Misfit Fortune

by Stephanie Foxe

  She could stitch someone up, replace a transmission, or punch a werewolf in the face but she could not read dry history books for hours on end. Being cooped up in the midst of all that was starting to grate on her nerves so she’d come out here for some fresh air.

  This used to be her and Dylan’s thing. Laying in the back of this truck, talking about their dreams. His big plan had been getting the bite, then becoming a big rock star. He couldn’t sing or play an instrument but that didn’t matter when they were laying under the stars. Anything felt possible.

  “You wouldn’t believe what I’ve gotten mixed up with, Dylan,” she whispered, watching the last of the stars fade away as the sky brightened. “Werewolves were just the beginning. I’m literally fighting angels now. Is that cooler than a rock star? I think it is.”

  For the first time since he’d died, remembering him didn’t feel like a knife in her chest. The grief was still there but so was the happy, hopeful feeling he’d always inspired in her.

  Her phone buzzed with a text from Tommy saying they’d found something. She sat up with a groan and hopped over the side of her truck. A faint hint of leather and cheap cologne made her pause. She knelt down, sniffing carefully to find the source of the scent.

  It was coming from above the tire in the wheel well. She shone her phone’s flashlight into the space and saw a small black thing stuck to the metal. It was flat and square and almost unnoticeable. If she hadn’t been looking for something she never would have seen it.

  She pulled it off, careful not to break it and brought it to her nose. The scent was faint but she was sure she recognized the scent as belonging to Horan. That asshole had been tracking her. It must be how he found her when she was at Lightvine’s house the other day.

  She shoved it in her pocket and headed back toward the house. This pissed her off but it would have to wait. Finding the rest of Raziel’s key and getting Deward back were way more important than an MIB agent on a power trip. She’d deal with Horan when it was all over.

  Chapter 66

  Ceri

  Ceri accepted the tea Derek had made her with a grateful smile. She’d felt lighter since they’d returned from the spirit realm. The doubt and guilt that had been plaguing her since the fight with the sorcerer had lifted.

  “So, have you changed your mind about tarot cards?” Derek asked as he stirred a heaping spoonful of sugar into his mug of tea.

  She scoffed at his suggestion. “No. Most people using tarot are full of crap.”

  “But not all of them?” Derek sipped his tea smugly.

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m not letting Dr. Stone get anywhere near me with those cards ever again.”

  Genevieve stuck her head in the kitchen. “Someone just pulled in the driveway.”

  Ceri’s heart jumped into her throat. The angels couldn’t be here already, could they? “Who is it?”

  “I think it’s Alpha Vernier.”

  Setting her tea down on the counter, Ceri followed Genevieve to the window that looked out at the driveway. Sure enough, it was Tatiana that climbed out of a black suburban.

  “It’s weird of her to show up unannounced. I’ll go talk to her. Call Amber.”

  Genevieve nodded and pulled out her phone.

  “Stay inside, Derek. I mean it,” Ceri said, waiting for him to agree before pulling open the front door and walking out to greet Tatiana. She put on a pleasant smile. “What a nice surprise.”

  Tatiana returned her smile. “I certainly hope so.”

  “If you’re looking for Amber she won’t be back for about a half an hour.” Ceri stopped a safe distance from Tatiana and leaned against the porch banister.

  “I’m here to talk to you, actually,” Tatiana said with a wink. “Can we walk?”

  Ceri hesitated. Alarm bells were going off in her mind. There was something wrong here. However, she didn’t think Tatiana was here to hurt her.

  “Sure,” she said finally, walking down the steps to join Tatiana.

  The alpha slipped her arm into Ceri’s then started toward the gate, walking at a slow pace. “It’s been quite the week, hasn’t it?”

  “I suppose,” Ceri hedged, not sure what Tatiana knew and what she was guessing at.

  Tatiana stopped and turned to her. “We should be honest with each other.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “That would be good. Why are you here?”

