by M H Soars
“The grimoire can work as a conduit, an enhancer of power. Did you get the information you needed?”
Racking my brain, I try to organize the memories of my weird trip in a coherent fashion. I saw the great battle between Natalia and the demon. “I think so. Natalia had a weapon, some kind of dagger with an ember stone in it. I think that’s what killed the demon in the end.”
“She must have used one of the sacred weapons.”
“What’s that?”
“When the angels still deemed humanity worth their while, they gifted seven stones of power to the humans they chose as the worthiest. But as usual, humans sought to use the stones for personal gain instead of for fighting evil. Legend says that with time, some of the stones got lost and others were used in weaponry. Since the stones were blessed by angels, they can be used to fight demons, but at a great cost to the person wielding the weapon.”
I know the cost. Life. Natalia died on the battlefield. I’m certain of it.
My right palm becomes warmer. When I glance down, I see light coming from within it. I’m also holding something. Unfurling my fingers, I find a blue stone there. The light fades, but inside, it seems the stone is alive. Trapped energy pulses as if it were a heart. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
“You brought back one of the stones,” Mrs. Montgomery says in awe.
“How?”
“It must have been hidden inside the grimoire.”
My heart skips a beat as I stare at the stone. “Can I use it to fight Valerius’s demon?”
“One stone alone won’t kill it. And you need to forge it into a weapon.”
Mrs. Montgomery winces, then clutches at her chest. I jump to my feet to assist the elderly lady. “Are you all right?”
“I’ve used too much of my magic for one day. I’m no longer in my prime.”
“Do you still have enough juice left to get us out of here?” I glance at the oppressing stone walls of the chamber, terrified of being trapped here.
“Yes. But first, you need to hold up your end of our deal.”
Of course. Here comes the payment. I should have asked what the price was before I touched the grimoire. I hope she doesn’t demand my firstborn child.
“What do you want?”
“A promise that you will look after my granddaughter when I’m gone. She’s going to need strong allies to fulfill her destiny.”
“I don’t think I’ve met your granddaughter before.”
“I have two. Casey is in high school, but it’s Erin who will need your help.”
Bearing in mind Erin is Mayor Montgomery’s spawn, I have to ask my next question. “Is she nice?”
“What kind of question is that?”
“Considering your daughter’s track record, I need to know if I’m promising to help someone as vile as she is.”
“Erin is nothing like her mother.”
“Okay, fine. I promise. Can we go now?”
“Not so fast, my dear. Words are meaningless. We need an unbreakable vow.”
Out of nowhere, Mrs. Montgomery produces a small athame. She presses the sharp blade against the softness of her palm, drawing blood, then motions for my hand. I want to tell her how unsanitary and dangerous that is, but I don’t think she cares about contamination. She cuts my hand as well, and then we shake hands. I expect to see light burst from our handshake, but the only indication that a spell has been cast is a tingly sensation that curls up my arm.
Letting go, she declares, “It’s done.”
Chapter 44
Red
We return to the greenhouse, Grandma is nowhere to be found, but the sound of wolves growling outside has me running for the door. Dante, Sam, and Tristan have shifted and are now cornering Mrs. Montgomery’s bodyguard. The guy is sprawled on the floor with part of his jacket sleeve ripped at the seam. A long sword lay not too far from him.
“What happened?” I ask.
All three of them swing their snouts my way. A second later, Dante is brushing outside my mental shield.
“Why did you attack that guy?” I ask as soon as I drop the barrier.
“We couldn’t sense the bond any longer, so we stormed in and found this puppet guarding the greenhouse. We thought something happened to you.”
“I’m fine, as you can see.”
“You feel different.”
“Different how?” I clutch the stone in my hand harder.
“I can’t explain.”
“Why are you bleeding?”
I hide the hand with the cut behind my back, not that it will do any good. He already smelled my blood.
“I’ll explain later. Now, can you shift back so we can go?”
