by Arthur, Keri
She glanced at me sharply. “I thought the victim had been shot?”
“He was.”
She hauled her kit out of her SUV and then said, “Mac and Ciara are on their way—can you wait here for them? Mac will take your statement when he arrives.”
Mac was another of the seven rangers who worked in this reservation, and Ciara the coroner. She also happened to be one of Aiden’s sisters. He had eight siblings all told, including Katie, who might not be flesh but was still very much a part of this place.
“Do you need me to guide—”
Tala snorted. “No—the trail you two left is very evident.”
I left her to it and retreated to the truck’s cabin to wait for the other two. Ciara arrived first; she looked no more impressed than Tala.
“Seriously, we need to stop meeting like this.” She hauled her kit out of her truck. “Couldn’t we do coffee and cake like normal people?”
“I’d love to, but given your council left the wellspring unprotected for too damn long, I’m afraid events like this are going to keep happening.”
Her gaze shot to mine, surprise evident. Which made me wonder just how much Aiden had told her about the wild magic and the reason for the recent influx of supernatural creatures.
“So we’re not dealing with a shooting?”
“We are. But the dead guy was also a witch.”
“Oh, great.” She glanced around as another green-and-white SUV appeared. “That’ll be Mac. I’ll head in.”
Mac had the typical rangy build of a werewolf, with brown skin and hair that suggested he hadn’t originated from the three packs within this reservation. He greeted me cheerfully and got down to work, quickly taking my statement. Ashworth appeared just as I’d finished. Once his statement was taken, we were cleared to leave.
I climbed into the truck and buckled up as Ashworth reversed out. “I gather the circle is now secure?”
“Yeah. I warded against both human and animal interference, so it should be safe until a higher-up arrives.” He glanced at me. “Which should be tomorrow afternoon. I’m picking them up at Melbourne airport.”
My stomach began churning again even though the likelihood of it being someone we knew was pretty low. Lots of witches lived and worked in Canberra, and surely fate wouldn’t be cruel enough to toss someone who actually knew Belle and me our way.
The way our luck is running of late, Belle said, it’ll probably be your goddamn brother.
Don’t even think that! Besides, can you imagine Julius daring to step beyond the sanitized halls of the High Witch Council?
Not without a truckload of smelling salts and hand sanitizer, Belle commented. A man’s man Juli is not.
Which was something of a huge understatement. But he was a powerful witch—maybe not as strong as Cat, the sister I’d failed to save, but still way up there on the power scale. In my parents’ eyes—especially with Cat gone—he could do little wrong.
There is a little bit of me that hopes Ashworth is right, that the two of us combined are as goddamn powerful as he thinks, and that we could make your parents, our former teachers, and everyone else who ever put shit on us eat their words.
There was definitely a part of me that wanted the very same thing. I might now be an adult, but that long-rejected child remained deep inside, still hungry for the approval of her parents.
Them finding out would only worsen our problems, Belle. After all, it wasn’t just because I’d been underpowered that we’d run, but rather what they were forcing on me.
Her sigh was wistful. I know, but it’s still a nice dream to have.
Could you imagine Juli’s face if we fronted up as equals?
It would be the sulk of the century, Belle said. Maybe even the millennium.
The understatement of the decade. I glanced at Ashworth. “Did they give you a name?”
“No,” Ashworth said, “as they weren’t entirely sure who the Heretic Investigations Center had free. They’ll send me a text later.”
I nodded. “Then let’s hope he or she will be able to track down the bastard who shot our witch before they release whatever spell he was creating for them.”
“That’s presuming our dead man is responsible the spell in the clearing,” Ashworth said. “The fact is, he may not be. And we may not be able to find anything until the shooter does unleash the spell.”
“I hope like hell you’re wrong.”
He snorted. “So do I.”
We continued on in silence. Ashworth dropped me off at the café and I quickly went inside. Dust danced through the late-afternoon sunshine streaming through the side windows, but nothing else moved. Belle had already left for Melbourne, and the builders had obviously packed up for the evening. I ducked under the plastic and headed upstairs to shower. We might have retreated to a hotel room to sleep, but most of our clothes and personal items remained here. The explosion had taken out both the roof near the top of the stairs and the nearby kitchenette, but the bathroom, our two bedrooms, and the compact living area had all escaped major damage. The fire that had followed the explosion had been contained—and then extinguished—by spells from both Belle and Ashworth, so while we’d had to wash every item of clothing and linen we owned, we’d avoided major water and smoke damage to the rest of the building and its contents. We did have insurance, of course, but there were many things—like the books Belle had inherited from her now dead grandmother—that simply couldn’t have been replaced.
I had a long hot shower that did little to ease the accumulation of aches, then smeared antiseptic over the deeper wounds. My headache had lessened though the bump was still sore, and I didn’t appear to have any of the other signs of concussion. Which hopefully meant it wasn’t going to be a problem.
I shoved on a pair of shorts, a tank top, and my runners, and then clattered downstairs to do the prep work for the next day. It was around eight by the time I finished, and my stomach rumbled a noisy reminder that I hadn’t yet fed it. As I grabbed a frying pan to cook up a steak, my phone rang.