  “Because you need me as much as I need you.”

  “Really?” She didn’t like where this was going. She didn’t like that Tatiana had come when Amber wasn’t here. And she didn’t like that Jean wasn’t with them.

  “Your pack is being investigated by the MIB and Carter has all but openly declared war on your pack.” Tatiana sighed, as if it pained her to say all this. “You need knowledge and protection Amber can’t give to you. She’s sweet and very well-intentioned, but she’s managed to get herself a leech that will never let go,” Tatiana said plainly. “You can see that, can’t you? Out of all of them, I thought you’d be the most clear-headed about the situation.”

  Ceri’s mind was spinning. “Are you suggesting I leave my pack?”

  Tatiana leaned in and wrapped her hands around Ceri’s. “I’m inviting you to join mine.”

  “I can’t––”

  “You can. Amber never gave you the pack bite. Walking away from them is as simple as choosing it.” Tatiana gave her hands a quick squeeze and leaned back. “This is a choice, though. I won’t try to intimidate you into joining my pack. The facts are plain to both of us, and the threats you will be facing if you stay are out of my control.”

  “I’m not leaving my pack,” Ceri said, incredulous Tatiana would even suggest it. All this had been a ploy to try and lure her away from Amber. “The fact that you’d even want someone who would turn their back on their pack as soon as things got dangerous makes me question not only your judgment, but your character.”

  Tatiana’s face darkened at the insult. Red flowed into her irises and she seemed to grow bigger, the air humming with her anger. “I have been civil throughout this conversation, how dare you––”

  “It doesn’t matter how sweetly you say it.” Magic rippled over Ceri’s skin. Tatiana had claimed she wouldn’t try to force things, but she could no longer take her at her word. “You’re leaving, and if you try to hurt my pack, in any way, I will make you regret it unto your dying breath.”

  Genevieve walked out onto the front porch and crossed her arms. “You heard her. Get off our property.”

  Tatiana never took her eyes off Ceri. “You will regret this, and when you do, you will come crawling to me to beg for your salvation.”

  “I don’t beg,” Ceri snapped. She drew on her magic and the power of her pack, letting it flow around her. Wind lifted her hair and electricity crackled through the air. “Now leave while you can still walk.”

  Tatiana turned on her heel and stomped back to her suburban, slamming the door after she got in. Gravel spun under her tires as she gunned it down the driveway, leaving a cloud of dust behind her.

  Ceri, her anger growing by the minute, marched back into the house.

  “Amber will be back in about five minutes. They were already on their way when I called,” Genevieve said, still staring at the gate. “I’m going to shift and watch the perimeter, just in case she tries to come back.”

  “Good idea,” Ceri said, pacing the length of the living room.

  Derek stepped in her path and caught her by the shoulders. “Take a deep breath before you set something on fire. There are literally sparks shooting off your fingertips.”

  She looked down and saw her fingertips were crackling a bit. With a frustrated sigh, she began releasing the magic she’d drawn on when telling Tatiana to go the hell away. “I’m not going to set anything on fire.”

  “Uh huh. Sure.”

  “I can’t believe she was playing us this whole time. Amber really liked her.”

  “It was a dick move,” Derek agreed
, pulling her into a hug.

  She wasn’t sure when he’d become the person who knew how to calm her down, or when burying her face in his chest made her feel like she was home. It was just so easy with him.

  A thought occurred to her and she jerked away, her mind racing.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. I just realized something is all.”

  The front door flew open and Amber ran inside, looking around frantically like she expected her to be gone. “Where is Tatiana? I’m going to eviscerate her.”

  “She left, but that doesn’t matter right now,” Ceri said, walking over to her alpha. “Give me the pack bite.”

  Amber looked at her in alarm. “Can witches even become a werewolf?”

