by Kym Grosso
“What about the wolves?”
“Probably just rogues for hire.”
“She asked to see Ilsbeth,” Jake told him. There was no fucking way he was going to see the witch.
“The witch is dangerous. She was responsible for what happened in New York. Mick may have carried out her deeds but she’d spurred his creation. She’d taught him.”
“That bitch has been doing bad things as long as I’ve known her. She blackmails people into giving them pieces of their bodies, their souls. She’s got a whole mad scientist lab goin’ over at her place. Dimitri gave her fur from his wolf. She’s got vampire fangs. I think Ilsbeth already did something to Kai. Her blood. Have you seen it?”
Quintus nodded, reached for a mug and sipped his coffee.
“It’s gold. Who the hell bleeds gold?” Jake asked. He threw his head backwards and blew out a breath. “This is some freaky shit. I’m tellin’ you right now, Quint. You might as well know. Logan is going to be coming over here in about forty-five minutes and he’s going to want to interrogate Kai. And I must be losing my fucking mind because I’m about to text him and tell him not to come over. You know damn well I shouldn’t do that. I’m a fucking idiot for getting involved with her. What wolf tells their Alpha no?”
“One who is also an Alpha,” Quintus countered. He picked up a white powdered treat and bit into it. “Goddess, I missed these things. They don’t make them like this anywhere in the world.”
Jake stared out the windows onto the horizon, contemplating the vampire’s statement. Alpha. Although it may have been true, Acadian Wolves was not his pack to lead.
“I can’t let her see Ilsbeth,” Jake stated, his mind drawn back to the witch.
“I agree. But it’s very possible there are no others who can help Kai.”
“Have you even seen Ilsbeth?” Jake asked. He reached for a beignet and pointed it at Quintus. “Because three months ago, when I found her, she was a shell. And when I say a shell, I mean she didn’t recognize me, wasn’t speaking. Just naked and shaking out in the middle of the fucking woods. I don’t even know how the hell she got there.”
“Why didn’t you kill her?”
“Because,” he paused; his lips tensed as he recalled the dichotomy of emotion that had seized him when he’d found her, “I’ve been around a long time too, Quint. I’ve been to war. I’ve seen the very best and the very worst in people. I’ve seen kids who carried bombs into villages, knowing they’d kill others. But I’ve also seen these same kids, you know, before they were forced into a life of death. They weren’t born evil. And Ilsbeth? Despite what she did to Dimitri, and it was as evil as you get, she tried to fix things. She tried to stop Mick. And before that, she’s helped Kade over the years. I don’t know…it wasn’t up to me to kill her.”
“So you’re saying she’s pure?” Quintus gave a skeptical laugh.
“Hell no. She’s one manipulative bitch. But her last act had been one of benevolence, so to speak. Forced to make a choice, I chose mercy. It wasn’t an easy decision, man, trust me.”
“And this is why you will be Alpha.”
“Ilsbeth is alive,” Jake continued, ignoring him. “But I’m tellin’ you, there’s no way the coven was taking her back the way she was, not as witch anyway. Honestly, I don’t think she’d be breathin’ had Jax suspected she held any power.”
“Kai needs a spell,” Quintus stated. “You both need each other. Finding Shilan will not prove easy. But it’s going to be even more difficult if she’s not cloaked. Her power is like a beacon to others. Kasdeya is not the only vampire who will seek to taste her. Others, they may seek her out. There’s no telling what could happen.”
“I’ll call Luca Macquarie’s mate, Samantha. She’s powerful.”
“But she’s new.”
“Maybe, but she’s heading up the coven down here. I hear the vamp isn’t too happy about it either.” Jake bit down into the sugary delight.
“Luca has always been a bit protective but he’ll have no choice but to help Kai. I will see to it.”
“Listen, I have to ask you. What went down in New York? It’s not like you’re small change. Why don’t you just help Kai on your own? Leave me out of it.”
“I have many powers, this is true. But if wolves have stolen or hidden Shilan, it would be easier for a wolf to find her. You’re an Alpha. Your dominance over the actions of the pack is essential. I can tear a wolf limb from limb…”
“Easy,” Jake coughed.