Aiden.
A grin split my lips. I hit the answer button and then said, “So, what’s the verdict?”
“I’ve got the all clear to resume all normal activities.”
“An event I’ve been looking forward to.”
“You’re not the only one.” The low, hungry note in his warm tone had anticipation skittering down my spine. “Would you like to go out for dinner?”
“Love to. I was just about to start cooking myself something, so you’ve timed your call perfectly.” I hesitated. “Has Tala contacted you?”
“Yeah. I was talking to Ashworth before I called you. He said a more knowledgeable witch from Canberra would arrive tomorrow.”
“The magic evoked in that clearing was very powerful, Aiden, and Ashworth didn’t feel it until we were close. We do need someone stronger.”
“So he said. Odd that you felt it and he didn’t.”
“I have no idea why, if that’s what you’re asking. Where are we going for dinner? Are we doing fancy or casual?”
“Nice change of subject there, Liz,” he said, amusement evident. “There’s a new restaurant in Argyle—only been open a week but getting good reports. Thought we might try that.”
Argyle also happened to be where his apartment was. While all three packs had their own home territory within the reservation, most wolves also owned—or rented—separate accommodation where they could take non-wolf lovers. Outsiders weren’t welcome onto pack grounds except under exceptional circumstances, and being a wolf’s lover or girlfriend would never be classified as such. Wolves might play outside their own species but they very rarely stayed. Katie had been the rare exception, and her marriage to Gabe had only been approved because she’d been dying.
“That sounds like a plan,” I replied lightly. “What time?”
“How much time do you need to get ready?”
I laughed. “I can be ready in ten.”
“I’
ll meet you out the front, then.”
“Done.”
I hung up then flew upstairs, hurriedly changing into a pretty summer dress before putting on some makeup and slipping on a pair of sandals. I then grabbed a larger handbag out of my closet, transferred my purse and phone, and shoved in underclothes, shorts, and a tank top, as well as my toothbrush. To say I had hopeful expectations of staying the night at Aiden’s would be another of those understatements.
And if fate intervened with said pursuit of happiness this time, I was going to be right royally pissed.
I took two more painkillers to take care of the fading remnants of the headache then clattered down the stairs, swept my keys off the bench, and went outside. The last rays of the day gave the darkening skies a golden glow, and the air was warm and filled with the scent of eucalyptus. There was no hint of magic or evil entwined in that scent. I hoped it stayed that way.
A blue Ford Ranger swept around the corner, its headlights briefly blinding me. Aiden pulled to a halt in front of our café and then leaned across the seat and opened the door.
“Evening, gorgeous,” he said. “Loving that dress you’re almost wearing.”
I grinned. Though the shoestring sheath dress wasn’t close-fitting, it sat well above the knee and was low cut at both the front and the back, which meant wearing a bra wasn’t an option. But given I wasn’t exactly well-endowed, the fall-out factor wasn’t much of a problem. Not that I’d thought Aiden would mind if it had been.
“You did say not long ago you’d love to see me getting my pins out more often.” I tossed my bag onto the back seat and then climbed in. “I thought that since this is really our first ‘official’ dinner date, I’d treat you.”
“I appreciate the effort.” His gaze swept me again and became concerned. “Why are you so scratched up?”
“Tree branch backlash. Nothing too bad.” I shrugged. “Did Ashworth tell you anything about the witch that’s arriving?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Why? Are you worried?”
“No.” I hesitated. “Well, maybe. I’ve already told you I don’t want to be found by my parents.”
“But your parents are in Darwin, not Canberra.”
“No, they were assigned to Darwin, and that’s where I was born. They didn’t remain there.” The lie tasted bitter on my tongue—more so because he was so obviously aware that they were lies.
But all he said was, “How likely is it whoever the council sends will know you?”
“Very unlikely, but I can’t help being afraid, Aiden.”
He frowned. “What do you have to be afraid of? However much your parents mightn’t like your witch powers, they surely wouldn’t physically hurt you—would they?”
“Perhaps not,” I said, even as foreboding stirred. “But there’s all sorts of abuse, Aiden, and some of them take a long time to recover from.”
Especially when the emotional scars ran as deep as mine.
His frown deepened, even as understanding stirred. “You’re an adult—they have no legal control over you. And they can’t hurt you unless you allow them.”
“Which is utterly correct in theory, but difficult in practice.”
And I rather suspected that if I ever did meet them again, I’d once again be that frightened sixteen-year-old faced with an untenable situation.
It was only thanks to Belle that I’d escaped. She’d been my strength—my rock—during those last few bitter weeks in Canberra. In fact, she was the only reason I was even alive today.
I flexed my fingers, trying to ease the inner tension. Trying to push away the hurtful memories. “Witch legalities tend to be a little different than human or wolf.”
“Your parents aren’t witches. They’re human.”
I cursed inwardly. It was getting harder and harder to keep the lies straight and yet no matter how much I hated doing so, I also couldn’t stop. I might like Aiden, but he was never going to be anything more than a good time. Never going to be the person I settled down with. Until I found that man, my secrets would remain mine.
“My grandmother was half witch, my mother quarter. That brings us all into the legal sphere of the council.”
