by J. M. Davies
REVENGE OF THE WITCH
By J. M. DAVIES
This book is a work of fiction. Any reference to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2018 by J.M.Davies
Visit J.M.Davies official web-site http://www.jenniferowendavies.com/ for the latest news, book details, and other information.
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof
may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever
without the express written permission of the publisher
except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Printed in the United States of America
First Printing, 2018
ISBN
Author J.M.Davies
Cover Art provided by G.S.Prendergast.
Copyediting provided by Faith Williams from the Atwater Group.
Acknowledgements
Each book is a journey from beginning to end. I have a vision for the plot and development of characters, but it is only with the help of a faithful band of supporters that the story is brought to life. I want to thank Faith Williams my editor, and my cover artist Gabrielle Prendergast.
I want to mention my dear friend Dianne Donovan, who is an avid reader and has proofread my last several books, which gives me great peace of mind before publication. I want to thank my close writing friend Jennifer Smith, who provides invaluable feedback, which makes me a better writer.
I want to thank my sister Hilary Holland, who finds time to read my work and offer advice. I would like to thank my brother-in-law Chris Philips, a talented musician and song-writer who created, The Fall especially for this book. Finally, I have to say writing wouldn’t be possible without my brilliant husband Paul Davies, who believes in me and refuses to let me give up. Writing a book is a process that involves a team of people committed to its success, and I am grateful for each one.
Other books by J. M. Davies
The Rise of Orion Series
Capturing the Last Welsh Witch
The Witch’s Heart
The Vineyards of Allegretti
Diamonds in the Rough Series
Marnie’s Plan
CHAPTER ONE
The noxious cauldron of overpowering odors swirled around Ella, and she clamped a hand over her mouth to quench the need to vomit. Her ability to detect other life-forms by their distinctive smell wouldn’t help today during this unprecedented gathering when she needed to focus. To distract herself, she surveyed the rich elegant wood paneling that encased the lower half of the four sides of the room. Above, the walls were painted antique white and several works of art highlighted the rugged Maine coastline. A fast wave of nausea rolled over her, and she pushed the chair back from the long mahogany dining table, needing space from the eclectic array of humans’ and non-humans’ cloying scents.
“Steel, you called this gathering, and as members of the Assembly, we agreed to attend to discuss the catalogue of murders that are sweeping across the Northeast. I came to find answers. My people hold the humans responsible, but I have no desire for a bloodbath. However, a line has been crossed. If the deaths persist, there will be retaliation. Among the dead are werewolves and vampires, but where are the human casualties? The laws of the Assembly forbid us to harm them, and I’m doing my best to restrain my people from seeking revenge, but the numbers are rising. Do you have the answer we seek?” Roman, the mysterious prince of the Northern territories of vampires, shouted. Several fists slammed on the table, making it vibrate, along with angry bellows from several of the other guests.
“Let me explain,” Ben Steel said.
“Steel, please, let me answer this. I am Alexander Blake, from the US government—well, a covert section called the Watchmen. Yeah, before you say it, I don’t like the name either, but it explains what we do. My department watches for unusual events, or occurrences, and we investigate. We are aware of other entities on Earth and have been for decades. Until now, we have been merely observing your interaction with our kind with minimal intervention. However, humans are being systematically murdered too. We have unsolved cases that bear the same MO as yours. The details are secret, because we don’t want to start a mass panic with the general public, but the numbers sufficient to render my direct involvement. The autopsies revealed that each victim died from a fatal toxin that we haven’t encountered before and have no vaccine against. We have no alternative but to become allies, and we are as impatient for answers as you.”
Ella watched as the room fell silent, and heads nodded in agreement.
“I am King Zayn Atreyu of the Tuatha De Danann, or the Fae. We are here at the behest of our Goddess Danu, who urged us to assist where we can. We are not yet affected by any suspicious deaths, but I fear it is only a matter of time. I agree we need to join together to protect our people.” The king—by far the largest of the creatures in the room, all taut muscle, long, dark braided hair that fell beyond his broad shoulders, with a matching braided beard and a fierce, unyielding face—glared at the others.
A snicker of laughter came from a young man with a pleasant smile who sat opposite to him. All eyes feasted upon him as he pointed at the king of the Fae.
“You—you are the king of the fairies?” The light, high-pitched voice echoed around the hushed room.
King Zayn shot up out of his chair, highlighting his impressive six-foot-seven stature, every inch a conqueror in his mud-brown attire as he leaned over the table to grab the impudent man. “No one calls us fairies. We are the Fae, you inbred,” he growled.
“Inbred…who are you calling inbred? I am a shifter, you ignorant oaf.”
The king jumped up onto the table and grabbed the man clean out of his seat, lifting him until he held the scrawny man by the scruff of his neck.
“Let me go…I meant no offense. I thought it ironic, that’s all. You’re a powerful giant, more like an ogre than the Fae.” He struggled with the king’s hands that gripped his shirt collar.