“Well, this is true. And if it’s a human, I can drain them until there is nothing but skin.”
“Jesus.” Jake held up the pastry. “Breakfast. Eating.”
“You get my point. I can fight. This I can do. But the wolves, I cannot make them tell me anything, and then there is Kasdeya. Her craft is strong. She’s grown powerful over the years. To go against her alone? Perhaps I will win. But she holds many secrets. I need an ally and so do you.”
“And in the end, we are doing all this to save some glow chick?”
“As I’ve said, I cannot disclose everything to you now. Kai must choose to trust you. If her gift falls into the wrong hands, packs across the country will be at risk.”
“If this is true, why not tell Logan?”
“Because he is Alpha of Acadian wolves. You, however, are the Alpha of Anzober Wolves.” Quintus held a palm up, silencing the expected protest. “I felt your strength in New York, as did Jax. You may not have accepted your destiny, but you soon won’t be able to deny it. Your beast rises.”
Jake turned his gaze to the Mississippi, the sun reflecting off its surface. New Orleans had always been his home, yet his wolf had changed. No longer would it be satisfied to be counted equal within the pack. It sought to lead, and would roam to find its own fate.
“Your connection with Kai, I cannot be certain, but she is drawn to you for other reasons. Your magick complements hers.”
Jake’s focus snapped back to Quintus, quickly inferring his meaning. “Hold up there. If you’re saying what I think you’re trying to say…no. She’s not my mate. I don’t know what the hell she is but she’s not a wolf.”
“I’m not saying that. I’m only saying you may have a connection. There are many things we cannot explain. It is too soon to tell,” Quintus countered.
“It’s simple. Wolves only mate with wolves, and Kai isn’t lupine. We may have some cosmic tie through the universe but it’s no different than you and me. And hell, we aren’t even friends.”
“Don’t discount the possibility. We just shared a meal. Who knows what else we shall share?” Quintus laughed.
“You’re as full of secrets as Kai is. When the two of you start sharing with me, then we’ll talk about being friends.”
“Speaking of which, the house is quiet. Where is she?” Quintus asked.
Jake closed his eyes, panic rising in his chest. He’d heard the shower running when he’d made the coffee, and noted the creaking above him while they’d talked. Yet the distinctive sound of silence filled the room, and as he concentrated, reaching for her as if she were a wolf, he knew for certain she’d disappeared.
“She’s gone.” Jake’s eyes flew wide open and locked on the vampire. “How the hell did she get out of here?”
Quintus smiled and shook his head. “The same way she got from California to New Orleans. She’s testing her abilities.”
“Why the hell did she leave? I told her I’d help her.” Jake slammed his palms onto the kitchen table, and stood. He strode over to the sliding patio doors and pressed his hands to the glass. Ilsbeth. “The witch. Kai heard us talking. I told her we weren’t going.”
“She’s strong. Determined.”
“She’s got a death wish. Look Quintus, I know you’ve been out of things for a while. I heard as much from Jax. But I’m tellin’ ya, Ilsbeth is not to be messed with.”
Quintus pressed onto his feet and approached Jake. “She’s in New Orleans. Where would Kai go first?”
&nb
sp; “Well, considering she had nothing to wear, who the hell knows? But given this is New Orleans, depending where she is, no one may pay her any mind.” Frustrated, he sighed. He’d pushed her this morning, denying her sex. He’d sensed her desire. It had taken everything for him to walk away from her. “Jesus Christ. You know she could be anywhere.”
“Where’s the witch?”
“Leo said something about Samantha taking care of her but there’s no way Luca would have her at his place. No way. Not with the new baby. Ilsbeth used to have a mansion in the Garden District, but I heard they’d renovated it after things went to shit in New York. The place…” Jake recalled searching her home with Jax and Katrina. It had been a labyrinth of magick and secret passageways. “Let me call Sam and Luca. See if they know where she’s at. I doubt Logan even knows, because none of us wanted anything to do with her.”
“Jake,” Quintus said, stroking his beard. His eyes went to the wolf.
“Yeah?”