  “No, but that’s not what I’m asking. Don’t change me, just give me the pack bite. Cement my bond with the pack. There is a difference between the two. A bite from an alpha on any day other than the full moon won’t change you. It’s how alphas accept new werewolves into their packs.” She pulled up her sleeve, extending her bare arm toward Amber. “Vernier was lying when she said it was unimportant. I didn’t realize that until I was talking to her today. I will never fully become a shaman until you do it. We’ll be stuck in this state of transition forever.”

  Amber’s expression hardened, her anger at Vernier for her lies and manipulation echoing through the pack bond. “I understand.”

  “Are you sure this is a good idea?” Derek asked warily.

  “I’m positive.” Her heart pounded in her chest as Amber gently lifted her arm toward her mouth. This was going to hurt. Amber met her eyes, waiting to get final confirmation that she was sure about this.

  Ceri nodded firmly. “Do it now.”

  Amber’s teeth lengthened and her eyes glowed red as she bit down on Ceri’s forearm. There was pain, sharp and hot, as her blood filled her alpha’s mouth. But she barely noticed it as magic surged between them.

  For a moment, it felt like Amber was draining her, sucking all the life and magic from her body…but then the flow of power shifted. The power of the pack crashed into her, filling her back up. It flowed back and forth between them until she could no longer feel where her magic ended and the strange, feral power of the wolf began.

  She could feel them. Amber. Tommy. Genevieve. An awareness of the pack sat in her chest like a second heartbeat.

  Amber slowly lowered her arm, blood staining her lips. “That was different.”

  “No kidding.”

  “Your eyes are glowing.”

  She turned to the mirror hanging by the front door and saw she was right. An intense, blue light burned in her eyes. Not yellow like a regular werewolf, or red like an alpha. Something different.

  Chapter 67

  Genevieve

  Genevieve had run the full perimeter of the property after Tatiana had left. Her muscles burned in a good way and the hot shower she’d taken after she’d gotten back had left her feeling like she’d had a massage.

  She decided the pack didn’t shift and run often enough. They still went about things like they were human so often, only shifting on the full moon or when they absolutely had to.

  Steven wrapped his arms around her waist and planted a kiss on her neck. “You smell better.”

  She whacked him on the arm –– gently, unlike last time when she’d accidentally left a huge bruise. “Rude.”

  “Just being honest.” He turned her around and held her tight. “I’m glad I’ve gotten to see more of you.”

  “Me too. This is going to sound bad but…I didn’t think I would like it this much. It’s nice having you here.”

  “Is that so?” Steven said, a teasing tone in his voice. “You don’t want me to move in, doooo yoooou?”

  She laughed nervously. “What if I did?”

  “Wait, seriously?”

  Genevieve.

  The impression of her name drifted through her mind. She knew it was Amber that had said it, but she also knew Amber hadn’t said it out loud.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I think I heard…that can’t be possible.”

  She grabbed her clothes and quickly pulled them on.

  “Wait! You can’t run off now!” Steven complained.

  “I’ll be right back!”

  She raced downstairs. She had to know what Amber had just done. This was in no way related to fleeing the conversation with Steven.

  Amber was sitting cross legged on the floor with Ceri in the middle of the living room, her eyes shut in concentration.

  “How did you do that?”

  Amber’s eyes shot open and she twisted around in place with a huge grin. “It worked?”

  “I heard my name, but it was in my head?”

  “Yes!” Amber threw her hands in the air in celebration. “It’s actually working!”

  “That book you found that talked about all the changes the pack would go through with a shaman was right!” Ceri said, grinning like a lunatic. “The pack bite made all the difference!”

  “Does this mean we can actually talk through the pack bond now?” she asked, excitement growing in her chest. This was so cool.

  “With practice, yes. That took way too much effort and concentration to be practical in the middle of a fight or anything like that,” Amber said, still beaming with pride. “I can’t believe it actually worked.”

  “I want to try next,” Tommy said, dropping to the floor next to Amber.

  Genevieve’s phone started ringing in her room. She groaned, but ran back upstairs to answer it. If it was her boss and she missed the call, there’d be hell to pay.