Dante turns to Sam and Tristan. Together, they return to their human forms. Mrs. Montgomery’s guard finally deems it safe to stand from his prone position, eyeing my mates with distaste. At least now I know he’s capable of showing emotion.
“That’s why I didn’t want your mates here. Wolves are so volatile,” Mrs. Montgomery says, watching them with a scowl.
“Maybe you shouldn’t have hidden my granddaughter’s signature, Demetria.” Grandma returns the glower.
“It was a necessary precaution. I’ve risked too much already bringing Amelia to the grimoire.”
“I’m sure the benefits outweighed the risks. What kind of bargain did you strike with her? I can sense the blood vow between you two from where I stand.”
“Nothing she can’t handle.”
“Blood vow? That doesn’t sound good.” Sam pulls me to his side while he positions his body in front of me.
Irritated at the two elderly ladies, I step away from Sam’s human shield. “Hello. I’m standing right here.” I wave my hand between the two stubborn women. “It’s fine, Grandma. I didn’t promise anything terrible.”
“If Demetria is involved, you can’t be certain of your statement.”
“I thought we were leaving,” Sam interrupts, and I’m glad for it.
“Yup, we are.” As I start to leave, Mrs. Montgomery touches my arm, so I stop. “What is it?”
“If you want to turn that sacred stone into a weapon, Donal might be able to help you.”
“Donal?”
“Oh, I forgot he goes by a stupid nickname now. What is it again?”
“Do you mean Santiago?” Dante asks.
Mrs. Montgomery snaps her fingers. “That’s it. Santiago. I don’t know why in heaven’s name he would pick such a silly name, but alas, trying to understand that man is as pointless as trying to get him to reveal where he found the fountain of youth.”
“Wait a second.” Sam raises his hand. “A fountain of youth exists, and Santiago knows where it is?”
“Who cares about Santiago and his fountain of youth?” Tristan chimes in, then focuses on me. “Did the grimoire say how we—I mean, Natalia and Robert—defeated the demon?”
“Yes.” I don’t elaborate, because I’m not sure what to do with the knowledge I gained. If I tell my mates Natalia died in the battle against the demon, they’ll never let me face him. But I might be the only one who can destroy that foul creature.
“What are you holding there, Red?” Sam drops his gaze to my fist.
I open my palm, revealing the blue stone that now lies dormant. No more pulsing energy inside, but the power hasn’t deserted it.
Mrs. Montgomery’s bodyguard gasps loudly, earning a curious glance from Grandma. He schools his features back into neutral quickly, but Wendy Redford isn’t fooled. She keeps studying him for a while longer.
“I retrieved this from the grimoire. Now I need Santiago’s help to turn it into a weapon.”
“Is that how we’re going to kill the demon?”
I hesitate. If I say yes, I’ll be lying. Natalia died when she used the power of one stone. Yet Mrs. Montgomery seems to think I need at least two.
“I don’t know yet,” I say finally.
“You’ll fail if you try to kill an archdemon with only
one stone,” the bodyguard speaks up, surprising everyone.
“He can talk,” Sam says.
“Of course I can talk. And you owe me a new leather jacket, by the way.” He glances at Mrs. Montgomery. “Forgive, ma’am, but I couldn’t hold my tongue any longer.”
“It’s fine, Freddie. I already warned Amelia that one stone wouldn’t be enough.”
“Wait. Why do you think the demon working with Valerius is an archdemon?” I ask.
“Because if he were only an ordinary demon, druid magic would be powerful enough to deal with him.”
Tristan curses loudly, and I share his sentiment. Of course the malefic being had to be something of great power if he’d survived that battle from centuries ago and came back for me. I wish I knew why the demon wanted Natalia.
“Where can I find another stone? I thought they were lost.” I direct my question to Mrs. Montgomery.
“Albert Saint holds one. At least he did a few years back.” Freddie bends over to pick up his fallen sword from the ground. I can’t help my gasp of surprise when the weapon disappears in the next second. And here I was thinking this dude was human.