“Kai’s going to need you. What she did today? Materializing, it’s only the beginning. Like a caterpillar, she will morph. It may be that her spell is broken. Or perhaps the energy of this city has called to her, but her abilities will grow. She will need your guidance.”
“You keep talkin’ like that but again, she’s not a wolf.” Jake reached for his cell phone and slid a finger across the glass.
“She will reveal herself to you. She’s a chosen creature. Fierce yet fragile. One in need of a master.”
“Did you ever hear the expression, ‘less is more’? Ya see, that right there. This ‘chosen creature’ bullshit. That’s where you lose me. Now maybe you weren’t born one but even y’all vamps are made. Shifters are bred. Witches are born, with rare exceptions like Sam.”
“The Goddess, she chooses. You will see, Alpha.” Quint gave a knowing smile, but didn’t elaborate.
Jake shook his head, frustrated with the vampire’s enigmatic words. He wasn’t convinced Kai would ever tell him what she was, and although he didn’t necessarily trust Quintus, the vampire had proven himself to be an ally in the past. Kai would have to learn to trust him if he was going to help her. Submission was instinctive to most wolves yet she had no such heritage. His wolf growled, asserting his dominance, and Jake suspected he’d enjoy making her submit.
Chapter Six
Kai slid behind the clothing display, and selected an off the shoulder, black maxi dress. She smiled at the quirky saleswoman, who wore an artificial flower in her hair. Giving a quick nod, the woman pointed to the dressing room, ushered her in and closed the door. Kai leaned against the wall, clutching the envelope of cash she’d received from the gold dealer down the street.
Her mind played over how she’d left Jake’s house. After she’d taken a shower, she’d rummaged through his drawer, and donned a pair of his shorts as well as one of his large t-shirts. She’d cracked the bedroom door open, and had heard the vampire discussing her with the wolf. Listening, a sense of appreciation for their concern washed over her, but as soon as they’d brought up Ilsbeth, she went cold. Why the vampire wouldn’t reveal her secrets to Jake, she wasn’t certain. Yet they both knew that she needed protection. Kai didn’t have the energy to argue with them, nor would she allow two men to determine what she did and didn’t do.
She’d returned to the bedroom, frustrated and angry. Everything she’d owned was lost in San Francisco, and she needed money. But as she caught sight of her necklace curled on his dresser, she’d hoped to engineer an escape. Kai had always worn a gold chain, a reminder of her innate powers. She never took advantage of her gift, but its existence was a safety net. For as long as she could remember, the fine metal had emanated from her pores, and she controlled it like the moon did the tides. The magick came from within, and she’d let her power morph the elements, multiplying it within her hands. Within seconds she’d created enough gold to exchange for money.
Although she’d only materialized once, it had been enough to teach her the basics. Wearing only Jake’s shorts and a shirt, she transported herself out of his home, settling onto the rocks on the riverfront, near Jackson Square. She’d taken several minutes to compose herself before trekking her way to Royal Street in search of a dealer who’d give her compensation for the thickened gold necklace. After making the exchange, with nearly fifteen hundred in cash, she made a beeline for an electronics store, picking up a new cell phone, then headed straight to a clothing boutique.
Inside the changing room, Kai made quick work of getting dressed. It was just a matter of time before Jake and Quintus discovered she’d gone missing. The vampire had already demonstrated his formidable powers and Jake knew the city like the back of his hand. She wouldn’t be surprised if he’d alerted all of the wolves and set up a search. In New Orleans, most humans had no reason to be afraid of shifters, and were familiar with Acadian Wolves. Although Kai had deliberately chosen a shop with a human clerk, she couldn’t be sure the saleswoman wasn’t working with supernaturals.
With no time to waste, Kai opened the door and made her way toward the counter, snatching a canvas backpack and a pair of flip flops off a rack. Kai slid the saleswoman a hundred dollar bill, and stuffed the envelope and cell phone into her bag. By the time the clerk was finished making change, Kai was already out the door, flagging down a cab. Seconds lingered like hours as she slipped into the taxi and they pressed into the midday traffic. Tick tock. Tick tock. Her Alpha would come for her, she knew, but he’d have to find her on her terms. Kai sought the witch, would get the spell she needed and then she’d find her sister.
