by Holly Hook
“It was bad, huh?” I read the meaning in his words. He failed to protect me from that, too.
I advance on him. “Look, we're almost done with all of this. I know it. Once we get Brett's sister out of the cult for good, he's going to help us. Brett might be sort of a jerk, but I can't blame him, and it turns out he didn't even like his father. I know he didn't. Mr. Hayde favored Karina over him to get him to turn dark inside, and it worked. But now he sees that not everyone is a dirt bag. I hope.”
“That girl is evil,” Cayden says. Now he faces me again and frowns. “Even if we capture her and bring her back to her brother, she's going to try going back to the cult.”
“Or will she? We don't know her whole story, and if we can swing her to our side, she might help us,” I say.
“You're too trusting.”
“So now I'm the other extreme. Well, trying to help people doesn't bring the Savage King to me. Or Callie. Speaking of her, I don't know how she's doing, either.” We might not have resolved our emotional problems, so moving on to another subject is welcome, even if it's also terrifying.
Cayden forces a smile. “Well, if Brett ordered those attackers off me, that's a start, right? He didn't actually curse me, but he knows more about them than I do and might have taken the torch from his father. He could help Callie a little.”
“That is a start. If you can fight without worrying about the curse, that'll help a lot.” I check my phone again and text Callie with the same, hey.
She responds right away. Still in motel room. No other incidents.
We might have help, I message back. Then I add a smiley face, glad she hasn't dealt with the Savage King again.
I'm in Davidstown. Super 8. No roaches so far.
I have to admire her sense of humor. Cayden asks who I'm messaging, so I let him see my phone. We now stand shoulder to shoulder, skin touching. For now, our problems fly away on the wind. My still-healing silver cut that Brett inflicted burns with the contact, but I can deal with the physical pain. It'll heal in time and it won't affect our connection.
So, nothing, I message.
Almost wondering if it's safe to go back to Earl.
I swallow as the happy mood in the parking lot drops. The Savage King likes to wait for times when he could do damage, and taking over Callie in a motel room isn't one of those times. He'll want to wait until she's around those who are a threat to him.
Namely, Earl and the other Hunters.
Maybe not, I text. Then I text her the story about how Edwin attacked me and how we're going to get Karina away from the cult. Provided Brett survives holding off Edwin and Alex.
I'm not surprised, Callie says. Maybe you need my help.
No. Stay put. Callie's impulsive. I know how she works and why.
Fine. I'll keep staring at the walls.
Promise me that.
Pinky swear, she says. But if I don't hear from you by the end of the day, I'm coming.
“She has a spark,” Cayden says.
I snort. “No kidding.” This sounds like such an ordinary conversation and it is for us. My life has turned into what Cayden feared: a fight for survival. In that moment, I want Aunt May. I want to have her hug me and act as a shield from all of this, but she can't do that anymore. And I hate that.
So Cayden, despite all our problems, steps in instead.
* * * * *
When Everly and Remo arrive at the gas station, thanks to Noah sending out texts, I hug them.
Yeah. I hug Everly, who seems unhurt. They arrive in the SUV with Leonora, who remains quiet and shaken. So they got away, went back to the Lowe cabin, and got their vehicle. They're the first to arrive, followed by Aunt May, who also wraps me in her own worried hug. But nowhere is Brett.
“Alex didn't want to shoot us. He refused,” Remo explains to Cayden while I keep hugging Aunt May. “Edwin backed off and started ordering the guy around. We just got away before he could fire any of those bolts at us. That's an experience I don't want to repeat. I don't know what he did to Brie with that dagger--”
There's no point in hiding it anymore. “He had that silver dagger with my blood on it. I saw him tuck it into his pocket earlier.”
“I'm going to destroy him,” Cayden says.
And I don't try to convince him otherwise. He needs this.
“Then he used some kind of sympathetic magic on Brie. I didn't think my great uncle was that kind of man,” Leonora says. “I already messaged my parents about him. I hope they remember to check their phones.”