“How do you know that, Freddie?” Mrs. Montgomery asks.
He smirks, “I can’t reveal my sources.”
The old witch rolls her eyes, shaking her head. She actually has affection for her minion. Interesting.
I run a hand through my hair, frustrated we seem to be missing so many pieces of the puzzle still.
“Maybe we need to split up. I’ll head to Brian and ask if he can help us with the blue stone, and one of you go after Albert.”
“No. We’re not splitting up, not with Valerius on the loose.” Tristan’s gaze turns hard. Before I have the chance to protest, Dante sends me a message mind to mind.
“He’s right. We’d better stick together. I’ll call Albert from the car.”
“Okay.”
“Since we’re here, is there any chance your witches can help with the situation? I mean, we have to deal with an archdemon, a crazy alpha and his deranged wolves, plus hunters,” Sam says casually, as if reciting a grocery list.
Mrs. Montgomery lets out a sigh, and it’s obvious her answer won’t be favorable. “I wish I could help you, but Georgina is the one making the decisions for the coven now. I’m too old to be involved with the daily tasks. She doesn’t want to get involved.”
Not having had the pleasure of meeting the odious woman personally, I can’t say for certain, but I’m betting I should probably stay away from her. I can’t answer for what I might do. Maybe punch her in the face. Never mind that I just swore to protect her daughter. Frigging fantastic.
Since we have the information we came for, we depart the Montgomery premises. I fervently wish I never have to set foot in this place again. The visit to that dungeon has me in jitters still, but the idea is wishful thinking on my part. I’ll be back—if I survive the confrontation with the archdemon, anyway. It’s bizarre how I don’t even consider Valerius a threat now, which is obviously a mistake on my part. Demon or no demon, he’s extremely dangerous. Until we can free the wolves he has under his control, he shouldn’t be brushed aside.
During the ride, Dante tries to reach Albert Saint but only gets his voice mail. He calls Brian next, but is unable to reach the druid as well. Not being able to contact two people shouldn’t be reason for concern, but nevertheless, a shiver of apprehension drips down my spine, raising the small hairs on the back of my neck.
Stuck in a car for a least another ten minutes until we get to Brian’s place allows me time to think about Kenya. She has all the right in the world to be mad at me. I have to speak to her, grovel until she forgives me. I may be some powerful witch-wolf hybrid supernatural, but I still need my best friend. Since I don’t have my cell phone with me, I ask to borrow Dante’s. I dial Kenya’s number, knowing it by heart. The phone rings and rings, before her prerecorded voice tells me to leave a message. I end the call, hoping she hadn’t somehow known it was me calling and purposefully ignored it.
“Are you fretting over Kenya?” Grandma asks.
“Yes. I have to explain to her why I didn’t tell about my new…situation.”
“You had your reasons for keeping the truth from her.”
My spine becomes stiff as I catch the double meaning of Grandma’s reply. “I still haven’t fully processed all the changes. Eventually, I would have found a way to tell her the truth. I wouldn’t deceive her forever.”
“That’s what you want to believe, but with time, you’ll see that the truth can do more harm to people than omission.”
I snort. “Yeah, right. Is that the lie you tell yourself to assuage your guilt?”
Grandma doesn’t reply this time, leaving me seething. I want to yell at her, demand an apology. That’s what’s hurting me the most, the fact she’s not remorseful about her deceit.
Sam covers my hand with his, squeezing tightly. Facing him, I catch his blue eyes watching me with understanding and even some shared rancor as well. Grandma is on his shit list, too. Oddly, that makes me feel a little better. He leans in to kiss my cheek, moving to place his lips against my ear. In a whisper, he says something I haven’t heard from any of my mates yet.
“I love you.”
Goose bumps break out on my forearms as warmth wraps around my heart. I close my eyes for a brief moment, overwhelmed by the swell of emotions overflowing my chest. When I open them again, they’re filled with tears.