  Steven held it out for her, looking resigned that they wouldn’t get to talk about what she’d said for a while.

  “Hello?”

  “I need…help…” Icewind grunted, pain clear in her voice.

  “Where are you?”

  “Sending you…location…” There was the ping of a message, then a thunk.

  “Icewind?”

  There was no reply.

  “Crap. Amber! We have a problem!” Genevieve shouted as she shoved her feet in her shoes.

  Chapter 68

  Tommy

  Tommy helped Amber lift Icewind onto the dining room table.

  “Who attacked you?” Genevieve asked, cradling her blood-streaked face in her hands.

  “Wolves,” Icewind slurred out, her eyes rolling back in her head.

  “Tommy, get gauze from the bathroom,” Amber said as she ripped Icewind’s shirt off to find the source of the bleeding.

  “Horan…following him and they…they caught me––” Icewind hissed in pain as Amber pressed down on a gash across her stomach.

  Tommy shook himself out of the daze he was in and ran to the bathroom, grabbing the first aid kit from under the sink. He wished he could plug his nose somehow to escape the smell of blood. He was really starting to hate it.

  “Here,” he said, handing Amber a bundle of gauze.

  “Ceri, do you have anything to stop this bleeding? We have to do it fast,” Amber asked as she pressed the gauze to the wound. “Tommy, come hold pressure on this.”

  He hurried around to the side of the table and put his hand where Amber’s had been. The blood soaking through the bandages was hot and sticky. He could feel Icewind’s sluggish heartbeat under his palm.

  “Yes, I’ll get it.”

  “Shouldn’t we take her to a hospital?” Tommy asked, watching her face grow paler by the moment.

  “There’s no time now.” Amber worked intently, wrapping the worst of the wounds first. The elf was covered in bite marks, chinks of flesh missing in some places.

  Bile rose in his throat and he had to look away. They’d torn her apart. It was a miracle she was still alive. He had no idea how she’d managed to run away like this. They’d found her crawling through the woods.

  Icewind grabbed his arm, startling him. “My father…”

  “We’ll find him, I promise,” Tommy said, hoping he s
ounded reassuring. He was pretty sure Thallan was still missing.

  “No, he––” Icewind’s face lost all its color and she fell back, unconscious.

  “Uhhh, Amber, she passed out,” Tommy said frantically.

  “I know. Ceri! We really need some potions now!” Amber shouted over her shoulder.

  Ceri came running back into the room and dumped an armful of supplies on the table. “Tommy, give her the blue ones.”

  “Can I let the pressure off on this?”

  “Yes, I’ll hold it,” Amber said, reaching one hand over and taking his place.

  He grabbed the blue potion and opened it with shaking fingers. Grabbing her jaw, he pulled her mouth open and poured the potion between her lips. Some dribbled down the side of her face but the effect was immediate.

  She surged back to consciousness, her whole body jerking as she coughed.

  “Hold still!” Amber shouted, practically throwing herself across Icewind to keep her from coming off the table. “You have to stay as still as possible or you’ll tear everything back open.”

  Icewind grimaced, her teeth grinding together. “Everything hurts.”

  “Green one, Tommy,” Ceri said, opening a jar of salve to treat the bad wound on Icewind’s stomach.

  He grabbed the next potion. Icewind opened her mouth this time, making it easier to feed it to her. As the bright green potion hit her tongue, she relaxed with a sigh.

  “Need that schtuff all da time,” she muttered, smacking her lips happily.

  “What is in this?” Tommy asked, carefully setting it down before any got on his fingers.

  “It’s a strong painkiller. Also creates euphoria,” Ceri said as she held the gash closed as Icewind’s skin began knitting back together. It wasn’t perfect, but it closed enough for the bleeding to stop.

  “Icewind––”

  “Call meeee Neia. Dat’s my name,” Icewind said with a giggle. “Neeeeeeeiaaaaa. Like a horse!”