Supernatural Syndicate: A Limited Edition Collection of Magical Mafia Stories

by Thea Atkinson

  Bowing my head with utter contempt for this farce of a council and ill treatment by my own mother, I stuffed that pain away in the same place I’d crammed the rest of it. “Yes, Mistress Bishop.”

  Jemma blew out a breath behind me, and I knew she was pissed. I could feel her anger pulsating around the room, along with Frankie’s. He was humming low under his breath—something he did when he wanted to speak but couldn’t.

  Impatiently, my “mom” gestured for me to continue with a wave of her hand, and out of the corner of my eye, I could see Nannette smiling. What in the actual hell had I ever done to these people except live and breathe? For fuck’s sake. Whatever.

  Making eye contact with each of them, especially my dad (who hadn’t always been a jerk), I took a deep breath. “Last night I felt like I was attacked by a pain spell of some kind; I can’t be sure, but I knew I had to act—something or someone was coming. I just… whatever it was, it felt dark, dangerous, and foreboding.” I paused when the whole council gasped. This didn’t sound good. “Anyway, from memory,” I cast my gaze to Nannette, “I performed what I now know to be the Blood Curse spell to stop the abnormal pain and flow of Mother Nature, but a strange storm raged outside, things went crazy, and I’m not sure what happened. I was knocked unconscious after a light show in my apartment.” Trying not to fidget, I continued. “Then today at work, I was visited by the boss of the vampire mafia, the Boston Clan leader. Apparently when I cast the spell, I almost drained his vampires of all their blood—almost killed them.” I paused again to let what I’d said sink in, but I was only met with glares. Shit. “He’s given me two choices: either cast another spell to protect them from outside magical attacks, or he’s promised war against the Salem Coven.”

  After a beat, and while I’d left the council speechless, I went on. “So, I need your help. I know I screwed up, but I have to do whatever it takes to stop a war between us and the vampire mafia. I humbly request a spell of protection from the Book of Shadows to satisfy the Boston Clan leader’s terms. Thank you.” I stepped back to huddle between Jemma and Frankie as the council stared at me, some appearing dumbfounded, some pissed as hell, and others seeming to be in shock. It looked like the odds were not in my favor.

  Fuck.

  Next thing I knew, the whole council erupted into complete chaos centered on me. Frankie and Jemma each grabbed a hand and squeezed showing their support. I just kept on breathing, watching the shitshow going down: arms flailing, fingers pointing at me, cursing (also directed at me), papers flying. Yeah, it was something.

  Welp, it was “go big or go home,” as the saying went, I guessed. I’d gone huge apparently. Awesome.

  “Harlow Bishop,” Nannette bellowed. “Come forward this instant.” As she spoke, the rest of the council took their seats, all red-faced, and I did as I was told.

  “You are a blight upon this coven,” my mother shouted before Nannette could continue, and I snapped my gaze to hers. “You are useless, have always been useless, and should be banished for what you have done.” Spittle flew from Gilda’s lips as she hurled insult after insult toward her eldest child. Wow. Nice to know how she really felt.

  “Enough,” my father, Reginald, roared and stood from his seat. “Harlow, you are a disappointment. But you are my daughter”—He shot a glare at Gilda“—and you’ll not be banished from this coven. Not with my vote.” My dad had actually acknowledged me and sort of stood up for me in his own way. There was hope yet.

  “If the two of you are quite done?” Nannette interjected as I picked my jaw up from the floor.

  “After conferring with other members of this council, the majority has ruled you will not receive our assistance.” My heart stopped in my chest. “We do not fear two-bit vampires who claim to run the city of Boston.” Nannette flicked her wrist in a dramatic flourish, the smile on her face almost gleeful. “You are on your own, Harlow.”

  I’d had enough of her, of all of them. Thomas, the older witch in the middle had been sending me “fuck you” glares the entire time, while Janet, another self-important witch to his left had done nothing but smirk and whisper. I was done. Over it.