Touching his face, I kiss his lips briefly before murmuring, “I love you, too, Sam.”
He lets out a shaky breath that fans over my skin. “Shit, I never said those words to anyone else before.”
His admission makes me giddy. It’s a selfish emotion since I can’t claim the same. The first person I ever said those words out loud to was Alex, my ex. But what Sam doesn’t know can’t hurt him. Grandma’s earlier comment flashes in my mind, dampening my mood a little. There’s no point in mentioning Alex to any of my mates since he’s no longer part of my life. Keeping the details of my previous relationships to myself doesn’t compare to her lies.
“How does it feel?” I ask.
“Fucking amazing.”
“Oh, gee, could you turn down the lovey-dovey declarations a notch?” Tristan grumbles from the front seat.
“Don’t be a hater, Tristan,” Sam replies, amused.
I, on the other hand, don’t have it in me to find humor in Tristan’s comment. He never said he loved me back when I poured my heart out to him. I’d been so happy to be with him again, I’d pushed that detail aside until now.
“Are you still sensing the chip?” Dante asks.
“Actually, the chip has been destroyed.”
“Come again?” Tristan swivels on his seat, frowning.
“I don’t know how it happened. When I touched the grimoire, some great power coursed through me, and it obliterated the chip.”
“Just like that?” Sam peers curiously at me.
Grimacing, I remember how painful the ordeal was. “Well, I thought my head was going to explode for a moment, but as you can see, it’s still intact.”
Tristan keeps staring hard at me for a moment, despite my attempt at a joke. I don’t understand where his attitude is coming from. It’s almost like he’s not happy I got rid of the chip.
The ride turns a little rough when Dante turns on to a dirt road. The vehicle shakes from side to side, jostling my bones. When I peer out the window, I can’t see the sky anymore as the great ancient trees are blocking the view.
A little further ahead, the thick forest gives away to reveal a dark, two-story house that reminds me of a witch house straight out of a fairytale. Several cars are parked in front of the construction, which gets my complete attention.
“Whoa, it seems Brian is having a party and he forgot to tell us about it,” Sam says.
Before we get out of the car, the druid steps out of the front door, his face solemn and preoccupied. I’m not the only w
ho notices his demeanor.
“Oh, shit. I don’t like the look on Brian’s face.” Tristan pushes the door open, the first one out of the car.
We all exit the vehicle. When my feet land on the ground, the sacred stone in my hand becomes warmer. Brian stops abruptly not too far from me, while his gaze zeroes in on my fisted hand.
“You have one of the sacred stones,” he says.
“Yes. I was hop—”
“Shit,” he interrupts me. “I can’t let you come in holding that. I sense it’s in its pure form, which means it’s not linked to you yet.”
“Why does that matter?” Dante asks.
“It matters because right now, anyone can harness its power for good or evil.”
“Who would want to take the stone from Red?” Sam wraps his arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer to him in a protective gesture.
“Your mother told me everything, even about how your father was betrayed by someone from his inner circle. There are three alphas inside, and we don’t know who is the traitor.”
“Fuck.” Tristan runs a hand through his hair. “What can Red do to link to the stone?”
I hold the stone tighter, as if that’s going to make me link with it somehow. Yeah, like it would be that easy.
“She needs to embrace her witch powers,” Grandma answers, earning glares from all three of my mates.
“I don’t have any witch powers,” I contest stubbornly.
“You know that’s a false statement. Your gift was dormant before. It happens sometimes. Becoming a shifter must have ignited your powers.”
“We’re running out of time. If you want to connect to that stone, we have to do it now before someone else picks up on the stone’s powers.”
Resigned, I take a deep breath. “After I link to the stone, will you be able to turn it into a weapon?”
“I can, but it will take time.”
“How much time?” Sam asks.
“It’s hard to say, but I’m afraid it won’t be before you have to face Valerius again.”
Chapter 45
Samuel