Remo keeps his arm around her. “Well, he treats your parents like crap and he likes his power trips. Wouldn't that align with dark magic? It's not genetic. I can't believe I'm talking about magic.” He shakes his head.
“He wants to feel all important by being the guy to kill me if I turn dangerous,” I say. “Does he have any idea we're meeting here?” In a place surrounded by just trees with few witnesses, Edwin could kill me and get away with it. Maybe he could do a drive-by magic stabbing. “What about calling the cops? And where's Brett?”
“Brett tried to get his spirits to attack Edwin, but it wasn't working. Maybe he was trying to drain Edwin and Alex. They shrunk back into the house after a few minutes and started to yell at each other, so it must have worked. Then he told us to run ahead. We grabbed the SUV and Leonora and came here.”
Cayden snorts. “Those spirits of yours won't do anything against Edwin.”
“You think he's that powerful?” Remo asks.
“He is that powerful. I saw what he did to Brie.” He turns to me, worry blossoming in his eys. “Have you ever seen him do it before?”
Yikes. Cayden knows me too well. We square off right there in the parking lot and I bite my lip, which gives Cayden the answer he needs.
“How many times has he threatened you, Brie?” I hear the bottom go out from under him.
I gulp. “When you went to infect Brett, I felt so bad that...I felt so bad that the Savage King almost took over, and Edwin took action to stop it. I couldn't really blame him much at the time, since I thought he was doing it to protect everyone else around me. He told me to keep it secret. And I did because I thought he was our last line of defense.”
“He's not willing to take the risk anymore,” Cayden says, keeping his hands at his sides. He paces in front of me as if shielding me from the rest of the world.
I'm a risk. Even he admits it. I swallow, trying to hide the tears. Just like Callie, I'm tainted.
“You're not mad that I didn't tell you?” I ask.
“You're so selfless, Brie. Putting yourself in danger to keep everyone else safe.” I can't read the tone in Cayden's words.
“Do you approve or not approve?”
“Everyone,” Leonora says, walking over from the road. “I called the pack for you and they said they're coming. The Colling Wolves, I mean.”
“Leonora, thanks. You don't have to be my secretary.” I should be giving the orders.
“You're such a huge help,” Cayden adds. “Hey—there's Noah.”
He and Olivia walk out from behind the gas station, hand in hand. I can only assume he's been trying to calm Olivia down, whose eyes have a red, upset tint. Jealousy brims inside me but I hold it down for their sakes. Just because my life's on the rocks doesn't mean I'm going to drag them with me. That's something Brett does.
“So, what's down?” Noah asks.
“Everything right now. Well, if Brett shows up we'll have one thing going right for us. So far he still seems to be alive. But does he know where we are?” I look to Everly and Remo, who hang near the SUV.
“He's a Wolf now and should be able to smell where we all are,” Everly says.
I keep forgetting. “Yeah,” I say. “I hope he gets here if he wants to get his sister back. It'll take the entire pack to do that. The cult has done nothing but make their wards around their territory stronger. The Savages, too. They're expecting us.”
We wait for another fifteen minutes, and just
when I hear the distant motors of a caravan coming from the direction of Colling—that has to be the rest of the pack—I also smell the faint burning hay and poison that marks Brett. Even turned, he retains some of that scent, which combined with his new scent makes him smell like a burning field that's suffering from a spreading fire. I wonder if it will ever go away.
Brett approaches through the woods, still in his dark robe, hanging his head like he can't bear to face me. He could have run back to the cult. Cayden freeing him could have ruined everything, but it didn't. Then I remember that he can't run back to the cult. Brett has nowhere to go except for us.
“Brett,” I say.
He lifts his head and scowls at me. I'll let him keep what man pride he has left.
“We're going to go and get your sister, but you have to help us get her back. I know you won't go back to the Savages now. But we're willing to meet our end of the bargain and we won't hurt her.”
