What else?” Mimi asks, when Celia stops.
Celia lowers her lashes. “That’s all I remember before I woke up here.”
Mimi carefully sets her tea and saucer down. It makes a clink when it touches the floor, but then it’s gone.
“Then we must indeed smoke.” She reaches for one of the giant leaves in her basket, faded yellow with a deep gold center. She twists it a few times by the stem, examining the veins closely before frowning and exchanging it for a brown one that curves into itself.
With an expert flick of her hand, Mimi tosses the large leaf into the fire. Sparks fly and the flames immediately attack the edges. I expect it to disintegrate. Instead, the leaf is slow to burn, releasing smoke in long, lazy tendrils.
Mimi closes her eyes and deeply inhales. “Ah, this shall be a good one,” she says. She fans the smoke, closer to where Liam sits beside her.
Liam, because he hasn’t made enough of a scene, starts laughing his ass off about the same time my legs turn to sand. Mimi cackles and everything slows down. Her laugh, our breathing, even the dead owls swinging above us.
“We have to get out here,” I slur.
Koda staggers to his feet and face plants to my left.
Liam falls onto his back, snoring. Gemini crawls toward the cot and away from the door, knocking the stack of Mimi’s books over before collapsing. I’m sitting, swaying, unable to push to my feet, but somehow still upright.
“Aric,” Celia moans.
I catch her in my arms when she tips over. “Something’s wrong,” she says.
I dig my heels into the dirt floor of the cave, trying to drag us away from the smoke. I fall over, still holding Celia, Mimi’s cackling face fading in and out until I surrender to sleep.
My eyes blink open after what feels like a long hibernation. I’m lying on my stomach on a wooden floor beside an old bed. Toys litter the floor. A red plastic phone, colorful blocks with cartoon animals and letters, and dolls that have received plenty of love and attention. A roach skitters between a pair of discarded sneakers.