  “Fine. I appreciate your ‘sacred’ time I seem to have wasted.” Jemma poked me, but I ignored her. “I’ll handle it on my own. Oh, by the way.” I gave them all a sickly-sweet smile. “I now have fire magic. Thought you’d like to know.” My mother’s face paled as did Nannette’s, but they could eat shit. “Peace out, Mother.” Yeah, I probably shouldn’t have said that last part, but “Gilda” was no longer my mom. She’d never wanted to be, anyway—she’d just proven as much with her words alone.

  Jemma and Frankie spun on their heels to leave with me, Frankie holding his stomach to keep from laughing, but we were halted by Nannette’s shrill voice. Again. I didn’t even turn around.

  “If you kill the leader of the Boston vampire clan, then you’ll be welcomed back into the fold without censure from anyone, and provided training, that of which is deserving of your bloodline. Do you agree?”

  My blood had begun to boil, the feel of it—mixed with white-hot fire, and was that magic?—racing throughout my whole body. Unable to think clearly for a beat, I allowed the power to overtake me, knowing I couldn’t control it. I no longer cared. I’d deserved all of that from birth, but it was neither here nor there, and I wouldn’t be a bitter Betsy. But, I was about to display a teensy bit of my wrath, because fuck her—fuck all of them. Except my dad—at least he was trying in his own way.

  Jemma grabbed my hand when I turned. “Harlow, don’t do it,” she whispered. Jem must’ve felt my power surge, but I couldn’t be sure. It was too late now, anyway. I was beyond livid.

  Ignoring my best friend, I faced Nannette and her arrogant smirk. “Kill the vampires, huh? It’s that simple?” The thought caused a pain in my chest I couldn’t explain. “Why the sudden change of heart? Because of this?” Feeling my magic flow from my abdomen and into my palm (thank you for finally answering me!), I lifted my right arm. Blue and orange flames engulfed my hand as I shifted it around, watching the councilmembers’ faces. I’d stumped them. Good. “Oh, look. Harlow’s got magic now.” I blew across the fire on my palm, and it streamed toward the dais. Screams rang out, the lights flickered, and it was glorious, but I closed my hand into a fist, snuffing the flames before they gained traction.

  “Was that a threat?” Nannette shrieked, her eyes growing as wide as saucers. That right there made it worth it.

  “Oh, no.” I grinned almost evilly. “I would never threaten this sacred council. I only wished to prove that my powers had finally manifested, and I no longer need your training. But thank you, Mistress Nannette.” I’d just pulled that out of my ass, having no idea why my magic decided to come out and play. “And as far as killing the leader of the vampires? I will fix my mistake. Watch me.” I hadn’t given her a straightforward answer, but she’d see what I could do, or learn to do.

  Flipping my long dark hair over my shoulder, I turned and stormed out of the council room without a backward glance. They could kiss my ass.

  13

  Harlow

  Frankie clapped me on the back as soon as the doors slammed closed behind us. “I can’t believe you did that, chica. Holy freaking flame thrower. That was amazeballs! Did you see their faces?”

  “Yeah,” Jemma piped in. “They looked scared shitless. I can’t believe you produced fire magic, Har. And the ‘Oh, look. Harlow’s got magic’ part. I almost died laughing but had to keep a straight face. Do you know how hard that was?”

  Giving them the side-eye, I continued walking at a brisk pace. “Guys, the walls have ears in this place. Shut it down until we get in the car.” I lowered my voice to a whisper. “I can’t control it, all right? I’ll explain later. Just shush.”

  As we turned the corner, I wasn’t watching where I was going and ran smack into my little sister, Annabelle, her silky black hair slapping me in the face. Just the cherry on top of my shit sundae. Awesome. It felt like
all the air had been sucked out of the corridor.

  Standing at about five foot three, I towered over her at five seven. But Annabelle always seemed to be larger than life, and she let you know it.

  “So, heard you have magic now,” she sang with a nasty smile, much like our mother’s. “About time. Too little too late if you ask me.” She shrugged, and I could hear Jemma muttering something under her breath. “Just like you to do something stupid when your powers manifest. Vampires, Harlow? Really?” Annabelle peered down at her nails and then up to me. “Good luck with that. Maybe you won’t die.” She then pushed past me and strolled down the hallway.

  I didn’t even say a word to her. What was the point?

  But how did she know what’d happened in the council room? Had she been there?

  Probably. The little spy.