Steel bolted up, along with Alexander, ready to restore order and intervene should they need.
“For Christ’s sake, Zayn, get off the damn table before it breaks, and let go of Robert. We do not have time to bicker like children. This will get us nowhere,” Steel commanded.
An undercurrent of impatience, agitation, and distrust filtered out across the remaining faces of the striking men and women. Zayn released his hold on Robert and leaped down to resume his seat and grunted. Robert stared at everyone, smoothed his shirt and bowed before his audience before he resumed his position. A dazzling smile broke out across his face as he gave a sideway glance at the stunning blonde next to him, who offered him a glass of water, which he sipped.
Ella assessed the room and wondered how they would be able to work together if they couldn’t even have a civilized conversation.
The Assembly formed the government for the supernatural races. There were strict laws to ensure a peace remained between the various sects and clans, but there were rumors of internal disquiet and unrest. Everyone focused on Steel, who held a natural command. All except the fine-boned, pale lady who sat quiet at the other end of the table, with her vivid blue eyes and serene face firmly fixed upon Ella.
Ella blinked to disconnect the ethereal beauty’s enchanting gaze. Lady Tenille was the leader of the Ancient ones and her name meant “She who brings light.” The woman reminded Ella of the Goddess Ariana in looks and composure. Needing air, she pushed the window up to let the cool bite from the early November air swirl around inside. Several seagulls
screeched as they flew in circles in the endless pale-blue sky. The overwhelming scents in the room weakened and the throbbing inside her head receded as voices roared and shouted behind her.
“We need more than idle words! We need proof and we need to know that we are safe here,” the vampire shouted.
A movement at her side and a squeeze at her shoulder let her know her husband—her lifeline—Marcus stood there. He hadn’t missed her discomfort, which didn’t surprise her. Being mated soul-shifters, they were in tune with each other’s thoughts and emotions, when they didn’t block each other. A simple touch from him and her body leaned into his. The swift desire for him to caress her everywhere thrummed deep inside. She gave an innocent smile, but her cheeks flamed. His tender brush across her cheek and soft smile acknowledged the fact he knew of his effect on her.
Are you okay?
She spun around, the nausea forgotten, and Marcus wrapped his arm around her waist, drawing her against his side. For a moment, she closed her eyes to absorb his vitality, and the rich earthy scent of him, which surrounded and grounded her. His presence settled her more than any medicine or fresh air ever would.
You make me better.
He cupped her face and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. Ever since her abduction and Nate’s delivery, Marcus’s protective instinct kept him on base rather than traveling on missions. His love for her and their son filled her heart. Losing Nate had almost torn them apart, but after they mated, they put aside their differences to stay together, determined to bring the Elusti down. Discovering their son alive healed the rift between them. But since Nate’s return, Marcus’s demeanor shifted. He was always good at keeping secrets—it stemmed back to his Navy SEAL training—but when she studied the chiseled cheeks and trimmed beard, a wave of guilt rose inside, and she couldn’t fathom why.
“We are here to find the answers everyone seeks. Alexander is to work alongside us, unofficially, of course, but the bottom line is we have to work together. Your enemy is our enemy. They are one and the same. The situation commands our attention above all else, and I give you my word that you’re safe here.”
“Fine words, Steel, but not everyone is focused. Your second-in-command cannot keep his hands off his woman while we are discussing war. Is this all that stands between us and destruction? I have serious concerns that remaining part of the Assembly and attempting to create this treaty is the best option for my people.” Roman glared at Ella.
Marcus stiffened next to her, but he didn’t release his arm from her waist. “Are your remarks aimed at me, helping the reason we’re here? My focus is on formulating a plan that will safeguard my family, like the rest of you. Just because I’m not sitting down doesn’t mean I am any less committed to finding an answer than you. Ella isn’t simply my woman; she’s my wife, the mother of my child, an agent of Orion, and the very reason this meeting is vital. We are soul-shifters and we have been hunted throughout history. My firstborn was abducted by the Elusti, only months ago. This group, led by the Padre, namely Mr. Larry Stein, is the enemy we face.”
“How do you know this?” Roman asked.
“Steel has proof. I have more reason than most inside this room to put an end to this infernal threat that hovers over us, and I won’t stop until we have a solution. I want our families and loved ones to be safe. In that, we are all united,” Marcus said in an unwavering tone.
Roman narrowed his gaze, observing Marcus and Ella. “We are united in the need to protect those who belong to us—yes, and do not forget that, because I, too, will stop at nothing to ensure that is the case.”
Ella assessed the razor-sharp features of the ice-cold man who they had tangled with once before and was Isabella’s fiancé. A complicated situation to say the least, as her best friend was infatuated with a human—Marcus’s Navy SEAL brother Jake. The vampire gave a curt nod.
“This meeting is designed to bring all the distinguished members of the Assembly together to establish an alliance to protect all our people. Your government created laws to maintain safety that have worked for centuries, but times are changing. We are here despite our differences, despite not trusting or even liking each other to ensure the threat we all face is extinguished. We believe the Elusti are behind the savage murders. Henry, will you bring the professor in, please?”