“I sure hope so,” Brett snarls. He approaches and stops at the picnic table on the edge of the parking lot. This gas station has lots of them, plus woods and trails. It's clear he won't come any closer. That's fine. I don't feel like getting drained.
“Look, I know it's important to you. But I don't know if we can keep her away from the Savages and the cult,” I say. “She might be with them out of her own free will. I'm sorry to tell you that.”
“She's still in danger,” Brett says, looking into the trees.
A white van pulls into the gas station. I smell more foresty scents. The other Nobles are arriving. We'll set out soon to nab Karina. And then, with luck, we'll have Brett's help in reaching Remus again and warding off the Savage King.
Cayden speaks for me. “I know she is. That whole cult's in danger. If the Savage King takes over, he's going to use them as dog chow before he moves on to the rest of the world.”
“I've had that happy thought myself,” Brett says, tapping the wood of the picnic table with his fingers. He still refuses to look at us. “My sister might not realize it, but I do. I only stayed because I can't help her dead. That's why she needs to get out. She'll hate me, but that's the way it has to be.”
I detect hurt in his words. This won't be easy for Brett. “Once we have her,” I say, “we have to keep her over here, and how do we do that with someone who's great at magic? She was able to call your father to me last time we had her captive.”
“I don't know,” Brett says, though he nods like he does know. Cayden frowns at me.
“You want us to infect her, too?” I ask. “That's pretty extreme.”
“Do what you have to do,” Brett says. “She's a piece of work. Hey, it worked on me, so maybe for her it'll be the same. Unless she wants revenge and doesn't care that she dies. She and my father were closer than I was to him.”
My throat dries. I look into the trees as if the shadows there can jump out and grab us. I won't think of--”How likely is that?”
“I don't know. She gets broody sometimes and stays to herself.”
I shake my head at Cayden. “This might be too dangerous.”
“Look,” Brett says. He's desperate. And he also rises from the picnic table and dares to face me. “Getting my sister out is what matters. We'll talk about the details later. Can't we?” As if he senses my authority, he calms his tone and lowers his shoulders. “Get her over here and I will help you ward off Romulus. There really is a graveyard of Noble Royals where I think you'd have better luck connecting to Remus.”
“You're not feeding us bull?”
Brett shakes his head. “What other choice do you have?”
He looks right at me when he speaks now. And I hear no hesitancy in his voice. He's telling the truth, or at least he thinks he is. Not too many people can lie to me and sound convincing. I thank my senses.
“Then we'll continue the deal,” I say. “I'm sorry if we have to infect Karina, but you're right that it might be the only way. And believe us, we don't like doing it.”
Cayden nods with vigor. He backs away from the picnic table as I wave Brett to the growing group near the entrance of the gas station. Now's the time to figure out how to pull this off.
Chapter Eleven
When we all gather, I wave everyone away from the front of the gas station so we don't get busted for loitering. That, and a large group will attract attention. Since it's no longer tourist season, that's even worse for us. Thankfully there are plenty of picnic tables.
I count how many of us there are as we sit. Two dozen. The Colling Wolves have all stayed together despite us chasing out Lawrence and Abigail. The official story? They became disgruntled and told me they were leaving the pack. Kaylin left soon after to follow her mate, and no one stopped her, but her twin, Hayley, remains behind and sits not far from Cayden. I wonder every day if anyone questions the story. Two of the older men, Don and Ron, still look at me like they can't believe I bested Lawrence in a challenge.
I'm still on some shaky ground. I stand closest to the parking lot, putting my back to the road while Everly watches for any sign of Edwin. At least we'll smell him coming unless he can borrow some of Alex's masking spray. Then we're screwed.
“Everyone,” I say. “We need to venture into Savage territory and rescue Brett's sister from the cult. She is being forced to participate against her will.” That part's a lie but it's the story Brett wanted me to tell, even if I suspect she has no problem being in the cult. “We plan to keep her on our side by infecting her--”
“Infecting a cult member? We try to avoid that,” Don says.