  Jemma fisted her hands at her sides. “I should cast a spell on her, one where she’s gotta be nice to everybody. Or no, a truth spell. She’d get herself in a shit-ton of trouble if she had to tell the truth all the time. A bad seed, that’s what she is.”

  “Don’t worry about her. I’m used to it.” I tugged on Jemma’s sleeve. “Let’s get out of here. You too, Frankie. She’s not worth it. I’ve got shit to do and she’s not part of it.” Inside, though, as much as I tried to act like her words didn’t bother me, today they did. The “maybe you won’t die” tidbit sort of did it for me this time.

  Shrugging it off like I always had, I made my way toward the exit, hightailing it to Jemma’s car. I couldn’t get out of that place fast enough; I practically ran. Wiping away a few bastard tears before Jemma and Frankie caught up with me, I leaned against the car and waited. I needed to call Emilio as soon as possible. I had to get my hands on that damn spell; I couldn’t kill him, unless he had a way to make it look real.

  No, that was just stupid. Dammit.

  Jemma pulled my arm and leaned in close. “Okay, we’re out of earshot. Get in the car. I’ve got something to tell you.”

  Strange, but all right. She’d seemed fine when we’d left the High Council chambers. Opening the passenger-side, I climbed in and shut the door. Once we were all settled, Jemma peeled out of the driveway, and as soon as we were outside the gate, she let it rip.

  “Harlow, that was a freaking setup. The whole thing about killing Emilio and the vamps? A setup. I overheard Nannette not-so-covertly talking to Thomas and Janet. I didn’t get it all, but it sounds like they’re working on a way to kill them. They just wanted you to do their damn dirty work so they could claim innocence. I don’t know, but you need to tell Emilio. Don’t even think about killing him.” She glanced at me out of the corner of her eye. “That would be dumb anyway. We’ll help you get that spell.”

  “What Jemma said,” Frankie called from the backseat. “We’ve got you, chica.”

  “A setup? I don’t understand,” I said. “How did I not hear them? But wait, that does explain the glowers they were shooting at me the whole time. I barely even know Thomas and Janet. Hell, for the longest time I thought Janet’s name was Janice.” Good grief, the lengths these witches would go to, but the question was: why?

  Yeah, I’d been a late bloomer, and what Nannette called “unteachable,” but being set up was something else altogether. It honestly blew my mind a little if I were being honest.

  Jemma came to a stoplight and turned to me. “It was during your magic show while you were focused on your mom. You shoulda seen Nannette’s face. Something’s up with her; I can feel it. Whatever she’s got planned only proves it. We can’t trust any of them anymore, not that we did much in the first place.”

  “Those bitches.” Frankie shouted exactly what I was thinking.

  “Jem, if you don’t mind, just drop me at home. I’ll call you guys later.” I rubbed my forehead and sighed. “I need to make a plan and get a call out to Emilio.”

  “Whatever you need, Har,” Jemma said. “We love you.”

  “Love you, too.” Leaning back against the headrest, I began to question everything.

  Huh. I wondered why in the hell they’d want to set me up, but then again, why did that even surprise me? Going before the council had been a good idea in theory, but what had I really expected? They hadn’t ever done a single nice thing for me my entire life. And helping me fix my mistake to stop a war? Yeah, they’d thrown me to the wolves. Well, they’d actually thrown me to the vamps. Whatever…I’m splitting hairs.

  Little did they know I’d beat them at their own game, come hell or high water.

  I didn’t have to prove myself to them.

  I’d prove I could do this for myself.

  I’d fix it my way.

  14

  Emilio

  Throwing back a shot of whiskey, I heard my cell ring. When I pulled it from my pocket, Harlow’s name appeared on the screen. I had a feeling she’d be calling after the visions I’d had.

  “Harlow, how are you?” I knew she wasn’t well by the sound of her breathing, but I asked anyway.

  “Not awesome, Emilio. We need to talk, and I’d rather not do it over the phone.” Her voice seemed to tremble the longer she spoke. “Will you meet me at my apartment?”

  “No.” She didn’t know it yet, but she’d be coming with me. I’d seen enough and knew she was in some kind of trouble.