And while I hoped—with every ounce of my being—that the documents I’d been forced to sign at sixteen wouldn’t stand in a court of law, I had absolutely no desire to ever find out if they did or not.
Aiden didn’t say anything, though his skepticism spun around me, sharpening the weight of guilt.
We headed out of Castle Rock and cruised down the highway toward Argyle. I wound down the window, stuck my hand out, and let the cooling air play through my fingers. It remained empty of any threat, and I couldn’t help but wonder if the unease I felt was more anxiety over the unknown witch’s arrival than any real sense of danger.
We found parking in one of the side streets just off Vincent Street and the highly decorated main shopping strip. Aiden placed a warm hand against my spine, causing my breath to hitch a little as he lightly guided me to the restaurant, which went by the rather amusing name of The Blue Roo. The main room wasn’t very large—there was perhaps a dozen tables, all of which were full, which was a positive sign considering it hadn’t been open long. The brick walls were painted a dark blue that contrasted nicely against the white furniture and bright pots of flowers scattered in corners and hanging from hooks on the walls. An unlit fireplace dominated one wall and to one side of it was a small but beautifully decorated Christmas tree. At the far end of the room lay the open kitchen, a corridor to the lavatories, and an ornate, cast-iron set of stairs that led up to the next floor.
A young woman in jeans and a black shirt with a small blue roo stitched onto the left side approached and said, “Evening. Have you got a booking?”
“Aiden O’Connor.”
She looked it up, then grabbed some menus and said, “Follow me, please.”
We were led up the stairs then across to a corner table that was only lit by a small candle and the light streaming in from the nearby window. Aiden seated me and then sat opposite. The table was small enough that our knees touched, and it caused all sorts of havoc to my already giddy pulse rate.
“This is all very romantic,” I said, smiling at the waitress as she handed me a wine list.
“Thought it was needed after all the near misses we’ve had of late. What would you like to drink?”
There were several of my favorite wines on the list, but given I’d taken painkillers not too long ago, I erred on the side of caution. “I’ll just have a lemon, lime, and bitters, thanks.”
Aiden ordered one of the many local craft beers, and then raised his eyebrows. “That’s a rather staid choice, isn’t it?”
“You’re closeness has me giddy enough. I don’t need alcohol.”
He laughed. The warm sound caressed my skin as softly as any touch. “I’m supposed to be the one with the smooth lines, not you.”
“I believe in equal opportunity when it comes to that sort of thing.” I grinned. “What time do you have to start work tomorrow?”
“I’m on the early shift, unfortunately.”
“Which sadly means there’ll be no long, lingering wake up. Such a shame.”
He smiled. In the flickering candlelight, his eyes were a very vivid blue and his dark blond hair ran with silver. Like most wolves, he was rangy, but his shoulders were a good width and his arms well muscled. He was, by anyone’s account, a very good-looking man, despite the somewhat sharp planes of his face.
“There can be,” he said. “We just have to wake up earlier.”
“I wouldn’t advise waking me too early. Not without a coffee in hand. It could get ugly.”
Amusement played about his lips. “How ugly are we talking about? Because with so many younger brothers and sisters, I’m a dab hand at dealing with ugly.”
“I’m talking ‘even Belle fears to tread’ type ugly.”
“Ah. Well, let’s forget the whole waking early without coffee feature of our re
lationship.”
“If you want to have any sort of relationship, I’d certainly advise it.”
“It’s good to get these things sorted beforehand—fewer missteps to be made. To that end, be aware that you can wake me any damn time you please, with coffee or without.” His eyes took on a devilish glint. “But preferably without coffee. Or clothes.”
The waitress arrived with our drinks. Once we’d both placed our food order, he leaned across the table and caught my hands in the warmth of his. The seriousness in his expression had my pulse racing again, but this time for all the wrong reasons.
“Before we go any further,” he said softly. “There’s something you need to know.”
I briefly closed my eyes and knew without him saying another word that this was it. That the next few seconds would be make or break for Belle’s and my hopes of having a long and happy life within this reservation
The council had finally come to a decision about us.
Chapter Three
Fear surged but just as quickly died when I caught the spark of happiness in his expression. It wasn’t bad news. It was good.
Even so, I wasn’t about to celebrate until I actually heard the words.
“I was called into a council meeting this evening,” he continued solemnly, but with the happiness spreading.
“About Belle and me?”
“Yes.” He paused, and I had to fight the urge to rip my hands from his, slap his arm, and tell him to just get on with it. “They’ve bent to pressure and have decided to allow you to stay despite the fact you weren’t honest about being witches.”
Even though I’d already guessed the result, the wave of relief that hit was so damn fierce tears stung my eyes. I blinked them away rapidly then gave in to that urge, ripping one hand free and then slapping his arm. “Damn it, you had me petrified for a few seconds there.”
“I didn’t mean to. I’d thought you’d guess the result given I couldn’t contain my joy.”
“I did, but that doesn’t negate the fact that for a second there, I panicked.” I sent Belle a quick message and, as her mental whoop of joy echoed through my thoughts, added, “Who besides you was pressuring them?”