Kai stared up at the huge Victorian mansion. It had been over a hundred years since she’d stood in the same place, yet oddly, the home remained the same in many ways. She closed her eyes, attempting to reach out around her, sensing if any supernaturals were present. Although nothing registered, she suspected protective wards had been erected around the home.
She took a step onto the walkway, and immediately sensed the magick. It swirled around her like spun sugar in the air, thick and sweet, feminine in nature. As Kai set a foot onto the stairs and ascended to the wooden porch, she suspected that more than one witch was present in the home. From what she’d overheard Jake and Quintus discuss, Ilsbeth had been injured. No matter what they’d said, Kai couldn’t fathom the fierce witch incapacitated for very long. If she was breathing, she’d find a way back from whatever hell she’d seen.
Placing her palm on the beveled glass door, Kai tested the energy around the house. Her skin buzzed from the hum of magick. She raised her fist but before she had a chance to knock, the door opened.
“We’ve been expecting you, Miss Beckett,” an attractive young female greeted her. She flipped a lock of her thick blonde hair away from her perfectly painted face, ushering Kai into the foyer.
“Thank you. I’m here to see Ilsbeth,” she answered cautiously. This person was not Ilsbeth and although she appeared to be in her mid-twenties, it was likely she had lived many more years on this earth.
“Samantha will join you soon. She’s very busy this time of year. Many, many ceremonies will soon commence. Please.” She snapped her fingers, mumbling a word. The walls appeared to give way, opening to a sunny parlor.
Kai vaguely recalled the unique architecture, and was aware the home held many secrets. As she stepped into the room, she turned to her host. “I need to see Ilsbeth. She knows my name.”
“Samantha is aware of your existence, and is expecting you,” she repeated. “It’s a lovely time of year in New Orleans, don’t you agree?”
Flaky witch, she thought, recalling Jake’s dislike for their kind. At the time Ilsbeth had done the spell, Kai had respected her candor. Aware that the witch did nothing for free, Kai had willingly accepted the cost of the exchange. Somewhere in this house, Ilsbeth stored a vial of her blood, but the price had been well worth it.
“Excuse me, but do you know how long it will be before Ilsbeth can see me?” Kai asked, ignoring the female’s insistence that
Samantha would join them.
“My name is Holly. You know, like the plant,” she answered. Wearing nothing but a cropped t-shirt and cut-off jeans, the girl appeared to float across the room, and began setting teacups on a bar. “Would you like peppermint tea?”
“I…uh…I’m not thirsty,” Kai sighed.
“I much prefer peppermint in the summer. I know it seems like a winter tea but it’s quite refreshing. We have lemon if you’d like.”
“Really, it’s okay.” Kai was hesitant to ingest anything within the walls of the coven.
“Tea is good for the soul they say. Perhaps a special blend? Jasmine is quite relaxing.”
“Lemon. Lemon will be fine,” Kai responded, struggling to conceal her irritation.
“Lupines enjoy lemon as well.” Holly produced a pot of steaming water from behind the bar and poured it. She scooped loose tea from two different jars into silver tea strainers and set them into the cups.
“I’m sorry, what?” Kai asked, intrigued that the witch had brought up wolves.
“Funny, you would think they’d choose pumpkin, but I’ll say, they do prefer lemon.”
“I wouldn’t know anything about that.” Kai eyed the witch as she picked up the teacup, taking care to note she didn’t put anything in it. “Would you mind seeing to Ilsbeth? I don’t have a lot of time.”
“The attraction to a strong wolf can be irresistible, even to witches. Well of course we cannot bear them children, but it’s understandable, the desire to mate.” Holly crossed the room and set the cup onto a pewter tray that rested on a white chemise ottoman. “Please sit. Samantha will be here within minutes.”
Suspicious of the witch, Kai walked toward the sofa and gently sat on its edge, ready to attack if needed. She scanned the conservatory. Entirely made of windows, its cathedral ceiling sprawled two stories high. Beyond the glass, an elaborate garden flourished, and she imagined the witches held moonlight ceremonies in the privacy of the ivied walls.