Ella watched Steel’s secretary, Henry—a slim human, clean-shaven with pale-blue eyes and ordinary features, which made him the odd one out in the room—as he rose from his seat and stepped outside. Ella swept her gaze back to Marcus, who frowned at her, concern etched on his face.
I know what ails you, sweetheart!
Puzzled, Ella followed his hand as he placed it over her flat belly in a protective manner, and he tightened his hold of her arm.
The potent bouquet in here is a bit much to stomach, and it’s my first day back to work, that’s all.
Even with day-old stubble that outlined his square jaw and purple shadows from sleepless nights, her husband was still the most breathtaking and commanding man she had ever met.
That’s not what I meant!
He was impossible to read when he hid his thoughts, which she suspected was second nature to him as an ex-Navy SEAL. To her dismay, she didn’t possess that gift and her emotions and thoughts were easy for him to read, which annoyed her.
Well, don’t keep me in suspense. What do you know that I don’t?
A high-pitched scream rent the air, and Marcus dropped his arm from around her waist. The red-headed witch Zephra, Isabella and Raine’s sister, fell back in her leather chair, shaking from head to foot and moaning. Steel leapt to his feet to help, but Raine signaled him to stop.
“Don’t! She is a Seer. If you touch her now, you will break the connection with the vision, and you could hurt her or yourself.” Raine clutched Steel’s wrist and their eyes held each other’s for a moment before she let go.
No one spoke as Zephra jerked back and forth in the chair. As the witch’s body convulsed, her face twisted into a mass of contortion, until she sagged back and lay still.
At last, Raine stroked her sister’s pale face and swept her long hair away. “Sister, tell us what you saw.”
The quiet atmosphere grew tense in anticipation and everyone studied the witch, who leaned forward to grip the end of the seat. Her red nails dug into the black leather. When Zephra blinked and opened her eyes, they were all white.
“I see crows, thousands of black crows, some sitting on a withered tree and the rest flying over an endless sea of virgin snow. A crimson river ruptures like an artery over the land. And when the sun disappears, no moon shall follow to bring light. It is the end of days…”
The witch snapped her eyes closed and slumped back into the chair. When she next glanced at the faces in the room, her eyes shone with their natural emerald-green, the same vivid shade as her sisters. Ella gripped Marcus’s hand and he led her back to the table to sit down.
“What the hell is that all about?” shouted Trent Le Var Bastian, leader of the werewolves, as he pushed out of his chair.
“Are you kidding me? This witch is predicting the end of days. You don’t expect us to believe that—that whatever you want to call it, is anything more than mumbo jumbo…” Robert Marsh smirked at the group as he lifted his glass to drink.
“Zephra is a gifted Seer. She doesn’t plan her visions; they simply are. This vision is not new. Is it, sister?” Raine said in a calm voice, resting her hand on her sister’s shoulder.
“No. My sister is correct. I don’t have control over what I see. The visions are random. All I know is that the number of crows is growing.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Roman shouted. He stood and sauntered away from the group, pushing his long coat behind him as he walked.
A confusing babble of questions and raised voices clashed around. But Ella fixed her line of vision on Robert, who remained oddly silent, but restless in his chair. He pulled and struggled with his shirt collar, as if it were too tight.
All the while, the color drained from his playful, chubby face. The man swallowed and his eyes flared wide with sudden realization as he stared at her with his hands clutched at his throat. Time suspended as she dashed toward him, but a strangled gurgle left his lips as his head fell back and he exhaled his last breath.
She was too late. A scream sounded out and she covered her mouth with a shaky hand. Pandemonium broke loose, with people clambering to get near the man. Steel, Alexander, and Marcus all fell upon Robert. But as Steel’s hand touched him, the man’s face turned ashen. Marcus and Steel tugged the man from the chair to the floor and began CPR, but as the minutes ticked by, they stopped.
“He’s gone,” Steel said as he panted.
Ella stared at Robert lying with his eyes wide open. One minute, he had been smiling and joking; the next, he lay dead. His terror permanently etched upon his youthful face for all to witness.
CHAPTER TWO
Marcus paced back and forth inside Steel’s office like a caged animal.
“The Assembly is calling for your arrest, Steel, especially as you gave your word they would be safe. It’s crazy, for Christ’s sake, but we have to do something or there will be chaos.” Alexander removed his jacket and rolled the sleeves of his white shirt up.
“I will surrender myself to them. It’s the only option. This alliance is too important for it to fail. It hinges on trust, and right now there’s none.” Steel blew out a long breath as he studied Marcus. “You will take control of Orion and make sure that everyone signs the damn agreement. Right now, everyone in that room is looking to appoint blame. I brought them here, promised their safety, and the shifter dies. I have no choice but to comply with their wishes.”
“No, Steel. I will go instead,” Marcus pleaded.