“I know,” I say. “But it has the best chance at keeping her away from the other cult members forever. If we succeed, Brett here will tell us how we can find Remus and defeat the Savages. We have to take the chance he's giving us. That can help save someone I know, too.” I think of Callie again, holed up in a motel room alone.
“I recommend it,” Noah says from the sidelines.
Brett shrinks back as the whole pack, the thirteen men and women who make up the remainder of the Colling Wolves, look at the young guy in the black robe. He makes no eye contact with anyone. Just his smell tells everyone what's happened. Maybe he shouldn't have dressed like the cult. As if he realizes this, he pulls his robe off to reveal a green T-shirt and jeans. That alone lowers the tension level.
“I command it,” I say after sucking in a breath and bracing myself. “What we need is to have a distraction draw the Savage Wolves on one side of their territory. Then the rest of us go in, grab Karina, and get out.” I try to keep my gaze off the thirteen year old boy, Allen, who sits beside his mother. Sending him into battle is wrong, but he leans forward, eager, and I know numbers are needed.
“I could drive on the edge of the Savage territory and draw attention,” Noah says.
“No,” I say. “You could get bit or hurt.”
“I'll be in my car.”
“I know, but the place is full of dark spirits who would make your car break down and leave you stranded,” I say. “Remember what Brett did that night when we were leaving Teeyah's?”
Brett lets his head thump to his table. I can see why he's sitting way in the back, and alone.
Noah frowns as Olivia whispers in his ear, “You are not going.”
“Those dark spirits could hurt any of us,” Noah points out.
“But if you get bitten by a Savage, you're screwed,” I say. “None of us would be able to help you and you'd end up like Matthew. Well, not quite, but close. Or worse, they'd just plain kill you. They don't care about human life. All they care about is killing and getting on top. That's their nature.”
“Listen to her,” Cayden says. “The Savages care about nobody, not even their own kind. They're from all the parts of nature that make you question if life has any meaning.”
His words are powerful, washing over the group and making Noah balk. Cayden's hit the nail on the head. He's had his night and knows what the Savages really mean.
Noah says nothing.
�
�Okay,” I say. “The Savage territory is several miles to the west of here, and believe me, you'll smell the border. One group needs to distract the Savages and lead them far away from us. I don't know how many there are now or how infection happy they've been.”
Olivia rises. “My mom works at the hospital that would serve that area,” she says. “There are a couple of small towns in their territory, and she says there's been a rise in dog bites and maulings lately.”
I've forgotten about Dr. Bertram, who works in the ER. And that guy I smelled one night who had traces of rotten wood. Of course the Savages will replenish their numbers after we've killed several of them, and since I doubt they ever live long enough to reproduce, infection would be the easiest option.
“How many?” I ask, glad she's here. Yes, I'm glad Olivia's here.
She frowns. “I asked, and she said she's seen a dozen cases in the past few months. Not all of them would be Savage Wolf bites, of course, but I bet some of them were. She's scratching her head and I can't tell her the truth.”
“These are just the reported ones,” Noah adds.
“Most of the bites are given to deer hunters,” Olivia adds. “People who are out in the woods all the time.”
“So the Savages are smart enough to know who to target,” I say. This is just great. And if the Savage King takes over, things will only get worse.
“But they're not smart in other ways,” Don says. It's clear that among the Colling Wolves, he's the mouthpiece. I've figured that out by now. “The distraction tactic might work. But if the cult is as dangerous as you say, you'll need more numbers to cope with them. How many are left?” He eyes Brett with thinly veiled hatred. If we hadn't turned Brett, the Colling Wolves would have destroyed him already.
“I was lucky number thirteen, so twelve,” he says. “Including my sister. Watch out for High Priestess Artemis. The old woman. She's the leader now and she's even better at magic than my sister is. In fact, I think she and Karina are getting close.”
“That's nice,” I say. Artemis. Wasn't she the goddess of the hunt or the moon or something? Appropriate name.