  “What? Why? It’s important. You have no idea what the council wants me to do. I can’t—I won’t go through with it. I’m on my own, but…” Harlow trailed off.

  “But what, Harlow?” I questioned in a much calmer tone this time. I could now feel her distress through our connection, and it’d begun to affect me. This, I was not accustomed to.

  “Your help. I-I may need your help. I know it’s not part of the deal, but it seems something bigger’s going down with the coven, something I’m still not sure about. But it could be dangerous.”

  That’s what it was: danger. Harlow was scared, and I felt it.

  “Under no circumstances are you to be alone. I’ll send a car to pick you up. Just finish packing and I’ll meet you at your door. Open it for nobody but me, understood?”

  “What? That’s not—”

  “This is not up for discussion, little witch. If you’re in danger, I must protect yo—my investment.”

  “Your fucking investment? Have you lost your mind?”

  Sighing, I knew I had to tell her the truth—she needed to trust me. “You, Harlow. I must protect you. Now get your shit together and stop arguing with me.”

  Her breath caught, and I could hear her heartbeat accelerate even over the phone. “Um, okay. I’ll be ready soon. But we have a lot—”

  “Please do as you’re told and stop talking. I’ll be there in thirty minutes with my driver.”

  “All right, but I don’t like it. Damn, you’re too freaking bossy.” The sound of her blood pumping through her veins caused my dick to come alive, the phantom scent of it filling my nostrils. I fucking wanted her near me. Now.

  “See you soon, little witch.”

  “For fuck’s sake, my name—”

  I disconnected the call before she could correct me. She’d soon learn “little witch” meant much more now than it had when we’d first met.

  Walking downstairs from the loft I kept at the club, I exited the main floor and called Carlos, my driver.

  “Hey, Boss.”

  With no time for pleasantries, I got straight to the point. “I need you to pick me up at the club. We’re taking a drive to Salem to retrieve somebody.”

  “Got it, Boss. Be there in five.”

  Disconnecting the call, I put my cell back in my pocket, leaned against the wall, and waited. I wondered what’d happened to Harlow, if it was anything like what I’d seen in my visions. If so, she could be in more danger than I suspected. But that was neither here nor there. I’d be giving her a power boost like none other, one she wouldn’t be expecting. However, it was necessary to fulfil the plans I had for her.

  Harlow needed to learn of her family’s
betrayal, the gifts she’d been born with, and that she’d been held back her whole life. No more. Yeah, I wanted that spell, but I didn’t really need it, not if I had Harlow at my side, and the ace I’d always held up my sleeve. Together, we could take down any enemy who dared cross my family, or her. This was why she needed my protection.

  She had to learn.

  And I’d be the one to teach her.

  Carlos pulled alongside the curb in one of my black SUVs and stepped out, coming around to greet me. “Boss.” He nodded and opened the back door. “Salem, is it?”

  Sliding into my seat, I glanced at him. “Yeah, got a girl we’re bringing back here.”

  “All right, Boss.” He shut my door and returned to the driver’s seat. “She human?”

  His questions were irritating the fuck out of me. “A witch,” I told him and gave him directions. “Make it quick.” The drive was only about thirty minutes without traffic, but I wanted to get there as soon as possible. Something in my gut was gnawing at me.

  Looking to his left, Carlos pulled into traffic and headed toward Salem. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, wondering how Harlow would react to her heritage, the prophecy, everything. She had no idea of the power she held within her.

  I must’ve dozed because another fuckin’ dream of my past had come on quick. They, along with my visions, had grown more frequent since meeting the little witch. Just as the blood spell had awakened her magic, the taste of her had opened my senses and brought on more power of my own. Power that’d long been dormant. I could now feel the fire raging through my veins. I’d always been a fire witch but hadn’t used my magic in the better part of two centuries—except for a handful of times over the years. I’d never really had to, unless it was necessary, and never in front of my guys.

  Just before my father had succumbed to his wounds, he’d told me to create a family of vampires to someday defeat the witches if necessary. Not to seek revenge immediately, but when the time was right or if they threatened me or mine. I hadn’t understood then, but I’d done as he told me. I’d just dreamt of this: my father and his final words. They had to hold significance to the situation with Harlow and what was going on with the witches, whatever that may be.